Method of and apparatus for supporting and enabling the selection and mixing of multiple streams of audio/video data from multiple sources within a receiving device allowing external control

• US 7,310,808 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kou, Sho
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US10/112,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20030192062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 725/80, 725/143, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for supporting and enabling the selection and mixing of multiple input data streams from multiple sources within a receiving device allowing external control includes a receiving device, a control device and one or more source devices. The receiving device receives input data streams from the source devices. The input data streams are provided as inputs to selectors within the receiving device. The selectors output selective ones of the input data streams to a mixer, based on control information received from a control device. The mixer then combines the selected input data streams into an output stream, based on control information received from the control device. The interfaces and functions of the selectors and the mixer are provided to the control device in response to a request from the control device. As the control device receives control inputs, the control device provides control information to the selectors and the mixer within the receiving device to control the output of the input data streams.

Claims

1. A method of providing an output data stream comprising:

a. receiving a plurality of input data streams from one or more source devices at a receiving device;

b. receiving control information by the receiving device from a control device, including information regarding selected ones of the plurality of input data streams, thereby providing selected input data streams, and mixing information;

c. selecting the selected input data streams from the received plurality of input data streams at the receiving device based on the control information from the control device; and

d. mixing the selected input data streams at the receiving device into the output data stream based on the control information received by a mixer from the control device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a. sending a request from the control device to the receiving device regarding selection and mixing functions and controls at the receiving device; and

b. providing the selection and mixing functions and controls from the receiving device to the control device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input data streams include audio/video data streams.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input data streams include on-screen-display data streams.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input data streams include graphics data streams.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control device is external of the receiving device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control device is internal to the receiving device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising outputting the output data stream.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising receiving control input at the control device and generating the control information based on the control input.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of input streams are received over a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of input streams are received over a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of input streams are received over a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control information is received over a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control information is received over a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control information is received over a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

16. A method of controlling a receiving device providing a combination of a plurality of input data streams as an output data stream comprising:

a. sending a request from a control device to the receiving device regarding selection and mixing functions and controls at the receiving device;

b. providing the selection and mixing functions and controls from the receiving device to the control device;

c. receiving the plurality of input data streams at the receiving device; and

d. providing control information from the control device to the receiving device, including information regarding selected ones of the plurality of input data streams, thereby providing selected input data streams, and mixing information, wherein the selected input data streams are selected from the received plurality of input data streams at the receiving device and mixed at the receiving device based on the control information.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising:

a. receiving the plurality of input data streams from one or more source devices at the receiving device;

b. selecting the selected input data streams from the received plurality of input data streams at the receiving device based on the control information from the control device; and

c. mixing the selected input data streams at the receiving device into the output data stream based on the control information received by a mixer from the control device.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising outputting the output data stream.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the plurality of input data streams include one or more of audio/video data streams, on-screen-display data streams and graphics data streams.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the control device is external of the receiving device.

21. The method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising receiving control information at the control device and generating the control information based on the control input.

22. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the plurality of input streams are received over one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

23. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the control information is received over one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

24. A receiving device for providing an output data stream comprising:

a. means for receiving a plurality of input data streams configured for coupling to one or more source devices;

b. means for receiving control information configured for coupling to a control device, wherein the control information includes information regarding selected ones of the one or more input data streams, thereby providing selected input data streams, and mixing information;

c. means for selecting coupled to the means for receiving the plurality of input data streams and the means for receiving control information for selecting the selected input data streams from the received plurality of input data streams based on the control information from the control device; and

d. means for mixing coupled to the means for selecting and to the means for receiving control information for mixing the selected input data streams into the output data stream based on the control information received by the means for mixing from the control device.

25. The receiving device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the means for receiving control infonnation provides selection and mixing functions and controls to the control device in response to a request from the control device.

26. The receiving device as claimed in claim 24 further comprising means for outputting coupled to the means for mixing for outputting the output data stream.

27. The receiving device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the plurality of input data streams include one or more of audio/video data streams, on-screen-display data streams and graphics data streams.

28. The receiving device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the control device is external of the receiving device.

29. The receiving device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the control device is internal of the receiving device.

