NETWORKED AUDIO/VIDEO SYSTEM

• US 20100318917A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kreifeldt, Richard A., Holladay, Adam, Nelson, Gregory Matthew, George, Spencer Warren
• Granted Patent: US 9,191,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/735
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A system for configuring an audio/video (AV) system includes a computing device having a processor to enable a user, with a user interface of the computing device, to configure the AV system. The processor may enable the user to draw output zones to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located. The processor may enable the user to place transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones that substantially represent physical locations thereof within the venue. The processor may enable the user to logically associate receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within an output zone. The processor may also enable the user to select which of a number of source AV signals from transmitting AV devices the user wants to route to the associated output zone. The processor routes the source AV signals from one or more transmitting AV devices over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to the output zone as configured by the user in the user interface.

Claims

1. A method of configuring an audio/video (AV) system, the method executable on a computing device having a processor and memory, the method comprising:

enabling a user, with a user interface of the computing device on which are executed instructions for configuration of the AV system, to configure the AV system by enabling the user to;

draw a plurality of output zones to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located;

place a plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones of the geographical layout that substantially represent physical locations thereof within the venue;

logically associate one or more receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within an output zone; and

select which of a plurality of source AV signals from transmitting AV devices the user wants to route to the associated output zone;

the computing device routing the source AV signals from one or more transmitting AV devices over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels associated with the output zone, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to the output zone as configured by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, where the logical association of the one or more receiving AV device channels replicates a physical relationship of at least some of the receiving AV devices with loudspeakers in the output zone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computing device:

controlling the one or more transmitting AV devices in response to the grouped association of the one or more receiving AV devices according to output zone, to thereby route the source AV signals to the one or more receiving AV devices.

4. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of transmitting AV devices are selected from the group consisting of a microphone, an audio digital signal processing (DSP) device, and an on-ramp AV device, and the plurality of receiving AV devices are selected from the group consisting of an audio amplifier, a loudspeaker, a DSP device, and an off-ramp AV device, further comprising the computing device:

enabling the user, through the user interface, to pictorially add or remove one or more of the DSP devices to be placed, where desired, in-line with the one or more receiving AV devices by association thereof with the output zone;

where, in response to the addition of one or more DSP devices, the computing device re-routing at least one of the source AV signals through the one or more DSP devices before or after passage through the one or more receiving AV devices, to add selected digital signal processing capabilities to the at least one source AV signals; and

where, in response to removal of one or more DSP devices, the computing device re-routing the at least one source AV signals to bypass the removed one or more DSP devices before or after passage through the receiving AV devices, to remove selected digital signal processing capabilities from the at least one source AV signals.

5. The method of claim 4, where the DSP devices comprise freely-configurable DSP devices capable of being configured to replicate one or more processing components, where in response to the addition of a processing component to the output zone by the user, the method further comprising the computing device:

configuring a DSP device with one or more elements to form the processing component, and re-routing the source AV signal through the processing component before being fed to the receiving AV device.

6. The method of claim 1, where the one or more receiving AV devices of the output zone comprises one or more loudspeakers, the method further comprising the computing device:

enabling paging a message to the one or more loudspeakers from an AV device other than the one or more transmitting AV devices, where the source AV signal is temporarily disrupted during paging and the paging message is routed to the output zone.

7. The method of claim 6, where the computing device receives a preset for routing the message from the other AV device to a second output zone that includes the output zone, where the other AV device comprises a public announcement audio source selected from the group consisting of a live announcement and a pre-recorded announcement.

8. The method of claim 1, where the one or more receiving AV device channels comprise audio device channels, the method further comprising the computing device:

enabling the user to combine output zones for simultaneous control by;

enabling the user to select two or more output zones to combine through the user interface;

logically grouping, by the computing device over the network, the control of two or more receiving AV devices logically associated with the selected two or more output zones such that they will be controlled as a group; and

enabling the user to control as a group the audio device channels of the receiving AV devices logically associated with the two or more output zones through the user interface of the computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, where for the two or more receiving AV devices, at least one each corresponding to each output zone, the computing device linking AV routing of one or more receiving source AV signal input sources.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the computing device:

enabling the user to separate the two or more output zones through the user interface to reverse the simultaneous control of the two or more output zones; and

segregating, by the computing device, the audio device channels of the two or more receiving AV devices such that they will be controlled separately over the network, thereby also segregating the AV routing of one or more receiving source AV signal input sources.

11. The method of claim 8, where the computing device determines which of the two or more output zones is a control master and which is a control slave by determining master and slave relationships among the logically-associated receiving AV devices of the two or more output zones.

12. The method of claim 1, where the network comprises multiple simultaneous AV data path latencies to AV devices on the network, the method further comprising one selected from the group consisting of the computing device:

matching a network latency of the receiving AV devices that serve the output zone such that signal data paths to each of the receiving AV devices associated with the output zone has the same network latency; and

matching a network latency of the receiving AV devices and a corresponding network path that serves two or more output zones, such that signal data paths for the logically-associated receiving AV device channels for each output zone acquire a network latency of a maximum path latency from among all complete data paths to the receiving AV devices in any of the two or more output zones.

