Aggregated audio/video crossbar connections

• US 20070041338A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rowe, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence

Abstract

Disparate devices in an audio/video ecosystem may be connected and managed by having multiple crossbar connections at nodes in a node and leaf network. The leaves of the network may be various audio and video devices, with receivers, personal computers, and other devices comprising the nodes, which have at least some crossbar switching ability. When the nodes are connected, some or all of the devices attached to all of the nodes may be made available at each interface for control and display. Each node may act as a crossbar, allowing a user at each interface to enjoy the services of any device, regardless of the node to which the device is attached.

Claims

1. A network comprising:

a first device having a first audio/video source;

a second device having a first audio/video output device;

a first node attached to said first device and capable of routing said first device to said second device, said first node having a first user interface;

a third device having a second audio/video source

a fourth device having a second audio/video output device;

a second node attached to said third device and said first node and having a second user interface, said second user interface being adapted to display and to control said first device in a manner substantially similar to said third device, said second node being further adapted to configure said first node to route said first device to said second node so that said first audio/video source is output on said second audio or video output device.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein said first node comprises an audio/video receiver.

3. The network of claim 1 wherein said second node comprises a personal computer.

4. The network of claim 1 wherein said first node is connected to said first device using a data channel and a communication channel, said data channel comprising an audio transmission path.

5. The network of claim 1 wherein said first node and said second device comprise a single device.

6. The network of claim 1 wherein said first user interface is adapted to display and to control said third device in a manner substantially similar to said first device, said first node being further adapted to configure said second node to route said third device to said first node so that said second audio/video source is output on said first audio/video output device.

7. The network of claim 1 wherein said first audio/video source is an audio only source.

8. A method comprising:

communicating with a first audio/video device by a first node, said first node having a first user interface and a first audio/video output device;

transferring a first descriptor for said first audio/video device to a second node, said second node having a second user interface and a second audio/video output device;

displaying a reference to said first audio/video device on said second user interface, said reference being based on said first descriptor;

selecting said first audio/video device for display on said second audio/video output device;

transmitting a first request to said second node from said first node;

configuring said first node to transmit a first audio/video signal from said first audio/video device to said second node; and

displaying said first audio/video signal on said second audio/video output device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

communicating with said second audio/video device by said second node;

creating a second descriptor for said second audio/video device;

transferring said second descriptor to said first node;

displaying a reference to said second audio/video device on said first user interface, said reference being based on said second descriptor;

selecting said second audio/video device for display on said first audio/video output device;

transmitting a second request to said first node from said second node;

configuring said second node to transmit a second audio/video signal from said first audio/video device to said second node; and

displaying said second audio/video signal on said first audio/video output device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said first audio/video signal and said second audio/video signal are output in parallel.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said first node comprises an audio/video receiver.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said second node comprises a personal computer.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said first node is connected to said first device using a data channel and a communication channel, said data channel comprising an audio transmission path.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said first node and said second device comprise a single device.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein said first audio/video source is an audio only source.

16. A device comprising:

a first user interface;

a crossbar switch;

a first interface adapted to connect with a first audio/video device and create a first descriptor for said first audio/video device;

a second interface adapted to connect to a node device, transfer said first descriptor to said node device, said node device having a second user interface, said node device being adapted to display a reference to said first audio/video device on said second user interface, said reference being based on said first descriptor, said second interface being further adapted to receive a request from said node device and configuring said crossbar switch to connect said first audio/video device to said second interface.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said first user interface comprises a first audio/video output device.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein said first interface comprises an audio channel.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said first interface comprises a separate communications channel.

20. The device of claim 16 wherein said first audio/video device is an audio only device.