Abstract: A process is presented for supporting simultaneous disk read and write requests in a video server environment. Read requests are the result of movie viewing, while write requests are the result of video clip editing or movie authoring procedures. Due to real-time demands of movie viewing, read requests have to be fulfilled within certain deadlines, otherwise they are considered lost. Since the data to be written into disk is stored in main memory buffers, write requests can be postponed until critical read requests are processed. However, write requests still have to be proceeded within reasonable delays and without the possibility of indefinite postponement. This is due to the physical constraint of the limited size of the main memory write buffers. The new process schedules both read and write requests appropriately, to minimize the amount of disk reads that do not meet their presentation deadlines, and to avoid indefinite postponement and large buffer sizes in the case of disk writes.

Abstract: A method and concomitant apparatus for interactively accessing information from a computer network, such as a TCP/IP network, suitable for use in an interactive information distribution system, illustratively a cable television system or a video on demand system.

Abstract: A data organization scheme for movies stored on a video server. The method utilizes the available bandwidth and space in the I/O system to avoid the data contention in the ATM. Basically, parts of the hot movies are replicated on the server unit. Most of the requests to the hot movie are directed to this unit. But if the server unit can not deliver the required video object within the required time limit (because of the large queue length) the video object is transported from the other server units through the ATM network. All the requests that are fulfilled locally by the server unit will not go through the network. Thus, the traffic through the ATM decreases on the expense of increasing the disk utilization.

Abstract: A method for presenting information on display devices of varying sizes. The method processes a query of a database and determines which tables are most likely to contain information which the user wishes to primarily view. The join relationships between tables of the database are used to determine the priority for displaying tables. Those join relationships which were used more frequently in previous queries are accorded higher weight scores and correspondingly have a greater chance of being prioritized to be displayed on the computer screen. Also, a user may select a particular table to be focused upon. In that situation, the method displays not only the focused table but also the tables with a direct relationship to it.

Abstract: A priority scheme is used to control concurrent access to a database. The priority scheme takes advantage of the usual delay in a process after a first full set of data is accessed in order to improve the overall impression of the speed of the system. Access to the database is granted on the basis of priority. In the disclosed exemplary embodiment of the invent ion, three priorities are established: a first priority for fast-response type transactions which have not yet accessed a set of data, a second priority for fast-response transactions which have accessed a set of data, and a third priority for batch transactions. When a fast-response transaction is initiated, it is given the first priority. Once a predefined number of data values have been obtained from the database, enough to produce a full screen display, the transaction receives the second priority. A transaction may be assigned the first priority periodically, when it needs to access a further set of data.