Virtual IP-based A/V inputs for universal media servers

• US 7,668,120 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kolar, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Jayanti K
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARK, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US11/671,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• 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 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• 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 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

In one embodiment, a universal media server (e.g., a set-top box) has zero or more physical audio and/or video (A/V) inputs configured to receive A/V data, and at least one Internet Protocol (IP) input configured to receive IP data. In particular, the universal media server has one or more virtual A/V inputs, each virtual A/V input corresponding to an IP-based A/V source device having a corresponding IP source address and configured to receive IP-based A/V data from the IP-based A/V source device on the at least one IP input. The universal media server also has at least one A/V output configured to selectively output A/V data according to a selected input of the physical and virtual inputs.

Claims

1. A universal media server, comprising:

zero or more physical audio and/or video (A/V) inputs configured to receive A/V data;

at least one Internet Protocol (IP) input configured to receive IP data;

one or more virtual A/V inputs, each particular virtual A/V input corresponding to a particular IP-based A/V source device having a corresponding IP source address and configured to receive IP-based A/V data from the particular IP-based A/V source device on the at least one IP input; and

at least one A/V output configured to selectively output A/V data according to a selected input of the physical and virtual inputs, wherein selection of a particular virtual A/V input for the A/V output results in an output from the universal media server of A/V data sourced from the particular IP-based A/V source device corresponding to the particular selected virtual A/V input.

2. The universal media server as in claim 1, wherein the universal media server is a set-top box.

3. The universal media server as in claim 1, wherein the zero or more physical A/V inputs are connectable to a device selected from the group consisting of:

magnetic media devices;

optical media devices;

cable television;

antenna television; and

satellite media receiver devices.

4. The universal media server as in claim 1, wherein the one or more virtual A/V inputs receive IP-based A/V data from sources selected from the group consisting of:

IP-based cameras;

IP-based streaming audio sources;

IP-based streaming video sources; and

IP-based microphones.

5. The universal media server as in claim 4, wherein the IP-based A/V data sources are configured to provide services selected from the group consisting of:

video conferences;

phone conferences;

IP radio stations;

IP video stations;

video surveillance; and

audio surveillance.

6. The universal media server as in claim 4, wherein the IP-based A/V data sources are either wired or wireless IP sources.

7. The universal media server as in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one recording device configured to record A/V data received on the one or more virtual A/V inputs.

8. The universal media server as in claim 7, wherein the recording device is configured to record A/V data based on one or more stimuli.

9. The universal media server as in claim 8, wherein the stimuli are selected from the group consisting of:

configurable timers;

manual selection;

motion detection;

sound detection; and

selection of particular programming times.

10. The universal media server as in claim 1, wherein the particular virtual A/V input is configured to correspond to a particular universal resource locator (URL) that references the particular IP address.

11. The universal media server as in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one IP output configured to selectively output IP data corresponding to the A/V data from the physical and virtual inputs.

12. The universal media server as in claim 11, wherein the IP output is addressable by an IP address.

13. The universal media server as in claim 12, wherein the A/V data output by the IP output is accessible to P-based receiver devices.

14. The universal media server as in claim 13, wherein the IP-based receiver devices are selected from the group consisting of:

personal computers (PCs);

wireless handheld computing devices;

IP-capable televisions; and

P-capable phones.

15. The universal media server as in claim 1, wherein the at least one IP input is configured to receive wired IP-based A/V inputs.

16. The universal media server as in claim 1, wherein the at least one IP input is configured to receive wireless IP-based A/V inputs.

17. The universal media server as in claim 1, wherein the A/V output is configured to output A/V data to a television.

18. A method, comprising:

configuring zero or more physical audio and/or video (A/V) inputs to receive A/V data on a universal media server (UMS);

configuring at least one Internet Protocol (IP) input to receive IP data on the UMS;

configuring one or more virtual A/V inputs on the UMS, each particular virtual A/V input corresponding to a particular IP-based A/V source device having a corresponding IP source address and configured to receive IP-based A/V data from the particular IP-based A/V source device on the IP input; and

selectively outputting A/V data according to a selected input of the physical and virtual inputs, wherein selection of a particular virtual A/V input results in outputting A/V data sourced from the particular IP-based A/V source device corresponding to the particular selected virtual A/V input.

19. The method as in claim 18, wherein the UMS is a set-top box.

20. The method as in claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, on the one or more virtual A/V inputs, IP-based A/V data from sources selected from the group consisting of;

IP-based cameras;

IP-based streaming audio sources;

IP-based streaming video sources; and

IP-based microphones.

21. The method as in claim 18, further comprising:

recording A/V data received on the one or more virtual A/V inputs on the UMS.

22. The method as in claim 21, further comprising:

determining the occurrence of one or more stimuli; and

in response,

recording the A/V data received on the one or more virtual A/V inputs.

23. The method as in claim 18, wherein the particular virtual A/V input is configured to correspond to a particular universal resource locator (URL) that references the particular IP address.

24. The method as in claim 18, further comprising:

selectively outputting IP data corresponding to the A/V data from the physical and virtual inputs to at least one IP output of the UMS.

25. Software encoded in one or more tangible computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

receive Internet Protocol (IP) data on an IP input of a universal media server (UMS);

configure one or more virtual audio and/or video (A/V) inputs to receive A/V data on the UMS, each virtual A/V input corresponding to an IP-based A/V source device having a corresponding IP source address and configured to receive IP-based A/V data from the IP-based A/V source device on the IP input; and

selectively output A/V data according to a selected input of the virtual inputs and zero or more physical A/V inputs of the UMS, wherein selection of a particular virtual A/V input results in an output from the UMS of A/V data sourced from the particular IP-based A/V source device corresponding to the particular selected virtual A/V input.