Method and system for media content data distribution and consumption

• US 20040006484A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arkados Incorporated (Iota Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Arkados Incorporated (Iota Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Logvinov, Oleg, Manis, Constantine N., Durfee, Lawrence F.
• Application Number:
  US10/293,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006484A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/500
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/84 combined with power distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/95 for local area

Abstract

A time synchronization beacon, which includes a plurality of timing signals at a plurality of different respective carrier frequencies, is synchronously transmitted over a power line network to synchronize consumption of media content data, such as audio data, which has been transmitted over the network from a power line communications (“PLC”) audio source to PLC equipped media content consumption devices, such as stereo audio speaker sets. The sets of speakers can be located in different respective rooms throughout a facility. The audio data can be in the form of network audio network data packets including one or more channels of audio data. The PLC consumption devices select which transmitted channel data is received and consumed. The beacon coordinates the start time of consumption of segments of audio data samples, and the sample-to-sample consumption time interval at PLC equipped consumption devices. The network packets can be addressed for desired PLC consumption devices using PLC network addressing methods.

Claims

1. A system for distributing audio data over a conventional power line network comprising:

at least one power line communications (“

PLC”

) audio data source for generating and transmitting over the power line network encoded digital audio data signals including at least one audio channel and for generating and transmitting over the power line network at least one synchronous time synchronization signal; and

at least one PLC equipped audio data consumption device for coupling to the power line network and to an audio sound generator and for receiving the data signals transmitted by the PLC source, wherein the PLC consumption device upon receipt of the time synchronization signal generates time synchronized audio driving signals for driving the sound generator, wherein the audio driving signals are obtained based on the encoded digital audio signals received at the PLC consumption device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one PLC consumption device includes a plurality of PLC consumption devices, wherein the encoded digital audio data signals include a single network audio packet containing single channel audio data, wherein the packet is received by the plurality of the PLC consumption devices.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one PLC consumption device includes a plurality of PLC consumption devices, wherein the encoded digital audio data signals include a single network audio packet containing multiple channel audio data, wherein the packet is received by the plurality of the PLC consumption devices.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the time synchronous signal includes a beacon including a plurality of timing signals at a plurality of different, respective frequencies.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the beacon and the encoded digital signals are transmitted synchronously.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the beacon is included within the encoded signals.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the beacon includes data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the data includes delay data representative of a delay in the transmission of the encoded signals by the PLC source caused by at least one other PLC data source coupled to the network and operating to control signal transmission over the network.

9. The system according to claim 4, wherein the beacon and the encoded digital signals are transmitted asynchronously.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one PLC source includes a plurality of PLC audio data sources, wherein each of the PLC sources has an assigned beacon having different, selected carrier frequencies.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the beacons provide timed interval consumption of the audio data samples stored at the PLC consumption devices.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the beacons is assigned to at least one of the PLC sources to provide for time synchronized commencement of consumption of the audio data samples stored at the PLC consumption devices.

13. A method for distributing audio data over a conventional power line network comprising:

receiving audio data signals from an audio source;

generating encoded digital audio data signals based on the received audio source signals at at least one power line communications (“

PLC”

) audio source;

transmitting the encoded digital audio data signals over a power line network;

receiving the encoded signals at at least one PLC consumption device which is coupled to the power line network;

transmitting over the power line network a synchronous time synchronization signal generated at the PLC source for receipt by the PLC consumption device; and

generating, upon receipt of the time synchronization signal at the PLC consumption device, audio drive signals based on the encoded signals received at the PLC consumption device, wherein the audio drive signals are generated to provide for time synchronized generation of audio sound at an audio sound generator coupled to the PLC consumption device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one PLC consumption device includes a plurality of PLC consumption devices, wherein the encoded digital audio data signals include a single network audio packet containing single channel audio data, wherein the packet is received by the plurality of the PLC consumption devices.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one PLC consumption device includes a plurality of PLC consumption devices, wherein the encoded digital audio data signals include a single network audio packet containing multiple channel audio data, wherein the packet is received by the plurality of the PLC consumption devices.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the time synchronous signal includes a beacon including a plurality of timing signals at a plurality of different, respective frequencies.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the beacon and the encoded digital signals are transmitted synchronously.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the beacon is included within the encoded signals.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the beacon includes data.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the data includes delay data representative of a delay in the transmission of the encoded signals by the PLC source caused by at least one other PLC data source coupled to the network and operating to control signal transmission over the network.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein the beacon and the encoded digital signals are transmitted asynchronously.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one PLC source includes a plurality of PLC audio data sources, wherein each of the PLC sources has an assigned beacon having different, selected carrier frequencies.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the beacons provide timed interval consumption of the audio data samples stored at the PLC consumption devices.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the beacons is assigned to at least one of the PLC sources to provide for time synchronized commencement of consumption of the audio data samples stored at the PLC consumption devices.

25. A system for distributing media content data over a conventional power line network comprising:

at least one PLC media content data source for generating and transmitting over the power line network encoded digital media content data signals including at least one data channel and for generating and transmitting over the power line network at least one synchronous beacon including a plurality of timing signals at a respective plurality of different carrier frequencies; and

at least one PLC equipped media content data consumption device for coupling to the power line network and to a media content generator having the capability of producing at least one of sound, text and video, wherein the PLC consumption device is for receiving the data signals transmitted by the PLC source, wherein the PLC consumption device upon receipt of the beacon generates time synchronized driving signals for driving the media content generator, wherein the driving signals are obtained based on the encoded digital media content signals received at the PLC consumption device.