Converting data from a first network format to non-network format and from the non-network format to a second network format

• US 8,024,486 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beers, Ted W, Gorzynski, Mark E, Wickes, William C, Grasley, Scott, Thielman, Jeffrey L, Gargan, Garrett Daniel, Brewster, Jon A
• Primary Examiner(s): Neurauter, Jr.; George C
• Application Number:
  US11/911,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/246, 709/249, 348/441, 455/3.06, 725 78- 85
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream

Abstract

A system including a first node configured to receive first data in a first format that specifies a network destination for the first data and convert the first data to second data in a second format that does not specify a network destination for the second data and a second node configured to receive the second data from the first node over a first connection and convert the second data to third data in a third format that specifies a network destination for the third data is provided.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first node configured to receive first data in a first format that specifies a network destination for the first data and convert the first data to second data in a second format that does not specify a network destination for the second data; and

a second node configured to receive the second data from the first node over a first connection and convert the second data to third data in a third format that specifies a network destination for the third data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and the third formats each include an Internet Protocol (IP) format, and wherein the second format includes an audio/video (A/V) format.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first connection is one of a composite video connection, a component video connection, an S-Video connection, an analog HD connection, a balanced stereo audio connection, a SDI connection, a HD-SDI connection, a DVI connection, a DVI-D connection, an HDMI connection, and a VGA connection.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first node is a first content node that is configured to receive the first data from a second content node over a first network, wherein the second node is a collaboration node that includes audio/video (A/V) gear configured to generate fourth data, and wherein the collaboration node is configured to provide the third data and the fourth data to a second network.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first content node includes at least one of a video conference system, a media player, and an audio/video (A/V) switch.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first node is a collaboration node that is configured to receive the first data from a first network, wherein the collaboration node includes first audio/video (A/V) gear configured to output the second data, and wherein the second node is a first content node that is configured to provide the third data to a second content node on a second network.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first and the second content nodes include second and third audio/video (A/V) gear, respectively, and wherein the second and the third audio/video (A/V) gear are configured to output the third data.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first node is configured to provide control signals to the second node over a second connection in a control format that does not specify a network destination for the control signals.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the second node is configured to provide the third data to a network that is connected to the network destination that is specified for the third data.

10. A method comprising:

providing a first node that is configured to receive first data from a first network in a first format that specifies a network destination for the first data and convert the first data to second data in a second format that does not specify a network destination for the second data; and

connecting the first node to a second node that is configured to receive the second data from the first node over a first connection and convert the second data to third data in a third format that specifies a network destination for the third data on a second network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and the third formats each include an Internet Protocol (IP) format, and wherein the second format includes an audio/video (A/V) format.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing gear control configured to provide control signals over a second connection between the first node and the second node.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the second node is configured to receive fourth data from the second network in a fourth format that specifies a network destination for the fourth data and convert the fourth data to fifth data in a fifth format that does not specify a network destination for the fifth data, wherein the first node is configured to receive the fifth data from the second node over a second connection and convert the fifth data to sixth data in a sixth format that specifies a network destination for the sixth data on the first network.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the first node is a first content node that is configured to receive the first data from a second content node over the first network, wherein the second node is a collaboration node that includes audio/video (A/V) gear configured to generate fourth data, and wherein the collaboration node is configured to provide the third data and the fourth data to the second network.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the first node is a collaboration node that is configured to receive the first data from the first network, wherein the collaboration node includes first audio/video (A/V) gear configured to output the second data, and wherein the second node is a first content node that is configured to provide the third data to a second content node on the second network.

16. A system comprising:

means for receiving first audio/video (A/V) data from a first network in a first format that specifies a network destination for the first A/V data;

means for converting the first A/V data to second A/V data in a second format that does not specify a network destination for the second A/V data;

means for providing the second A/V data over a first A/V connection;

means for converting the second A/V data from the first A/V connection to third A/V data in a third format that specifies a network destination for the third A/V data; and

means for providing the third A/V data to the network destination specified by the third A/V data over a second network.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first and the third formats each include an Internet Protocol (IP) format, and wherein the second format includes an audio/video (A/V) format.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for outputting the third A/V data in a first location as part of a videoconference.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

means for outputting the first A/V data in a second location as part of the videoconference.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving fourth audio/video (A/V) data from the second network in a fourth format that specifies a network destination for the fourth A/V data;

means for converting the fourth A/V data to fifth A/V data in a fifth format that does not specify a network destination for the fifth A/V data;

means for providing the fifth A/V data over a second A/V connection;

means for converting the fifth A/V data from the second A/V connection to sixth A/V data in a sixth format that specifies a network destination for the sixth A/V data; and

means for providing the sixth A/V data to the network destination specified by the sixth A/V data over the first network.

21. A method comprising:

receiving first audio/video (A/V) data from a first network in a first format that specifies a network destination for the first A/V data;

converting the first A/V data to second A/V data in a second format that does not specify a network destination for the second data;

receiving the second A/V data over an A/V connection;

converting the second A/V data to third A/V data in a third format that specifies a network destination for the third A/V data; and

providing the third A/V data to the network destination specified by the third A/V data over a second network.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the first and the third formats each include an Internet Protocol (IP) format, and wherein the second format includes an audio/video (A/V) format.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

outputting the third A/V data in a first location as part of a videoconference.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

outputting the first A/V data in a second location as part of the videoconference.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

receiving fourth audio/video (A/V) data from the second network in a fourth format that specifies a network destination for the fourth A/V data;

converting the fourth A/V data to fifth A/V data in a fifth format that does not specify a network destination for the fifth A/V data;

providing the fifth A/V data over a second A/V connection;

converting the fifth A/V data from the second A/V connection to sixth A/V data in a sixth format that specifies a network destination for the sixth A/V data; and

providing the sixth A/V data to the network destination specified by the sixth A/V data over the first network.