| 摘要 |
A system and method of optimising transmission of a program to multiple users over a distribution system, with particular application to video-on-demand for a CATV network (36). The system includes, at a head end of the CATV network (36) a scheduling and routing computer (30) for dividing the video program stored in long term fast storage (16) or short term fast storage (18) into a plurality of program segments, and a subscriber distribution node (24) for transmitting the program seg- ments in a redundant sequence in accordance with a scheduling algo- rithm. At a receiver (40) of the CATV network (36) there is provided a buffer memory (42) for storing the transmitted video program segments for subsequent playback whereby, in use, the scheduling algorithm can ensure that a user's receiver (40) will receive all of the program segments in a manner that will enable continuous playback in real time of the pro- gram. Under the control of controller (52) the receiver (40) distinguishes received program segments by a segment identifier so that redundant segments captured in capture memory (46) are then stored in buffer memory (42) from which the segments can be retrieved and decom- pressed in data decompressor (50) for immediate or subsequent viewing.</SDOA B> |
