Method of performing content integrity analysis of a data stream

Abstract

A method providing integrity analysis of content data streams within an information distribution system. On-demand content is divided into a plurality of content portions to be severally distributed among disk drives of an array of disk drives. A data structure is used for dividing the content into the plurality of content portions. Method is used to check integrity of content prior to provisioning thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing content-on-demand, comprising: 
 dividing a content stream in to a plurality of extents containing packetized information appropriate to a temporal period represented by each extent; and    associating with each extent, a data extent comprising a plurality of content data packets, and an extent trailer comprising a unique content identifier, a logical extent number, a track-type identifier, and a circular redundancy check.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 striping said plurality of extents of said content stream across a plurality of disk drives.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 transmitting said plurality of extents of said content stream to at least one subscriber terminal in response to a request for content.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said unique content identifier is associated with a particular content stream.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said logical extent number provides a number indicative of a relative position of said data extent with respect to other data extents within said content stream.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each said logical extent number is sequentially numbered within said content stream.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said track-type identifier comprises indicia of a type of track selected from the group consisting of a play track, a fast-forward track, and a reverse-play track.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 performing a circular redundancy check (CRC) operation on said plurality of content data packets of each data extent during initial formation of said data extent.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 replacing a corrupted data extent with a replacement data extent in an instance where said CRC operation identifies said corrupted data extent.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 masking a corrupted data extent in an instance where said CRC operation identifies a corrupted data extent.    
     
     
         11 . Apparatus for providing content-on-demand, comprising: 
 means for dividing a content stream in to a plurality of extents containing packetized information appropriate to a temporal period represented by each extent; and    means for associating with each extent, a data extent comprising a plurality of content data packets, and an extent trailer comprising a unique content identifier, a logical extent number, a track-type identifier, and a circular redundancy check.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 means for striping said plurality of extents of said content stream across a plurality of disk drives.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 means for transmitting said plurality of extents of said content stream to at least one subscriber terminal in response to a request for content.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said unique content identifier is associated with a particular content stream.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said logical extent number provides a number indicative of a relative position of said data extent with respect to other data extents within said content stream.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each said logical extent number is sequentially numbered within said content stream.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said track-type identifier comprises indicia of a type of track selected from the group consisting of a play track, a fast-forward track, and a reverse-play track.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 means for performing a circular redundancy check (CRC) operation on said plurality of content data packets of each data extent during initial formation of said data extent.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 means for replacing a corrupted data extent with a replacement data extent in an instance where said CRC operation identifies said corrupted data extent.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 means for masking a corrupted data extent in an instance where said CRC operation identifies a corrupted data extent.