Optimal movie distribution on video servers in an n-level interactive TV system

摘要

Movies are distributed and stored within a movie on demand or near movie on demand system having a number of levels of interconnectivity between and including at least one headend and at least one hub serving a plurality of end users. Distribution is determined as a function of the storage cost of a movie at each level of the system, a connection cost of each level to an end user, and a selection probability of each of the movies. Distribution of the movies between the various servers in the cable system is performed in accordance with the calculated optimal distribution.