Abstract: A multimedia server retrieves blocks of data from a storage medium and supplies the blocks in the form of data streams to users. The streams include a group of high bit rate streams and a group of low bit rate streams. The system has a reader for in a sweep reading data blocks from the storage medium for a selected group of streams and for storing the data blocks in respective buffers. The system further has a scheduler for determining which of the streams is to be serviced, i.e. for which of the streams a block is to be read, in the next sweep of the reader. The scheduler according to the invention is operative to determine to service a low bit rate stream less often than a high bit rate stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a storage system (100) such as a video on demand system, comprising a plurality of storage units (110-120) such as disk drives. Each one of the storage units (110-120) has a number of storage zones (121-126) with mutually different expected data retrieval times. Data is stored in data units, with each data unit comprising N blocks, wherein N≧2. The blocks of a data unit are distributed over the storage units (110-120). The blocks comprise redundant information such that any one of a plurality of selections comprising N−K of the N blocks suffices for retrieving the data unit, wherein K≧1. For retrieving a data unit from the storage units (110-120), a reader determines which N−K of the N blocks to retrieve on the basis of a selection procedure. In accordance with the invention, the selection procedure takes into account the expected data retrieval times in order to optimize bandwidth utilization.

Abstract: In an audio/video server blocks of data are read from a storage medium by a reader and supplied to users in the form of data streams. The storage medium comprises a plurality of record-carrier based storage units. A reader reads a batch of data units from a storage unit in a single relative movement of a reading head of the storage unit with respect to the record-carrier of the storage unit. A scheduler controls reading of blocks from the storage medium by determining from which storage unit(s) data unit(s) need to be read for the block and placing a corresponding carrier access request in a read queue. The scheduler extracts for each of the storage units a batch of carrier access requests from the queue and issues the batch to the reader in an asynchronous manner, in response to the reader having substantially completed reading data units for a previous batch for the storage unit.

Abstract: A diaper is provided with an adhesive fastening tab of the Y-configuration type which includes a welded joinder at the branching point between the fastening tape and release tape portions of the tab, the welded joinder being free of the diaper. The welded joinder comprises a direct weld between the substrates of the fastening tape and release tape portions of the tab, or welds between each of those two substrates and an intermediate junction substrate.