Abstract: In the current invention, an apparatus, method, and computer program product for allocating a contiguous area of memory from a repository are provided. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a repository pointer to a contiguous set of data blocks in the repository and a system pointer operable to point to the contiguous set of data blocks are allocated. The value of the repository pointer is subsequently assigned to the system pointer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide disk controller operable to facilitate the efficient storage and retrieval of multiple content (data) streams to magnetic disk media. This disk controller includes an interface module, a memory module, and a processing module. The interface module is operable to couple the disk controller to a hard disk drive. The memory module and processing module in combination are operable to execute instructions that detect the geometry associated with the hard disk drive. Then the disk controller is operable to determine when the hard disk drive geometry supports assigning unique RW heads to unique content (data) streams. When the hard disk geometry supports assigning unique RW heads to unique content (data) streams, RW heads may be preferentially reserved or assigned to unique content streams wherein the RW heads are able to write unique content streams to memory locations within the hard disk drive, wherein these memory locations may be contiguous or near contiguous.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide disk controller operable to facilitate the efficient storage and retrieval of multiple content (data) streams to magnetic disk media. This disk controller includes an interface module, a memory module, and a processing module. The interface module is operable to couple the disk controller to a hard disk drive. The memory module and processing module in combination are operable to execute instructions that detect the geometry associated with the hard disk drive. Then the disk controller is operable to determine when the hard disk drive geometry supports assigning unique RW heads to unique content (data) streams. When the hard disk geometry supports assigning unique RW heads to unique content (data) streams, RW heads may be preferentially reserved or assigned to unique content streams wherein the RW heads are able to write unique content streams to memory locations within the hard disk drive, wherein these memory locations may be contiguous or near contiguous.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for dynamically adjusting forward error correction (FEC) rate to adapt for time varying network impairments in video streaming applications over IP networks may be disclosed. At a server side of a client-server communication system, a rate of transmission of forward error correction (FEC) packets to one or more clients may be dynamically adjusted based on receiving at least one upstream FEC packet from a plurality of clients. The rate of transmission of the FEC packets to the plurality of clients may be increased when a rate of occurrence of lost data packets is above a particular threshold value. The upstream FEC packets may comprise an urgent packet requesting transmission of a particular FEC packet in order to recover one or more particular lost data packets.

Abstract: A video program is streamed in a normal mode to a digital media rendering system on a first connection to the rendering system. Then, while streaming the video program over the first connection, a control signal is received from the rendering system over a second connection with the rendering system. In response to receipt of the control signal, the normal mode of streaming the video program is switched to a trick mode of streaming the video program over the first connection. This is done without closing the first connection. In response to receipt of the control signal, a resynchronization signal is sent to the rendering system over the first connection. The resynchronization signal causes the rendering system to resynchronize the processing of video program data packets after the trick mode of streaming has begun.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an audio, video, or audiovisual broadcast at a first settop box, where the audio, video, or audiovisual broadcast includes digital media data encoding a program. Index data is generated based on the received digital media data encoding the program, and data packets are transmitted from the first settop box through a network to a network storage server. The transmitted data packets include data encoding the program and the index data. The transmitted index data is stored in an index file in a memory device of the storage server, and the transmitted data encoding the program is stored in a digital media data file in the memory device of on the storage server. The index data in the index file are configured to provide locations of data in the stored digital media data file marking entry points for playing back the digital media data file.

Abstract: Presented herein are system(s) and method(s) for reducing channel change time. In one embodiment, there is presented a method for transmitting data. The method comprises receiving a request for video data from a client; transmitting a transaction header to the client, said transaction header comprising media metadata; and transmitting compressed video data to the client after transmitting the transaction header.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods may save bandwidth by using concurrent multichannels, which are transmitting separate sections of a file in parallel from server to client. The systems and methods may also be applicable to transmitting and receiving multimedia content (video and audio) for Video on Demand applications (VOD) while minimizing wait time at the client side. Aspects of the present invention may also allow servers to connect simultaneously with a very large number of clients to download large files and essential data.

Abstract: A settop box for streaming a television program to a network device through a network includes a central processing unit, a network interface device, a direct memory access engine, a buffer, and a memory for storing computer-executable instructions. The stored instructions cause the direct memory access engine to route time-ordered digital media data packets encoding the television program into the buffer, cause the central processing unit to add a network header to the digital media data packets, and cause the network interface device to relay the digital media data packets to a network device through the network, wherein the packets are relayed substantially without latency and with a time-ordering based on the same time-ordering of the packets in the buffer.

Abstract: Certain aspects of a method and system for implementing a forward error correction (FEC) code for Internet Protocol (IP) networks for recovering data packets lost in transit may be disclosed. At least one forward error correction (FEC) packet comprising a first checksum of at least one selected subset of a plurality of data packets may be received by the client. A second checksum of the selected subset of the plurality of data packets excluding one or more lost data packets may be calculated. One or more lost data packets may be recovered based on comparing the first checksum with the calculated second checksum.

Abstract: In the current invention, a method and apparatus for automatically managing fragmentation on a disk is described. This is done by having a special inode for preallocation and dumping of contiguous block chunks.

Abstract: In the current invention, a method and apparatus for efficiently deleting large files is described. This is done by having a special inode for pointing to data blocks to be freed, and subsequently freeing the data blocks from the special inode in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A system and method that completely removes the host CPU of an IP gateway/set-top video server from the data path of handling of network packet headers, as required by protocol layers such as UDP, IP, or Ethernet, or of payloads during video streaming. Accordingly, an ordinary set-top server is made operable to support simultaneous high definition video streams or additional such data streams.

Abstract: A telecommunication system which provides secure access from a user system at a user location to target systems at a desired target location (“secure location”). The system is implemented such that connectivity to any other target locations from a user system is disabled when the user system requires connectivity to the target systems at the secure location. By disabling the connectivity, the present invention ensures that access to the target location does not expose the target systems to the risk of unauthorized access. A simple user interface is also provided. The user may select the desired target location from among several target locations, for example, by operating a physical interface on a customer premises equipment (CPE).

Abstract: A method and apparatus which simplifies the configuration of CPEs of several models, potentially from several manufacturers. Each model may be employ a different syntax for the configuration commands. A portable system is implemented to issue commands with all such different syntaxes. The configuration parameters are retrieved from a central system and the commands are issued to each CPE to be configured. The issued commands have the syntax corresponding to the model of the configured CPE, and in some cases incorporate the retrieved parameters. The invention is particularly useful for service providers who may have the responsibility of configuring numerous CPEs of several different models.