Audio/video processing unit and control method thereof

• US 7,746,904 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miki, Hirosuke, Ohtani, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung; Min
• Application Number:
  US11/594,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20070110110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/487
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams

Abstract

A home theater includes a main unit section and at least one speaker section. The main unit section includes a communication section which receives an AV stream from an AV stream transmission device and via a communication network, a demux section which separates the AV stream into a video stream and an audio stream, a video processing means which processes the video stream so as to generate a video signal, an audio processing section which processes the audio stream so as to generate an audio signal, and an audio acquisition section which acquires an audio stream which includes at least a part of the audio of the AV stream. The communication section transmits the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition section to the speaker section, via the communication network.

Claims

1. An audio/video processing main unit which conducts audio processing and video processing,

the audio/video processing main unit comprising:

a receiving unit receiving an AV stream including video and audio, from an external device via a communication network;

a demux unit separating the AV stream into a video stream including the video and an audio stream including the audio;

a video processing unit processing the video stream so as to generate a video signal;

an audio acquisition unit acquiring an audio stream including at least a part of the audio, from the AV stream supplied to the receiving unit;

a transmitting for unit transmitting the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit, to at least one external device via the communication network;

a stream buffer which temporarily stores the AV stream supplied to the receiving unit;

an AV clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the AV stream;

an AV clock adjusting unit adjusting the AV clock unit in such a manner as to cause the AV clock unit to be in synchronization with the AV stream; and

a comparing unit supplying at least a part of the AV stream to the demux unit, in case where an AV stream output time of the AV stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the AV clock unit,

the AV stream including information of the AV stream output time.

2. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 1,

wherein, the receiving unit also receives information of a clock adjusting time which is in synchronization with the supplied AV stream, and

the AV clock adjusting unit adjusts the AV clock unit in reference to the clock adjusting time.

3. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 1,

wherein, the audio acquisition unit acquires the audio stream including at least a part of the audio from the AV stream, after the receiving unit transmits the AV stream and before the stream buffer receives the AV stream.

4. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 3,

wherein, the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit includes the information of the AV stream output time.

5. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 3, further comprising a sampling unit sampling the time indicated by the AV clock unit,

the transmitting unit transmitting information of the time sampled by the sampling unit, to said at least one external device via the communication network.

6. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an audio clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the audio; and

a sampling unit sampling the time indicated by the audio clock unit,

the transmitting unit transmitting information of the time sampled by the sampling unit, to said at last one external device via the communication network.

7. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 6, further comprising:

an audio clock adjusting unit adjusting the audio clock unit in such a manner as to cause the audio clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit.

8. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 6, further comprising an audio processing unit processing the audio stream so as to generate an audio signal.

9. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 8,

wherein, the audio acquisition unit acquires, from the audio processing unit, an audio stream including at least a part of the audio.

10. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 9, further comprising an audio delay unit delaying the audio signal supplied from the audio processing unit.

11. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 9, further comprising a video delay unit delaying the video signal supplied from the video processing unit.

12. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 9, further comprising a time adjusting unit adjusting at least one of a video processing start time, a video display time, an audio processing start time, and an audio output time, at least one of which is included in the AV stream.

13. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 9, further comprising an acquisition sampling unit sampling the time indicated by the audio clock unit, when the audio acquisition unit acquires the audio stream,

the acquisition sampling unit adding a maximum audio transmission time to the sampled time so as to generate an audio stream output time, and

the transmitting unit transmitting the audio stream including information of the audio stream output time, to said at least one external device via the communication network.

14. The audio/video processing main unit as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

an audio clock adjusting unit adjusting the audio clock unit in such a manner as to cause the audio clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit,

the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit being a continuous bit stream with a fixed bit rate, the audio stream including a synchronization header used for achieving synchronization, and

the audio clock adjusting unit adjusting the audio clock unit, in reference to the synchronization header.

15. An audio processing main unit which conducts audio processing and transmits an audio stream, comprising:

an obtaining unit acquiring an audio stream including at least audio;

an audio processing unit subjecting the acquired audio stream to the audio processing, so as to output an audio signal;

an audio acquisition unit acquiring, from the acquired audio stream, an audio stream including at least a part of the audio;

an audio clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the audio;

a sampling unit sampling the time indicated by the audio clock unit;

a transmitting unit transmitting the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit and information of the time sampled by the sampling unit, to at least one external device via a communication network;

a stream buffer which temporarily stores the audio stream acquired by the obtaining unit;

an audio clock adjusting unit adjusting the audio clock unit in such a manner as to cause the audio clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream acquired by the obtaining unit; and

a comparing unit for transmitting at least a part of the audio stream acquired by the obtaining unit to the audio processing unit, when an audio stream output time of the audio stream acquired by the obtaining unit is equal to or later than the time indicated by the audio clock unit,

the audio stream acquired by the obtaining unit including information of the audio stream output time.

16. An audio processing terminal device, comprising:

a receiving unit receiving an audio stream including audio, from an external device via a communication network;

an audio processing unit processing the audio stream so as to generate an audio signal;

an audio clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the audio;

an audio clock adjusting unit adjusting the audio clock unit in such a manner as to cause the audio clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream;

a stream buffer which temporarily stores the audio stream supplied to the receiving unit; and

a comparing unit for transmitting at least a part of the audio stream to the audio processing unit, when an audio stream output time of the audio stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the audio clock unit,

the audio stream including information of the audio stream output time.

