Multimedia network

• US 20040199645A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arash Rouhi
• Original Assignee: Arash Rouhi
• Inventors: Rouhi, Arash
• Application Number:
  US10/720,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199645A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multimedia network system (100) for inter-connecting a number of receiving and transmitting digital and/or analogous devices (105, 106, 107, 108R, 108L, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113L, 113R, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119L, 119R, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126L, 126R, 210, 211, 212). The network system comprises: a number of receiving and/or transmitting terminals (AP, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206) to be connected to said digital and/or analogous devices, application specific connector arrangements (GW, 207,208, 1-10 Tx, 1-10 Rx) for connecting said digital and/or analogous devices to said terminals. At least one of said connector arrangements being arranged to transmit (1-10 Tx) and/or receive (1-10 Rx) data. The at least one connector arrangement containing data at least about required bandwidth, identification and receiving/transmitting device data format.

Claims

1. A multimedia network system for inter-connecting a number of receiving and transmitting digital and/or analogous devices, the network system comprising:

a number of receiving and/or transmitting terminals to be connected to said digital and/or analogous devices,

application specific connector arrangements for connecting said digital and/or analogous devices to said terminals, and

at least one of said connector arrangements being arranged to transmit and/or receive data, said at least one connector arrangement containing data at least about required bandwidth, identification and receiving/transmitting device data format.

2. The network system of claim 1, wherein said connector arrangements are connected to said terminals through identical interfaces.

3. The network system of claim 1, comprising a control logic, for handling one or several of:

bandwidth allocation request,

group connection set-up,

group address setting,

network status indication,

connection status indication, and

Terminal initiation.

4. The network system of claim 3, wherein said control logic is provided in at least one of said terminals and/or at least one of said connector arrangements.

5. The network system of claim 4, wherein said control logic provided in at least one connector arrangement being a transmitting connector, handles one or several of:

bandwidth allocation request,

group connection set-up,

network status indication, and

connection status indication.

6. The network system of claim 4, wherein said control logic is provided in a least one connector arrangement being a receiving connector handling at least one of:

group address setting,

network status indication, and

connection status indication.

7. The network system of claim 5, wherein said terminal handles at least one of

network status indication,

connection status indication, and

terminal initiation at power-up or after disconnection of connector arrangements.

8. The network system of claim 1, wherein a group of said connector arrangements consists of one transmitting and at least one receiving connector arrangements having same identity.

9. The network system of claim 8, wherein said identity is user and/or at least partly pre-defined by means of an identification means.

10. The network system of claim 1, wherein the output from a connector arrangement connecting a transmitter device is adapted into a digital format, supported by a source port of a network transceiver in a terminal.

11. The network system of claim 10, wherein the adaptation is done in a transmitter adaptation, which is in one side connected to an output of the transmitter and in other side to a source port of the network transceiver in the terminal.

12. The network system of claim 11, wherein an adapted data, when inserted into the network, is captured in said Terminals in the network using an appropriate receiver connector arrangement where it is adapted back into an original format and delivered to a receiver device.

13. The network system of claim 12, wherein the adapted data stream from a transmitter device is captured in the terminal and adapted back in an receiver adaptation in the receiver connecter arrangement and delivered to a receiver device.

14. The network system of claim 1, wherein signals from several devices are transmitted simultaneously through the network.

15. The network system of claim 1, wherein each connector arrangement comprises an identification set arrangement to configure receivers to corresponding transmitters.

16. The network system of claim 1, wherein a connector arrangement comprises means to receive an analogue signal, means for converting said signal to a digital signal and means to transmit said digital signal on said network.

17. The network system of claim 1, wherein a connector arrangement comprises means to receive an digital signal from said network, means for converting said signal to an analogue signal and means to couple said analogue signal to an analogue device.

18. The network system of claim 16, wherein said analogue signal is one of audio or video signals, which can be compressed and/or encoded.

19. The network system of claim 10, wherein said identification elements comprise switches for setting unique identities for transmitting and receiving connector arrangements.

20. The network system of claim 1, wherein said connector arrangement comprises information member informing about accessibility and/or type of connection.

21. The network system of claim 1, said terminals and/or connector arrangements are identical.

22. The network system of claim 1, wherein a connector arrangement identifies a network capacity and characteristic before transmitting on the network.

23. The network system of claim 1, wherein said network has one of a ring or star-topology.

24. The network system of claim 1, wherein said terminals are arranged in series and/or parallel.

25. The network system of claim 1, wherein said network is implemented as one of MOSTnet or IEEE 1394.

26. The network system of claim 1, wherein said terminal and connector arrangement are integrated.

27. The network system of claim 1, wherein at said terminals and connector arrangements are powered through same source.

28. The network system of claim 1, wherein connector arrangements are arranged in said digital and/or analogous device.

29. The network system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises wireless connection between connector arrangements and/or terminals.

30. The network system of claim 1, wherein the network is accessed externally.

31. The network system according to claim 19, wherein said identification element is controlled remotely.

32. The network system of claim 1, wherein said terminals and connector arrangements are connected wirelessly.

33. A connector arrangement for use in a network system for inter-connecting a number of receiving and transmitting digital and/or analogous devices, the network system comprising:

a number of receiving and/or transmitting terminals to be connected to said digital and/or analogous devices,

application specific connector arrangements for connecting said digital and/or analogous devices to said terminals, and

at least one of said connector arrangements being arranged to transmit and/or receive data, said at least one connector arrangement containing data at least about required bandwidth, identification and receiving/transmitting device data format,

said connector arrangement comprising;

a controller,

a receiver and/or,

a transmitter adopter,

identification means, and

physical connectors for connecting to said devices.

34. The connector arrangement of claim 33 arranged in a digital and/or analogues device.

35. A terminal for use in a network system for inter-connecting a number of receiving and transmitting digital and/or analogous devices, the network system comprising:

a number of receiving and/or transmitting terminals to be connected to said digital and/or analogous devices,

application specific connector arrangements for connecting said digital and/or analogous devices to said terminals, and

at least one of said connector arrangements being arranged to transmit and/or receive data, said at least one connector arrangement containing data at least about required bandwidth, identification and receiving/transmitting device data format,

said terminal comprising a controller and a transceiver.

36. The terminal of claim 35, comprising Control Ports and source ports configured in either serial or parallel mode.

37. A method of inter-connecting a number of receiving and transmitting digital and/or analogous devices, the method comprising the steps of providing:

a network system,

a number of receiving and/or transmitting terminals to be connected to said digital and/or analogous devices,

application specific connector arrangements for connecting said digital and/or analogous devices to said terminals, and

arranging at least one of said connector arrangements to transmit and/or receive data, wherein at least one connector arrangement contains data at least about required bandwidth, identification and receiving/transmitting device data format.

38. A computer program product in a computer unit for controlling and/or monitoring a network system for inter-connecting a number of receiving and transmitting digital and/or analogous devices, the network system comprising:

a number of receiving and/or transmitting terminals to be connected to said digital and/or analogous devices,

application specific connector arrangements for connecting said digital and/or analogous devices to said terminals, and

at least one of said connector arrangements being arranged to transmit and/or receive data, said at least one connector arrangement containing data at least about required bandwidth, identification and receiving/transmitting device data format, said.