| 摘要 |
<p>Methods and associated apparatuses are provided for communicating data from a central station (1) to remote stations (2a-2c) over communications paths (3a-3c). The data, together forming at least one title, are stored on at least one storage device (25, 40). Data forming a title are then retrieved as data blocks (i.e., sequential segments of data), independently of other data blocks, and transmitted from the central station (1) to a given remote station (2a-2c). Preferably, two types of storage devices are provided. One type allows data to be stored as data blocks and distributed accordingly over a plurality of storage devices (25). The second type, preferably formed as ring structures (4) of solid state elements, provides a plurality of data access points, each able to retrieve the data independently of other access points. The systems disclosed allow the titles (any information convertible into data streams. e.g., movies) to be transmitted to wide audiences with great flexibility and minimal contention.</p> |