17. The audio processing terminal device as defined in claim 16,

wherein, the receiving unit receives information of a timing at which the external device outputs audio corresponding to the supplied audio stream, and

the adjusting unit adjusts the audio clock unit, in reference to the information of the timing.

18. The audio processing terminal device as defined in claim 16,

wherein, the receiving unit receives information of a clock adjusting time synchronized with the supplied audio stream, and

the adjusting unit adjusts the audio clock unit in reference to the clock adjusting time.

19. An audio/video processing system in which an audio/video processing main unit conducting video processing and audio processing is connected, by a communication network, to at least one audio processing terminal device conducting audio processing,

the audio/video processing main unit including:

a receiving unit receiving an AV stream including video and audio from an external device via a communication network;

a demux unit separating the AV stream into a video stream including the video and an audio stream including the audio;

a video processing unit processing the video stream so as to generate a video signal;

an audio acquisition unit acquiring an audio stream including at least a part of the audio, from the AV stream supplied to the receiving unit;

a transmitting unit transmitting the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit, to said at least one audio processing terminal device via the communication network;

a stream buffer which temporarily stores the AV stream supplied to the receiving unit;

an AV clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the AV stream;

an AV clock adjusting unit adjusting the AV clock unit in such a manner as to cause the AV clock unit to be in synchronization with the AV stream; and

a comparing unit supplying at least a part of the AV stream to the demux unit, in case where an AV stream output time of the AV stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the AV clock unit,

the AV stream including information of the AV stream output time,

said at least one audio processing terminal device including;

a receiving unit receiving the audio stream from the audio/video processing main unit via the communication network;

an audio processing unit processing the audio stream so as to generate an audio signal;

an audio clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the audio;

an audio clock adjusting unit adjusting the audio clock unit in such a manner as to cause the audio clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream;

a stream buffer which temporarily stores the audio stream supplied to the receiving unit; and

a comparing unit for transmitting at least a part of the audio stream to the audio processing unit, when an audio stream output time of the audio stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the audio clock unit,

the audio stream including information of the audio stream output time.

20. A control method of an audio/video processing main unit which conducts video processing and audio processing, comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving an AV stream including video and audio, from an external device via a communication network;

(ii) acquiring, from the supplied AV stream, an audio stream including at least a part of the audio;

(iii) transmitting the acquired audio stream to at least one external device, via the communication network;

(iv) temporarily storing the received AV stream;

(v) adjusting an AV clock unit in such a manner as to cause the AV clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream, the AV clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the AV stream;

(vi) separating at least a part of the AV stream into a video stream including the video and an audio stream including the audio, when an AV stream output time of the AV stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the AV clock unit;

(vii) processing the video stream so as to generate a video signal,

(viii) the AV stream including information of the AV stream output time.

21. The control method, as defined in claim 20, further comprising the step of:

(ix) sampling a time indicated by an audio clock unit for determining a timing to output the audio,

the audio stream acquired in step (ii) and information of the time sampled in the step (ix) being transmitted in the step (iii).

22. A control method of an audio processing terminal device which conducts audio processing and includes an audio clock unit for indicating a time for determining a timing to output audio,

the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an audio stream including the audio, from an external device via a communication network;

temporarily storing the received audio stream;

adjusting the audio clock unit in such a manner as to cause the audio clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream;

processing at least a part of the audio stream so as to generate an audio signal, when an audio stream output time of the audio stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the adjusted audio clock unit,

the audio stream including information of the audio stream output time.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an audio/video processing main unit control program for operating an audio/video processing main unit which conducts video processing and audio processing,

the audio/video processing main unit including:

a receiving unit receiving an AV stream including video and audio from an external device via a communication network;

a demux unit separating the AV stream into a video stream including the video and an audio stream including the audio;

a video processing unit processing the video stream so as to generate a video signal;

an audio acquisition unit acquiring an audio stream including at least a part of the audio, from the AV stream supplied to the receiving unit; and

a transmitting unit transmitting the audio stream acquired by the audio acquisition unit, to at least one external device via the communication network;

a stream buffer which temporarily stores the AV stream supplied to the receiving unit;

an AV clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the AV stream;

an AV clock adjusting unit adjusting the AV clock unit in such a manner as to cause the AV clock unit to be in synchronization with the AV stream; and

a comparing unit supplying at least a part of the AV stream to the demux unit, in case where an AV stream output time of the AV stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the AV clock unit,

the AV stream including information of the AV stream output time, and

the program causing a computer to function as the units of the audio/video processing main unit.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 23, wherein the audio/video processing main unit further includes:

an audio clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the audio; and

a sampling unit sampling the time indicated by the audio clock unit,

the transmitting unit transmitting information of the time sampled by the sampling unit, to said at least one external device via the communication network.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores an audio processing terminal device control program for operating an audio processing terminal device which conducts audio processing,

the audio processing terminal device including:

a receiving unit receiving an audio stream including audio, from an external device via a communication network;

an audio processing unit processing the audio stream so as to generate an audio signal;

an audio clock unit indicating a time for determining a timing to output the audio; and

an audio clock adjusting unit adjusting the audio clock unit in such a manner as to cause the audio clock unit to be in synchronization with the audio stream,

a stream buffer which temporarily stores the audio stream supplied to the receiving unit;

a comparing unit for transmitting at least a part of the audio stream to the audio processing unit, when an audio stream output time of the audio stream is equal to or later than the time indicated by the audio clock unit,

the audio stream including information of the audio stream output time, and

the program causing a computer to function as the units of the audio processing terminal device.