Broadcast network
First Claim
1. A broadcast network comprising:
- N transmit stations, each transmit station being capable of transmitting a signal and N being an integer≧
1;
M receive stations, where M is an integer≧
2;
I switching stages where I is an integer≧
0; and
a broadcast hub, said broadcast hub and I switching stages connected such that they are capable of linking the N transmit stations to the M receive stations so that any one of the N transmit stations can transmit a signal to L of the receive stations, where L is an integer and 2≧
L≧
M, but each receive station can receive a signal from only one of the N transmit stations at any given time, said broadcast hub and switching stages linking more than one of the N transmit stations to desired receive stations at any given time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention pertains to a broadcast network. The broadcast network comprises N transmit stations, with each transmit station being capable of transmitting a signal and N being an integer ≧1. There are also M receive stations, where M is an integer ≧2; I switching stages where I is an integer ≧0 and a broadcast hub. The broadcast hub and I switching stages are connected such that they are capable of linking the N transmit stations to the M receive stations so that any one of the N transmit stations can transmit a signal to L of the receive stations, where L is an integer and 2≦L≦M, but each receive stations can receive a signal from only one of the N transmit stations at any given time. The broadcast hub and switching stages link more than one of the N transmit stations to desired receive stations at any given time.
28 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A broadcast network comprising:
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N transmit stations, each transmit station being capable of transmitting a signal and N being an integer≧
1;M receive stations, where M is an integer≧
2;I switching stages where I is an integer≧
0; anda broadcast hub, said broadcast hub and I switching stages connected such that they are capable of linking the N transmit stations to the M receive stations so that any one of the N transmit stations can transmit a signal to L of the receive stations, where L is an integer and 2≧
L≧
M, but each receive station can receive a signal from only one of the N transmit stations at any given time, said broadcast hub and switching stages linking more than one of the N transmit stations to desired receive stations at any given time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A broadcast vector comprising:
P broadcast modules, where P≧
2 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis and iot ≧
1 and are integers, with at least one of the internal outputs of one of the P broadcast modules being linked to an internal input of another broadcast module and each broadcast module having means for connecting an input port of the eiq and iis input ports to Q of the eor and iot output ports, where Q is an integer and 1≧
Q≧
eor +iot, and each output port is only connected to one input port but more than one output port can be connected to an input port; and
wherein a presentation network is connected to the P broadcast modules to provide signals thereto.- View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A broadcast ring comprising:
P broadcast modules where P≧
2 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs, and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis and iot ≧
1 and are integers, said external inputs and outputs providing for signals into and out of the broadcast ring, respectively but not to other broadcast modules in the broadcast ring, said internal inputs and outputs providing for signal flow between the broadcast modules in the broadcast ring, with at least one of the iot internal outputs of the broadcast module being linked to at least one of the iis internal inputs of another broadcast module, and every broadcast module in the broadcast ring having an internal output of another broadcast module linked to one of its iis internal inputs.- View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A broadcast hyper-ring comprising:
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P broadcast modules where P≧
3 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs, and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis, and iot ≧
1 and are integers, with at least one of the outputs of one of the P broadcast modules being linked to at least one of the inputs of at least 2 of the P-1 other broadcast modules, and every broadcast module in the broadcast hyper-ring having an output of another broadcast hyper-ring having an output of another broadcast module linked to one of its inputs;
each broadcast module havingmeans for connecting an input port of the eiq and iis input ports to Q of the eor and iot output ports, where Q is an integer and 1≧
Q≧
eor +iot, and each output port is only connected to one input port but more than one output port can be connected to an input port; andJ switches, where J≧
O, said broadcast modules and switches are linked such that a signal that is inputted into the broadcast hyper-ring at one of the eiq input ports can be outputted out of the broadcast hyper-ring at L of the eor output ports, where L is an integer and 2≦
L≦
eor, but each output port can only output the signal inputted into the broadcast hyper-ring from one external input port at any given time, said broadcast modules and switching stages capable of directing the signals from more than one of the eiq input ports to desired output ports at any given time;and wherein a presentation network is connected to the P broadcast modules to provide signals thereto. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A broadcast network comprising:
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a first broadcast module having a first and at least a second input port and a first and at least a second output port; at least a second broadcast module having a first and at least a second input port and a first and at least a second output port, said second input port of said second broadcast module linked to said second output port of said first broadcast module and said second input port of said first broadcast module linked to said second output port of said second broadcast module, each broadcast module having means for connecting one of its input ports to one or more of its output ports but each broadcast module'"'"'s output port being connected to only one of its input ports; at least a first presentation switch having a first and at least a second input port and a first and at least a second output port, said first output port of said presentation switch linked to said first input port of said first broadcast module, said second output port of said presentation switch linked to said first input port of said second broadcast module; and at least a first distribution switch having a first and at least a second input port and a first and at least a second output port, said first output port of said first broadcast module being linked to said first input port of said distribution switch and said first output port of said second broadcast module linked to said second input port of said distribution switch. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A broadcast vector comprising:
P broadcast modules, where P≧
2 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis and iot ≧
1 and are integers, with at least one of the internal outputs of one of the N broadcast modules being linked to an internal input of another broadcast module and each broadcast module having means for connecting an input port of the eiq and iis input ports to Q of the eor and iot output ports, where Q is an integer and 1≦
Q≦
eor +iot, and each output port is only connected to one input port but more than one output port can be connected to an input port such that direct connecting paths are temporarily formed through the P broadcast modules providing for signal flow only for respective predetermined broadcasts.
