Method and apparatus for transcoding and transrating in distributed video systems

• US 20070156924A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wu, Duanpei, Sarkar, Shantanu, Ramalingam, Thiyagesan, Ismail, Nermin, Friedrich, Walter, Viggiano, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 8,713,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/12 Selection from among a plurality of transforms or standards, e.g. selection between discrete cosine transform [DCT] and sub-band transform or selection between H.263 and H.264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Disclosed are video conferencing systems, devices, architectures, and methods for transcoding, transrating, and the like, to facilitate video streaming in a distributed arrangement. An exemplary translator in accordance with embodiments can include: an input configured to receive a first video stream in a first format, the first video stream being from a first media switch, the first media switch being associated with a first stream group having one or more first endpoints; and an output configured to provide a second video stream in a second format, the second video stream being sent to a second media switch, the second media switch being associated with a second stream group having one or more second endpoints, whereby the translator is configured to convert from the first to the second format. Further, the translator can be configured as a logical endpoint where a first interface having an input/output pair uses the first format and a second interface having another input/output pair uses the second format. The two formats may differ in at least one characteristic.

Claims

1. A translator configured for use in a distributed video conference, the translator comprising:

an input configured to receive a first video stream in a first format, the first video stream being from a first media switch, the first media switch being associated with a first stream group, the first stream group having one or more first endpoints; and

an output configured to provide a second video stream in a second format, the second video stream being sent to a second media switch, the second media switch being associated with a second stream group, the second stream group having one or more second endpoints,

whereby the translator is configured to convert from the first format to the second format.

2. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second media switches each includes a router configured by software.

3. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different encoder/decoder (codec) format characteristic.

4. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different bit rate characteristic.

5. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different picture resolution characteristic.

6. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different transportation carrying protocol characteristic.

7. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different frame rate characteristic.

8. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the translator is configured as a logical endpoint.

9. The translator of claim 2, wherein:

the translator is configured in the router.

10. The translator of claim 1, wherein:

the translator is configured as unidirectional.

11. A translator configured as a logical endpoint for use in a distributed video conference, the translator comprising:

a first interface having a first input/output pair configured to operate in a first format; and

a second interface having a second input/output pair configured to operate in a second format,

whereby the first and second formats differ in at least one characteristic and the translator is configured to convert between the first and second formats.

12. A method of converting streams in a distributed video conference, the method comprising:

forming first and second stream groups, the first and second stream groups each including one or more endpoints having like characteristics, the one or more endpoints being associated with a media switch;

configuring a translator structure in a video stream path between the first and second stream groups; and

converting first streams from the first stream group in a first format to second streams for the second stream group in a second format using the translator structure.

13. The method of claim 12, further including:

configuring a router using software to form the media switch.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different encoder/decoder (codec) format characteristic.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different bit rate characteristic.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different picture resolution characteristic.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first and second stream groups have a different transportation carrying protocol characteristic.

18. The method of claim 12, further including:

configuring the translator structure as a logical endpoint.

19. A means for converting streams in a distributed video conference, comprising:

a means for forming first and second stream groups, the first and second stream groups each having one or more endpoints having like characteristics, the one or more endpoints being associated with a media switch;

a means for configuring a translator structure in a video stream path between the first and second stream groups; and

a means for converting first streams from the first stream group in a first format to second streams for the second stream group in a second format using the translator structure.