MULTI-CHANNEL HIGH-BANDWIDTH MEDIA NETWORK

Abstract

A multi-channel, high-definition media network. According to one embodiment, the media network is capable of distributing high definition and standard definition video signals as well as various audio format signals in an uncompressed manner while allowing for interconnection of A/V source and rendering devices in a robust, ring network topology. Additionally, it provides a common network backbone for more general-purpose computer networking (office and control system data). With this versatility, the media system may reside in a variety of locations such as a residence, a commercial building, a motor bus, yacht, or aircraft, etc.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the claims will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a conventional A/V distribution system that includes four A/V source devices and four A/V rendering devices;

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an analog distribution system via an analog cross-point switch over coaxial cable;

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of an uncompressed digital distribution system via a digital cross-point switch;

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a compressed digital distribution system over a network backbone;

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a multi-channel, high-bandwidth media network according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of a single channel input node that may be part of an AVDS node of the system of FIG. 5 according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein; and

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a single channel output node that may be part of an AVDS node of the system of FIG. 5 according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A media networking system comprising: a source device operable to generate a signal in a consumer electronics format;a first switch coupled to the source device, the switch operable to receive the signal, convert the signal to a digitized format, serialize the signal and direct the serialized signal to one or more of a plurality of media channels;a media channel cable bundle coupled to the first switch, the media channel cable bundle including the plurality of media channels;a second switch coupled to the media channel cable bundle, the switch operable to receive the serialized signal from the one or more of a plurality of media channels and operable to deserialize and convert the signal to a format compatible with a consumer electronics rendering device;a rendering device operable to receive the signal and render the signal.

2. The media networking system of claim 1 wherein the media channel comprises a fiber-optic cable suitable for transmitting an uncompressed high definition video signal at a bit rate of 3 Gigabits per second.

3. The media networking system of claim 1 wherein the first and second switches comprise a digital cross-point device operable to route audio from source equipment in a digitized and packetized format, on a multiplexed channel within the plurality of media channels.

4. The media networking system of claim 3, wherein the multiplexed audio is routed over one or more of the media channels using an Ethernet schema such that multiplexed audio signals are associated video signals from a different media channel.

5. The media networking system of claim 1 further comprising a third switch coupled to the media channel cable bundle, the third switch operable to send and receive signals via the media channel cable bundle to and from at least one source device and at least one rendering device.

6. The media networking system of claim 1 wherein the media channel cable bundle comprises one or more multi-channel fiber-optic cable ribbons.

7. The media networking system of claim 1 wherein the media channel cable bundle comprises a ring network configuration such that each switch in the media networking system is coupled to the media channel cable bundle in at least two distinct media channel cable bundle connections.

8. The media networking system of claim 7, further comprising at least one passive access point that is coupled to the media channel cable bundle ring in at least two connection points, such that the passive access point is operable to be replaced by an additional switch.

9. The media networking system of claim 1, wherein the media channel cable bundle is operable to transmit at least one of the signal formats comprising: a high-definition video signal, a standard-definition video signal, an audio signal, a TCP/IP signal, an Ethernet signal, a packet-switched network signal, control signal and a data signal.

10. The media networking system of claim 1, wherein the source device comprises one of the devices including: an HDDVD player, a Blu-ray Player, an SD-DVD player, a VCR, a CD player, a video camera, a personal computer, a portable electronic device, an audio/video on-demand server, a broadcast, cable, or satellite audio/video receiver, and an audio/video source device.

11. The media networking system of claim 1, wherein the rendering device comprises one of the devices including: an HD monitor, an SD monitor, a headphone pair, an amplified speaker system, a surround-sound speaker system, a personal computer, a portable electronic device, and an audio/video rendering device.

12. The media networking system of claim 1, further comprising a personal computer coupled to the media channel cable bundle and operable to send and receive control signals and communication signals to and from the first and second switch, the personal computer operable to configure signal handling of the first and second switch.

13. The media networking system of claim 1 wherein the media channel cable bundle comprises at least one channel suitable for Ethernet-protocol communications, such that any suitable signal may be transduced to be transmitted in a packet-switched manner on the at least one Ethernet channel.

14. A method for distributing signals in a media networking system, the method comprising: generating a high-definition signal from a media source device, the signal generated in an uncompressed format;transmitting the uncompressed high-definition signal to a first switch coupled to a media network;transducing the uncompressed signal from a source device format to a network format, the transduced network signal remaining uncompressed;transmitting the uncompressed, high-definition network signal to a second switch coupled to the media network;transducing the uncompressed high-definition network signal from a network format to a rendering device format, the transduced rendering device signal remaining uncompressed;transmitting the uncompressed high-definition signal to a rendering device; andrendering the uncompressed, high-definition signal at the rendering device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: transmitting the uncompressed, high-definition network signal to a third switch coupled to the media network;transmitting the uncompressed high-definition signal to a second rendering device; andrendering the uncompressed, high-definition signal at the second rendering device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein transmitting the uncompressed, high-definition network signal to a second switch further comprises determining a most-efficient path through the media networking system prior to transmitting the uncompressed, high-definition network signal from the first switch to the second switch.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: detecting a media networking system failure that compromises the most-efficient path; anddetermining a new most-efficient path based upon the detected failure.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the first and second switch to use a specific dedicated channel within the media channel cable bundle for transmitting high-definition signals.

19. A switch comprising: a receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of media channels, each channel suitable for carrying an uncompressed, high-definition signal;a transmitter for transmitting signals to the plurality of media channels;a digital-cross-point switch coupled to the receiver and coupled to the transmitter, the digital cross-point switch operable to direct a signal from one of a plurality of inputs for a media source device to the transmitter and operable to direct a signal from one of a plurality of outputs for a media rendering device from the receiver;an Ethernet switch coupled to the receiver and coupled to the transmitter, the Ethernet switch operable to transmit and receive signals to and from the plurality of media channels in an Ethernet format;a plurality of audio and video input and output interfaces, each input interface operable to receive signals from a consumer electronic source device and transmit the received input signal to the digital cross-point switch, each output interface operable to transmit signals to a consumer electronic rendering device as output signals are received from the digital cross-point switch; anda microcontroller for controlling the switching of signals at the digital cross-point switch.

20. The switch of claim 19, further comprising: a memory coupled to the microcontroller and operable to store data about controlling the digital cross-point switch;a serializer coupled to at least one of the plurality of interfaces, the serializer operable to convert video signals from an unswitched format to a switched format; anda packetizer coupled to at least one of the plurality of interfaces, the serializer operable to convert audio signals from an unswitched format to a switched format.