Multiple audio and video signal routing with PC compatibility

• US 6,502,142 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rapaich, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/217,390
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 345/327, 370/260, 395/311, 395/200, 348/15, 348/375, 348/8
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching

Abstract

A controller on a card in a personal computer or set top box controls routing of multiple audio or video signals to multiple outputs concurrently. Also provided is the ability for the user to configure the controller via software or hardware controls, such as a multi-position switch located on the external surface of the computer hardware. Multiple different formats of video and audio are properly converted and routed.

Claims

1. A personal computer comprising:

a plurality of audio outputs;

a plurality of video outputs; and

a controller within the personal computer configured to receive audio and video signals from multiple sources that routes the selected audio and video signals to selected video outputs and audio outputs.

2. A personal computer comprising:

a plurality of video outputs; and

a controller within the personal computer configured to receive video signals from multiple sources that routes the selected video signals to selected video outputs.

3. A personal computer comprising:

a plurality of audio outputs; and

a controller within the personal computer configured to receive audio signals from multiple audio sources that routes the selected audio signals to selected audio outputs.

4. A personal computer comprising:

one or more digital video sources;

one or more digital audio sources;

means within the personal computer for routing video signals from one or more of the digital video sources to one or more video outputs; and

means within the personal computer for routing audio signals from one or more of the digital audio sources to one or more audio outputs.

5. The personal computer of claim 4 where a video source provides both a digital video signal and an associated digital audio signal to the controller, and the routing means routes all associated signals to a group of associated video outputs and audio outputs.

6. A personal computer comprising:

one or more digital video sources;

one or more digital video outputs; and

a controller within the personal computer operable to route video signals from one or more of the digital video sources to one or more of the digital video outputs.

7. The personal computer of claim 6 wherein the user configures the controller by means of either hardware or software, such that the controller routes each of a plurality of video signals to one of a plurality of outputs.

8. The personal computer of claim 6 wherein one or more of the video outputs is connected to an input of a video device.

9. A personal computer comprising:

one or more digital audio sources;

one or more digital audio outputs; and

a controller within the personal computer operable to route video signals from one or more of the digital audio sources to one or more of the digital audio outputs.

10. The personal computer of claim 9 wherein the user configures the controller by means of either hardware or software, such that the controller routes each of a plurality of audio signals to one of a plurality of outputs.

11. The personal computer of claim 9 wherein one or more of the audio outputs is connected to an input of an audio device.

12. A personal computer system comprising:

a bus;

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor;

a plurality of audio outputs;

a plurality of video outputs; and

a controller within the personal computer configured to receive audio and video signals from multiple sources that routes the selected audio and video signals to selected video outputs and audio outputs.

13. The personal computer system of claim 12 and further comprising a plurality of switches operated by the controller to route the audio and video signals.

14. The personal computer system of claim 12 wherein the controller is operable via software running on the processor.

15. The personal computer system of claim 12 and further comprising a video card to process digital video signals for display.

16. The personal computer system of claim 12 and further comprising a panel having a plurality of audio and video input and output ports, such input ports providing the means of receiving video and audio signals from multiple sources and such output ports further providing the plurality of video and audio outputs.

17. The personal computer system of claim 12 and further comprising a PCI card for controlling the controller.

18. The personal computer system of claim 12 wherein the video sources are selected from the group consisting of an NTSC source, a DVD source, a composite source, an MPEG source and S-video source.

19. The personal computer system of claim 12 wherein the audio sources are selected from the group consisting of a CD player, audio from a standard television, stereo audio, and audio associated with an MPEG source.

20. A personal computer system comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor;

a bus coupled to the memory and to the processor;

a plurality of audio output and input ports;

a plurality of video output and input ports; and

a controller within the personal computer configured to receive audio and video signals from multiple input ports, said controller routing received audio and video signals to selected video output ports and audio output ports.

21. The personal computer system of claim 20 wherein the controller routes multiple video and audio signals simultaneously.

22. The personal computer system of claim 20 wherein the controller comprises and application-specific integrated circuit.

23. The personal computer system of claim 20 wherein associated video and audio signals are routed together.