Video-on-demand system with program relocation center

摘要

A video-on-demand system provides video signals from a video information provider to any one of subscriber terminals. The system comprises video storage devices distributed over a network area for storing a video program supplied from the video information provider. A video gateway receives a subscriber request from a subscriber terminal and produces a control signal according to the information stored in a database. A service request monitor analyzes subscriber requests received by the video gateway to produce a list of recorded calls. A program relocator analyzes the list to determine first and second video storage devices between which the video program is to be transferred. A transfer command generator is responsive to the determined video storage devices for supplying a program transfer command signal to the video gateway for updating the database. A switched telecommunication network is responsive to the program transfer command signal for transferring the video program from the first video storage device to the second video storage device and responsive to the control signal for establishing a connection between the subscriber terminal and the second video storage device,