Integrated video and audio signal distribution system and method for use on commercial aircraft and other vehicles
First Claim
1. A digital audio signal distribution system with a single digital-to-analog converter for use on commercial aircraft and other vehicles comprising:
- a plurality of digital audio signal sources located at a first location within said vehicle for generating a plurality of compressed digital audio signal outputs, each digital audio signal source including circuitry for reading compressed digital audio data from a mass data storage device and generating a compressed digital audio signal output representative of said compressed digital audio data;
a multiplexer located at said first location and having a plurality of signal input terminals for receiving said compressed digital audio signal outputs, said multiplexer being capable of time domain multiplexing said compressed digital audio signal outputs to produce a single composite data signal;
a demultiplexer located at a location remote from said first location and adapted to receive said composite data signal and being capable of selecting a desired channel from said composite data signal; and
a decompression circuit located at said remote location and adapted to receive said selected channel from said demultiplexer and being capable of decompressing said channel to produce a decompressed digital output signal;
wherein said digital-to-analog converter is located at said remote location and is adapted to receive said decompressed digital output signal and converts said decompressed digital output signal to an analog audio signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A passenger entertainment system employing an improved digital audio signal distribution system and method for use on commercial aircraft and other vehicles. A plurality of digital audio signal sources are provided for generating a plurality of compressed digital audio signals. The compressed digital audio signals are provided to a multiplexer which domain multiplexes those signals to produce a single composite digital audio data signal. The composite digital audio data signal is provided to a demultiplexer which is capable of selecting a desired channel from the composite digital audio data signal. The selected channel is provided to a decompression circuit, where it is expanded to produce a decompressed digital output signal. The decompressed digital output signal is then provided to a digital-to-analog converter and converted to an analog audio signal. The analog audio signal is provided to an audio transducer.
265 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A digital audio signal distribution system with a single digital-to-analog converter for use on commercial aircraft and other vehicles comprising:
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a plurality of digital audio signal sources located at a first location within said vehicle for generating a plurality of compressed digital audio signal outputs, each digital audio signal source including circuitry for reading compressed digital audio data from a mass data storage device and generating a compressed digital audio signal output representative of said compressed digital audio data; a multiplexer located at said first location and having a plurality of signal input terminals for receiving said compressed digital audio signal outputs, said multiplexer being capable of time domain multiplexing said compressed digital audio signal outputs to produce a single composite data signal; a demultiplexer located at a location remote from said first location and adapted to receive said composite data signal and being capable of selecting a desired channel from said composite data signal; and a decompression circuit located at said remote location and adapted to receive said selected channel from said demultiplexer and being capable of decompressing said channel to produce a decompressed digital output signal; wherein said digital-to-analog converter is located at said remote location and is adapted to receive said decompressed digital output signal and converts said decompressed digital output signal to an analog audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method using a single digital-to-analog converter for distributing digital audio signals to remote locations within a commercial aircraft or other passenger vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating a plurality of compressed digital audio signal outputs, each compressed digital audio signal output being generated in response to a retrieval of compressed digital audio data from a mass data storage device; providing said compressed digital audio signal outputs directly to a multiplexer; time domain multiplexing said compressed digital audio signal outputs to form a composite digital audio data signal; delivering said composite digital audio data signal to a demultiplexer disposed at a seat location remote from said multiplexer; selecting a channel from said composite digital audio data signal at said seat location; decompressing said selected channel to form an expanded digital audio signal at said seat location; converting said expanded digital audio signal to an analog signal using said digital-to-analog converter at said seat location; and providing said analog signal to an audio transducer at said seat location. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method using a single digital-to-analog converter for distributing digital audio signals to remote locations within a commercial aircraft or other passenger vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating a plurality of compressed digital audio signal outputs at a predetermined data sampling rate, each compressed digital audio signal output being generated in response to a retrieval of compressed digital audio data from a mass data storage device; providing said compressed digital audio signal outputs directly to a multiplexer; time domain multiplexing said compressed digital audio signal outputs to form a composite digital audio data signal; delivering said composite digital audio data signal to a demultiplexer disposed at a seat location remote from said multiplexer; selecting a channel from said composite digital audio data signal at said seat location; decompressing said selected channel to form an expanded digital audio signal at said seat location; converting said expanded digital audio signal to an analog signal using said digital-to-analog converter at said seat location; providing said analog signal to an audio transducer at said seat location; and establishing synchronization of said above listed steps based upon a detected frame transfer rate which is approximately equal to said data sampling rate.
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7. A method of distributing digital audio signals to remote locations within a passenger vehicle such as a commercial aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:
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retrieving from a digital audio data storage medium compressed digital audio data; generating a compressed digital audio data signal responsive to said compressed digital audio data; transmitting said compressed digital audio data signal to a selected location within said passenger vehicle; decompressing said compressed digital audio data signal at said selected location to form an expanded digital audio data signal; converting said expanded digital audio data signal to an analog signal at said selected location; and providing said analog signal to an analog signal transducer located at said selected location, whereby only a single digital-to-analog conversion is performed throughout said retrieving, generating, transmitting, decompressing, converting and providing steps.
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8. A digital audio data distribution system with a single digital-to-analog converter for use on commercial aircraft and other vehicles comprising:
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a plurality of digital audio storage media at a first location, said storage media including first digital audio data having a first sample size; a digital audio data compressor located at said first location within said vehicle for compressing said plurality of first audio digital data to generate a plurality of second audio digital data with a second sample size smaller than said first sample size; a multiplexer located at said first location and having a plurality of data input terminals for receiving said plurality of second digital audio data, said multiplexer being capable of time domain multiplexing said second digital audio data to produce a single composite data; a demultiplexer located at a location remote from said first location and adapted to receive said composite data and being capable of selecting a desired channel from said composite data; a decompressor located at said remote location and adapted to receive said selected channel from said demultiplexer and being capable of decompressing said channel to produce a decompressed digital data; and wherein said digital-to-analog converter is located at said remote location and is adapted to receive said decompressed digital data and converts said decompressed digital data to an analog audio signal.
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9. A method of distributing digital audio data to remote locations within a passenger vehicle such as a commercial aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:
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retrieving first audio digital data with a first sample size from a digital audio storage medium; compressing said first audio digital data to generate a second audio digital data with a second sample size samller than said first sample size; transmitting said second audio digital data to a select location within said passenger vehicle; decompressing said second audio digital data at said selected location to generate a third audio digital data with a third sample size higher than said second sample size; converting said third digital audio signal to an analog signal at said selected location; and providing said analog signal to an audio transducer at said selected location, whereby only a single digital-to-analog conversion is performed throughout said retrieving, compressing, transmitting, decompressing, converting and providing steps.
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Specification