Encoded multi-media terminal

• US 6,009,470 A
• Filed: 09/10/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Watkins, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Asta, Frank J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLETT, STEPHAN F
• Application Number:
  US08/926,560
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency

Abstract

An encoded multimedia terminal having a low cost decompression circuit together with a low cost interconnect circuit coupled to a powerful server. The terminal can accept user input via a mouse, keyboard, remote control, or handset. In one embodiment, the server has ports which provide real-time audio and video encoding of source material based on user edits and the original source. An encoded bitstream is then sent to the encoded multimedia terminal for decoding. Broadly speaking, the present invention contemplates an encoded multimedia terminal comprising a microcontroller, a network interface, a multimedia bitstream decoder, and a display controller. The microcontroller receives input from a user-input device and responsively determines a user input signal. The network interface is coupled to the microcontroller to receive the user input signal and is configured to communicate the user input signal to a multitasking server which is executing a software application. The software application accepts the user input signal and responsively updates a video display, and the multitasking server converts the video display to a multimedia bitstream and communicates the multimedia bitstream to the network interface. The multimedia bitstream decoder is coupled to the network interface to receive the multimedia bitstream and is configured to convert the multimedia bitstream into a digital video signal. The display controller is coupled to the multimedia bitstream decoder to receive the digital video signal and is configured to responsively provide a display signal to a display screen. The multimedia bitstream may be DVD-compliant.

Claims

1. An encoded multimedia terminal comprising:

a microcontroller configured to receive input from a user-input device and configured to responsively determine a user input signal;

a network interface coupled to the microcontroller to receive the user input signal and configured to communicate the user input signal to a multitasking server,

wherein the multitasking server is configured to execute a software application which accepts the user input signal and responsively updates a video display,

wherein the multitasking server is configured to convert the video display to a DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream and to communicate the DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream to the network interface, wherein the DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream includes a sequence of delta frames derived from one or more image sources, wherein the image sources provide frames in macroblock form using a 4;

2;

0 color sampling format to a video mixer that combines said image source frames, wherein the video mixer compares an updated video display frame with a previous video display frame to generate a delta frame in the sequence of delta frames,

wherein the network interface is configured to establish a connection with the server at power-on, and wherein the network interface is configured to establish the connection with the server when the terminal receives the user input signal if the connection with the server is not established;

a DVD multimedia bitstream decoder coupled to the network interface to receive the DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream and configured to convert the DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream into a digital video signal;

an audio digital-to-analog converter, wherein the multimedia bitstream includes an audio program, wherein the multimedia bitstream decoder decodes the audio program into a digital audio signal, and wherein the audio digital-to-analog converter responsively provides an audio output signal; and

a display controller coupled to the DVD multimedia bitstream decoder to receive the digital video signal and configured to responsively provide a display signal to a display screen.

2. The encoded multimedia terminal of claim 1, wherein the user-input device is one of a set of user-input devices including:

a handset, a joystick, a keyboard, a light pen, a microphone, a mouse, a remote control, a touch-screen, a trackball, and a video camera.

3. The encoded multimedia terminal of claim 1, wherein the network interface is configured to communicate with the multitasking server according to a communications standard which is one of a set of communications standards including:

Ethernet, IEEE 1394, and Fibre Channel.

4. An encoded multimedia network comprising:

a first encoded multimedia terminal; and

an encoded multimedia server which includes;

an edit decoder configured to receive a user input signal from an encoded multimedia terminal and configured to responsively determine an edit;

a processor coupled to the encoded multimedia terminal to receive a user input signal and configured to execute a software application associated with the encoded multimedia terminal, wherein the software application processes the user input and responsively updates a video display;

wherein the processor executes a separate instantiation of a software application for each encoded multimedia terminal coupled to the encoded multimedia server;

a video encoder operatively coupled to the processor to receive the video display and configured to convert the video display into a DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream for communication to the encoded multimedia terminal;

a first video display source coupled to the processor to receive updates and configured to responsively update a first video frame;

a second video display source coupled to the processor to receive updates and configured to responsively update a second video frame;

wherein the first and second video display sources are configured to provide the video frames to the video mixer in the form of macroblocks;

wherein the first and second video display sources are configured to provide the video frames to the video mixer using a 4;

2;

0 color sampling format;

a video mixer coupled to the first and second display sources, coupled to the processor, and configured to combine the first and second video frames to produce a combined video frame in accordance with parameters set by the software application, wherein the video display comprises a sequence of combined video frames;

a video frame memory configured to store a previous video display frame;

wherein the video mixer coupled to the processor and configured to process an updated video display frame, wherein the video mixer is further coupled to the video frame memory to compare the previous video display frame with the updated video display frame to generate a delta frame, wherein the video display comprises a sequence of updated video display frames and delta frames;

wherein the video mixer is configured by the processor to only compare a predetermined region of the updated video display frame with a corresponding predetermined region of the previous video frame to generate the delta frame;

wherein the first encoded multimedia terminal includes;

a microcontroller coupled to receive input from a user-input device and configured to responsively determine the user input signal;

wherein the user-input device is one of a set of a set of user-input devices including;

a handset, a joystick, a keyboard, a light pen, a microphone, a mouse, a remote control, a touch-screen, a trackball, and a video camera;

a network interface coupled to the microcontroller to receive the user input signal, coupled to the encoded multimedia server to communicate the user input signal to the encoded multimedia server and to receive the DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream;

wherein the network interface is configured to communicate with the multitasking server according to a communications standard which is one of a set of communication standards including;

Ethernet, IEEE 1394, and Fibre Channel;

wherein the network interface is configured to establish a connection with the server at power-on, and wherein the network interface is configured to establish the connection with the server when it receives the user input signal if the connection with the server is not established;

a DVD multimedia bitstream decoder coupled to the network interface to receive the DVD-compliant multimedia bit stream and configured to convert the DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream into a digital video signal;

a display controller coupled to the DVD multimedia bitstream decoder to receive the digital video signal and configured to responsively provide a display signal to a display screen;

an audio digital-to-analog converter, wherein the DVD-compliant multimedia bitstream includes an audio program, wherein the DVD multimedia bitstream decoder decodes the audio program into a digital audio signal, and wherein the audio digital-to-analog converter responsively provides an audio output signal;

a second encoded multimedia terminal coupled to the encoded multimedia server to communicate a second user input signal to the encoded multimedia server and to receive a second multimedia bitstream, wherein the second encoded multimedia terminal is configured to receive input from a second user-input device and configured to responsively determine the second user input signal, and wherein the second encoded multimedia terminal is configured to convert the second multimedia bitstream into a second display signal for a second display screen;

wherein the first encoded multimedia terminal is one of a plurality of encoded multimedia terminals coupled to the multimedia server; and

a second encoded multimedia server coupled to the encoded multimedia terminal to receive the user input signal and configured to execute a second software application associated with the encoded multimedia terminal, wherein the second software application processes the user input and responsively updates a second video display, and wherein the second encoded multimedia server is configured to convert the video display into a third multimedia bitstream for communication to the encoded multimedia terminal.