13. The method of claim 12, where matching a network latency comprises the computing device:

measuring associated end-to-end path latencies through intermediate network devices of all complete data paths; and

setting an offset delay of a plurality of AV devices to match the maximum path latency in any other signal path.

14. In a computer system having a processor configured to generate a graphical user interface that receives a pictorial audio/video (AV) configuration screen on a display, a method of providing and selecting from a set of menus on the display, the method comprising:

retrieving a set of menu entries for each menu with the processor, each of the menu entries representing a step in pictorial configuration by a user of an AV system, where the set of menus include a venue designer, a hardware device configurator, an output zone associator, and a networked AV router;

displaying the set of menus on the display;

receiving a menu selection signal indicative of a user selection of a menu from the set of menus,

where in response to selection of the venue designer, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to form a plurality of output zones and to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located;

where in response to selection of the hardware device configurator, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to place a plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones of the geographical layout that substantially represent physical locations thereof within the venue;

where in response to selection of the output zone associator, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to logically associate one or more receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within an output zone;

where in response to selection of the networked AV router, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to select which of a plurality of source AV signals the user wants to route to the associated output zone;

the processor routing the source AV signals from one or more transmitting AV devices over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels associated with the output zone, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to the output zone as configured by the user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing in data storage of the computer system the one or more receiving AV device channels in relation to the output zone logically associated therewith; and

saving one or more transmitting AV device channels in relation to the associated output zone, the transmitting AV device channels configured to supply the source AV signals.

16. The method of claim 14, where the plurality of transmitting AV devices are selected from the group consisting of a microphone, an audio digital signal processing (DSP) device, and an on-ramp AV device, and the plurality of receiving AV devices are selected from the group consisting of an audio amplifier, a loud speaker, a DSP device, and an off-ramp AV device, the set of menus further comprising a digital signal processing (DSP) device configurator;

where in response to selection of the DSP device configurator, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to pictorially add or remove one or more of the DSP devices to be placed, where desired, in-line with the one or more receiving AV devices by association thereof with the output zone;

where, in response to the addition of one or more DSP devices, the processor re-routing at least one of the source AV signals through the one or more DSP devices before or after passage through the one or more receiving AV devices, to add selected digital signal processing capabilities to the at least one source AV signals; and

where, in response to removal of one or more DSP devices, the processor re-routing the at least one source AV signals to bypass the removed one or more DSP devices before or after passage through the receiving AV devices, to remove selected digital signal processing capabilities from the at least one source AV signals.

17. The method of claim 16, where the DSP devices comprise freely-configurable DSP devices capable of being configured to replicate one or more processing components, where in response to the addition of a processing component to the output zone by the user, the method further comprising:

configuring a DSP device with one or more elements to form the processing component, and re-routing the source AV signal through the processing component before being fed to the receiving AV device.

18. The method of claim 14, where the one or more receiving AV devices of the output zone comprises one or more loudspeakers, the method further comprising the processor:

enabling paging a message to the one or more loudspeakers from an AV device other than the one or more transmitting AV devices, where the source AV signal is temporarily disrupted during paging and the paging message is routed to the output zone.

19. The method of claim 14, where the one or more receiving AV device channels comprise audio device channels, and the set of menus further comprising an output zone combiner;

where in response to selection of the output zone combiner, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to combine output zones for simultaneous control of the audio device channels associated therewith;

where in response to selection of two or more output zones by the user, the processor;

logically grouping the control of two or more receiving AV devices logically associated with the selected two or more output zones such that they will be controlled as a group; and

enabling the user to control as a group the audio device channels of the receiving AV devices logically associated with the two or more output zones through the display.

20. The method of claim 19, where for the two or more receiving AV devices, at least one each corresponding to each output zone, the processor linking the AV routing of one or more receiving source AV signal input sources.

21. The method of claim 19, where in response to selection of two or more combined output zones for segregation of the combined two or more output zones, the processor segregating the audio device channels of the two or more receiving AV devices such that they will be controlled separately over the network, thereby also segregating the AV routing of one or more receiving source AV signal input sources.

22. The method of claim 19, where the processor determining which of the two or more output zones is a control master and which is a control slave by determining master and slave relationships among the logically-associated receiving AV devices of the two or more output zones.

23. The method of claim 14, where the network comprises multiple simultaneous AV data path latencies to AV devices on the network, the method further comprising one selected from the group consisting of the processor:

matching a network latency of the receiving AV devices that serve the output zone such that signal data paths to each of the receiving AV devices associated with the output zone has the same network latency; and

matching a network latency of the receiving AV devices and a corresponding network path that serves two or more output zones, such that signal data paths for the logically-associated receiving AV device channels for each output zone acquire a network latency of a maximum path latency from among all complete data paths to the receiving AV devices in any of the two or more output zones.