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35. A broadcast ring comprising:
P broadcast modules where P≧
2 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis and iot ≧
1 and are integers, said external inputs and outputs providing for signals into and out of the broadcast ring, respectively but not to other broadcast modules in the broadcast rings, said internal inputs and output providing for signal flow between the broadcast modules in the broadcast ring, with at least one of the iot internal outputs of the broadcast module ring linked to at least one of the iis internal inputs of another broadcast module, and every broadcast module in the broadcast ring having an internal output of another broadcast module linked to one of its iis internal inputs such that direct connecting paths are temporarily formed through the P broadcast modules providing for signal flow only for respective predetermined broadcasts.
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36. A broadcast hyper-ring comprising:
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P broadcast modules where P≧
3 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs, and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis, and iot ≧
1 and are integers, with at least one of the outputs of one of the P broadcast modules being linked to at least one of the inputs of at least 2 of the P-1 other broadcast modules, and every broadcast module in the broadcast hyper-ring having an output of another broadcast hyper-ring having an output of another broadcast module linked to one of its inputs;
each broadcast module havingmeans for connecting an input port of the eiq and iis input ports to Q of the eor and iot output ports, where Q is an integer and 1≦
Q≦
eor +iot, and each output port is only connected to one input port but more than one output port can be connected to an input port; andJ switches, where J≧
0, said broadcast modules and switches are linked such that a signal that is inputted into the broadcast hyper-ring at one of the eiq input ports can be outputted out of the broadcast hyper-ring at L of the eor output ports, where L is an integer and 2≦
L≦
eor, but each output port can only output the signal inputted into the broadcast hyper-ring from one external input port at any given time, said broadcast modules and switching stages capable of directing the signals from more than one of the eiq input ports to desired output ports at any given time such that direct connecting paths are temporarily formed through the P broadcast modules providing for signal flow only for respective predetermined broadcasts.
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37. A broadcast vector comprising:
P broadcast modules, where P≧
2 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis and iot ≧
1 and are integers, with at least one of the internal outputs of one of the N broadcast modules being linked to an internal input of another broadcast module and each broadcast module having means for connecting an input port of the eiq and iis input ports to Q of the eor and iot output ports, where Q is an integer and 1≦
Q≦
eor +iot, and each output port is only connected to one input port but more than one output port can be connected to an input port such that open connecting paths are formed between the P broadcast modules.
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38. A broadcast ring comprising:
P broadcast modules where P≧
2 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external input, and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs where eiq, eor, iis and iot ≧
1 and are integers, said external inputs and outputs providing for signals into and out of the broadcast ring, respectively but not to other broadcast modules in the broadcast rings, said internal inputs and output providing for signal flow between the broadcast modules in the broadcast ring, with at least one of the iot internal outputs of the broadcast module ring linked to at least one of the iis internal inputs of another broadcast module, and every broadcast module in the broadcast ring having an internal output of another broadcast module linked to one of its iis internal inputs such that open connecting paths are formed between the P broadcast modules.
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39. A broadcast hyper-ring comprising:
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P broadcast modules where P≧
3 and is an integer, each broadcast module having eiq external inputs, and eor external outputs, and iis internal inputs and iot internal outputs, where eiq, eor, iis, and iot ≧
1 and are integers, with at least one of the outputs of one of the P broadcast modules being linked to at least one of the inputs of at least 2 of the P-1 other broadcast modules, and every broadcast module in the broadcast hyper-ring having an output of another broadcast hyper-ring having an output of another broadcast module linked to one of its inputs;
each broadcast module havingmeans for connecting an input port of the eiq and iis input ports to Q of the eor and iot output ports, where Q is an integer and 1≦
Q≦
eor +iot, and each output port is only connected to one input port but more than one output port can be connected to an input port; andJ switches, where J ≧
O, said broadcast modules and switches are linked such that a signal that is inputted into the broadcast hyper-ring at one of the eiq input ports can be outputted out of the broadcast hyper-ring at L of the eor output ports, where L is an integer and 2≦
L≦
eor, but each output port can only output the signal inputted into the broadcast hyper-ring from one external input port at any given time, said broadcast modules and switching stages capable of directing the signals from more than one of the eiq input ports to desired output ports at any given time such that open connecting paths are formed between the P broadcast modules.
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Specification