Video on demand with memory accessing and or like functions

Patent 5442390 Issued on August 15, 1995. Estimated Expiration Date:

July 7, 2013. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

Digital Equipment Corporation

Application

No. 088504 filed on 07/07/1993

US Classes:

725/90, With particular transmission scheme (e.g., transmitting I-frames only)360/32, CONVERTING AN ANALOG SIGNAL TO DIGITAL FORM FOR RECORDING; REPRODUCING AND RECONVERTING386/96, Audio signal725/88, VCR-like function725/100Receiver (e.g., set-top box)

Examiners

Primary: Groody, James J.
Assistant: Grant, Chris

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Brinkman; Dirk, Hudgens; Ronald C., Fisher; Arthur W.

International Class

H04N 007/16

Abstract

In a system for interactively viewing videos, a selected video is transmitted as a plurality of frames of digitized video data for playback on a viewing device. The system receives the transmitted video data and includes a memory buffer for storing a segment of a selected one of the videos. The segment includes a predetermined number of frames representing a predetermined time interval of the selected video. In addition, the memory buffer including a write pointer and a read pointer. Software controlled servers are provided for witting and reading video data of the selected video to and from the memory buffer, independently, at locations indicated by the write and read pointers to transfer the selected video to the viewing device. By using a remote controller the viewer can position the read and write pointers to view any portion of the selected video interactively.