24. The method of claim 23, where matching a network latency comprises the processor:

measuring associated end-to-end path latencies through intermediate network devices of all complete data paths; and

setting an offset delay of a plurality of AV devices to match the maximum path latency in any other signal path.

25. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for configuring an audio/video (AV) system executable by a computing device having a processor and memory, the computer-readable medium comprising:

instructions to draw a plurality of output zones to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located in response to signals representative of user inputs through a user interface to form the plurality of output zones;

instructions to place a plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones of the geographical layout that substantially represent physical locations thereof in the venue in response to signals representative of user inputs through the user interface to insert the plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices in the output zones;

instructions to logically associate one or more receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within an output zone in response to signals representative of user inputs through the user interface to associate the one or more receiving AV devices channels within the output zone;

instructions to select which of a plurality of source AV device signals from transmitting AV devices the user wants to route to the associated output zone in response to signals representative of user inputs through the user interface to select the source AV device signal; and

instructions to direct the processor to route the source AV device signals from one or more transmitting AV devices over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels associated with the output zone, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to the output zone as configured by the user.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising a set of instructions to direct a processor to control the one or more transmitting AV devices in response to the grouped association of the one or more receiving AV devices according to output zone, to thereby route the source AV device signals to the one or more receiving AV devices.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, where the transmitting and receiving AV devices include digital signal processing (DSP) devices, the computer-readable storage medium further comprising:

instructions to add or remove one or more of the DSP devices to be placed in-line with the one or more receiving AV devices of the output zone in response to signals representative of user inputs through the user interface to associate the DSP devices with the one or more receiving AV devices of the output zone;

instructions to re-route at least one of the source AV device signals through the one or more DSP devices before or after passage through the one or more receiving AV devices, to add selected digital signal processing capabilities to the at least one source AV device signals, in response to the addition of the one or more DSP devices by the user; and

instructions to re-route the at least one source AV device signals to bypass the removed one or more DSP devices before or after passage through the receiving AV devices, to remove selected digital signal processing capabilities from the at least one source AV device signals, in response to the removal of the one or more DSP devices by the user.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, where the DSP devices comprise freely-configurable DSP devices capable of being configured to replicate one or more processing components, where in response to the addition of a processing component to the output zone by the user, the computer-readable storage medium further comprising:

instructions to configure a DSP device with one or more elements to form the processing component; and

instructions to re-route the source AV signal through the processing component before being fed to the receiving AV device.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, where the one or more receiving AV devices of the output zone comprises one or more loudspeakers, the computer-readable storage medium further comprising:

instructions enabling paging a message to the one or more loudspeakers from an AV device other than the one or more transmitting AV devices, where the source AV signal is temporarily disrupted during paging and the paging message is routed to the output zone.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, where the processor receives a preset for routing the message from the other AV device to a second output zone that includes the output zone, where the other AV device comprises a public announcement audio source selected from the group consisting of a live announcement and a pre-recorded announcement.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, where the one or more receiving AV device channels comprise audio device channels, the computer-readable storage medium further comprising:

instructions to combine output zones for simultaneous control by the user in response to signals representative of user inputs through the user interface to select two or more output zones;

instructions to logically group the control of two or more receiving AV devices logically associated with the selected two or more output zones such that they will be controlled as a group; and

instructions to control as a group the audio device channels of the receiving AV devices logically associated with the two or more output zones through a control interface of the computing device in response to user inputs through the control interface to adjust one or more controllable parameters integrated with the control interface.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, where for the two or more receiving AV devices, at least one each corresponding to each output zone, the computing device linking AV routing of one or more receiving source AV signal input sources.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, the computer-readable medium further comprising:

instructions to separate the two or more output zones through the user interface to reverse the simultaneous control of the two or more output zones in response to user inputs through the user interface to deselect the two or more output zones; and

instructions to segregate the audio device channels of the two or more receiving AV devices such that they will be controlled separately over the network, thereby also segregating the AV routing of one or more receiving source AV signal input sources.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, where the network comprises multiple simultaneous AV data path latencies to AV devices on the network, the computer-readable storage medium further comprising:

instructions to match a network latency of the receiving AV devices that serve the output zone such that signal data paths to each of the receiving AV devices associated with the output zone has the same network latency; and

instructions to match a network latency of the receiving AV devices and a corresponding network path that serves two or more output zones, such that signal data paths for the logically-associated receiving AV device channels for each output zone acquire a network latency of a maximum path latency from among all complete data paths to the receiving AV devices in any of the two or more output zones.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, further comprising:

instructions to measure associated end-to-end path latencies through intermediate network devices of all complete data paths; and

instructions to set an offset delay of a plurality of AV devices to match the maximum path latency in any other signal path.