30. The receiving device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the means for receiving the plurality of input data streams is coupled to the source devices by one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

31. The receiving device as claimed in claim 24 wherein the means for receiving control information is coupled to the control device by one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

32. A receiving device to provide an output data stream comprising:

a. a first interface to receive a plurality of input data streams configured to couple to one or more source devices;

b. a second interface to receive control information configured to couple to a control device, wherein the control information includes information regarding selected ones of the plurality of input data streams, thereby providing selected input data streams, and mixing information;

c. one or more selectors coupled to the first interface and to the second interface to receive the plurality of input data streams from the first receiving interface and to select the selected input data streams from the received plurality of input data streams based on the control information received by the second receiving interface; and

d. a mixer coupled to the selectors and the second interface to mix the selected input data streams into the output data stream based on the control information received by the mixer from the second receiving interface.

33. The receiving device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the second interface provides functions and controls of the selectors and the mixer to the control device in response to a request from the control device.

34. The receiving device as claimed in claim 32 further comprising an output device coupled to the mixer to output the output data stream.

35. The receiving device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the plurality of input data streams include one or more of audio/video data streams, on-screen-display data streams and graphics data streams.

36. The receiving device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the control device is external to the receiving device.

37. The receiving device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the control device is internal to the receiving device.

38. The receiving device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the first interface is coupled to the source devices by one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

39. The receiving device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the second interface is coupled to the control device by one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

40. A control device to provide control information to a receiving device receiving a plurality of input data streams to control selection and mixing of the input data streams into an output data stream comprising:

a. an interface configured to couple to the receiving device to request selection and mixing function and control information from the receiving device; and

b. a control circuit coupled to the interface to receive the selection and mixing function and control information and to provide output control information to the receiving device, wherein the output control information includes information regarding selected ones of the plurality of input data streams and a selected combination of the selected ones of the plurality of input data streams such that the receiving device performs selection and mixing of the input data streams based on the received control information.

41. The control device as claimed in claim 40 wherein the plurality of input data streams include one or more of audio/video data streams, on-screen-display data streams and graphics data streams.

42. The control device as claimed in claim 40 wherein the receiving device is external to the control device.

43. The control device as claimed in claim 40 wherein the receiving device is internal to the control device.

44. The control device as claimed in claim 40 wherein the interface is coupled to the receiving device by one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

45. A network of devices to provide an output data stream comprising:

a. one or more source devices configured to provide a plurality of input data streams;

b. a control device configured to provide control information regarding selection and mixing of the plurality of input data streams into the output data stream, the control device including;

i. a control interface configured to provide the control information; and

ii. a control circuit coupled to the control interface to generate the control information; and

c. a receiving device comprising;

i. a first receiving interface coupled to the source devices to receive the plurality of input data streams;

ii. a second receiving interface coupled to the control interface to receive the control information;

iii. one or more selectors coupled to the first receiving interface and the second receiving interface to receive the plurality of input data streams from the first receiving interface and to select selected input data streams from the received plurality of input data streams based on the control information received by the second receiving interface; and

iv. a mixer coupled to the selectors and the second receiving interface to mix the selected input data streams into the output data stream based on the control information received by the mixer from the second receiving interface.

46. The network of devices as claimed in claim 45 wherein the second receiving interface provides functions and controls of the selectors and the mixer to the control device in response to a request from the control device.

47. The network of devices as claimed in claim 45 wherein the receiving device further comprises an output device coupled to the mixer to output the output data stream.

48. The network of devices as claimed in claim 45 wherein the plurality of input data streams include one or more of audio/video data streams, on-screen-display data streams and graphics data streams.

49. The network of devices as claimed in claim 45 wherein the control device is external to the receiving device.

50. The network of devices as claimed in claim 45 wherein the control device and the receiving device are integrated together.

51. The network of devices as claimed in claim 45 wherein the first receiving interface is coupled to the source devices by one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard, a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.

52. The network of devices as claimed in claim 45 wherein the second receiving interface is coupled to control interface by one or more of a network which substantially complies with a version of the IEEE 1394 standard. a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal serial bus standard and a connection which substantially complies with a version of universal plug-and-play standard.