Networked audio/video system
First Claim
1. A method of configuring an audio/video (AV) system, the method executable on a computing device having a processor and memory, the method comprising:
- enabling a user, with a user interface of the computing device on which are executed instructions for configuration of the AV system, to configure the AV system by enabling the user to;
draw a plurality of output zones to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located, each output zone being included in a database, the database storing parameters associated with each output zone in relation to that output zone;
place a plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones of the geographical layout that substantially represent physical locations thereof within the venue, where the plurality of receiving AV devices are selected from the group consisting of an audio amplifier, a loudspeaker, a digital signal processing (DSP) device, and an off-ramp AV device;
logically associate one or more receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within respective output zones; and
select which of a plurality of source AV signals from transmitting AV devices the user wants to route to the respective associated output zones;
responsive to the user configuring the AV system with the user interface, the computing device automatically, for each of the plurality of output zones configured by the user, assigning relevant parameters for that output zone to the one or more transmitting and receiving AV devices placed in that output zone by the user based on a relationship of the relevant parameters to that output zone as stored in the database, and automatically negotiating settings for the one or more receiving AV devices within that output zone, the settings including latency and at least one of channel count, bit depth, and sample frequency, where automatically negotiating the settings comprises, for each of the plurality of output zones configured by the user, routing the source AV signals from one or more transmitting AV devices over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels associated with that output zone, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to respective output zones as configured by the user;
measuring latencies of signal data paths through the network between the transmitting and receiving AV devices of at least two output zones, including latencies caused by intermediate routing devices within the network;
mapping the signal data paths between the transmitting and receiving AV devices; and
matching a latency of the receiving AV devices and corresponding respective signal data paths that serve the two or more output zones, such that signal data paths for the logically-associated receiving AV device channels for each of the at least two output zones acquires a network latency of a maximum path latency from among all complete signal data paths to the receiving AV devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for configuring an audio/video (AV) system includes a computing device having a processor to enable a user, with a user interface of the computing device, to configure the AV system. The processor may enable the user to draw output zones to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located. The processor may enable the user to place transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones that substantially represent physical locations thereof within the venue. The processor may enable the user to logically associate receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within an output zone. The processor may also enable the user to select which of a number of source AV signals from transmitting AV devices the user wants to route to the associated output zone. The processor routes the source AV signals from one or more transmitting AV devices over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to the output zone as configured by the user in the user interface.
43 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of configuring an audio/video (AV) system, the method executable on a computing device having a processor and memory, the method comprising:
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enabling a user, with a user interface of the computing device on which are executed instructions for configuration of the AV system, to configure the AV system by enabling the user to; draw a plurality of output zones to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located, each output zone being included in a database, the database storing parameters associated with each output zone in relation to that output zone; place a plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones of the geographical layout that substantially represent physical locations thereof within the venue, where the plurality of receiving AV devices are selected from the group consisting of an audio amplifier, a loudspeaker, a digital signal processing (DSP) device, and an off-ramp AV device; logically associate one or more receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within respective output zones; and select which of a plurality of source AV signals from transmitting AV devices the user wants to route to the respective associated output zones; responsive to the user configuring the AV system with the user interface, the computing device automatically, for each of the plurality of output zones configured by the user, assigning relevant parameters for that output zone to the one or more transmitting and receiving AV devices placed in that output zone by the user based on a relationship of the relevant parameters to that output zone as stored in the database, and automatically negotiating settings for the one or more receiving AV devices within that output zone, the settings including latency and at least one of channel count, bit depth, and sample frequency, where automatically negotiating the settings comprises, for each of the plurality of output zones configured by the user, routing the source AV signals from one or more transmitting AV devices over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels associated with that output zone, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to respective output zones as configured by the user; measuring latencies of signal data paths through the network between the transmitting and receiving AV devices of at least two output zones, including latencies caused by intermediate routing devices within the network; mapping the signal data paths between the transmitting and receiving AV devices; and matching a latency of the receiving AV devices and corresponding respective signal data paths that serve the two or more output zones, such that signal data paths for the logically-associated receiving AV device channels for each of the at least two output zones acquires a network latency of a maximum path latency from among all complete signal data paths to the receiving AV devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a computer system having a processor configured to generate a graphical user interface that receives a pictorial audio/video (AV) configuration screen on a display, a method of providing and selecting from a set of menus on the display, the method comprising:
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retrieving a set of menu entries for each menu with the processor, each of the menu entries representing a step in pictorial configuration by a user of an AV system, where the set of menu entries include a venue designer, a hardware device configurator, an output zone associator, and a networked AV router; displaying the set of menus on the display; receiving a menu selection signal indicative of a user selection of a menu from the set of menus, where in response to selection of the venue designer, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to form a plurality of output zones and to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located; where in response to selection of the hardware device configurator, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to place a plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones of the geographical layout that substantially represent physical locations thereof within the venue, where the plurality of receiving AV devices are selected from the group consisting of an audio amplifier, a loud speaker, a DSP device, and an off-ramp AV device; where in response to selection of the output zone associator, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to logically associate one or more receiving AV device channels of one or more receiving AV devices within respective output zones, each output zone being included in a database, the database storing parameters associated with each output zone in relation to that output zone; where in response to selection of the networked AV router, the processor providing menu entries on the display that are selectable by the user to direct the processor to select which of a plurality of source AV signals the user wants to route to the respective associated output zones; responsive to selection of one or more of the menu entries that are provided on the display in response to selection of the output zone associator, automatically assigning, for each output zone configured by the user, relevant parameters for that output zone to the one or more transmitting and receiving AV devices placed in that output zone by the user based on a relationship of the relevant parameters to that output zone as stored in the database, and automatically negotiating, by the processor and for each of the plurality of output zones configured by the user, settings including latency and at least one of channel count, bit depth, and sample frequency for the one or more receiving AV devices of that output zone by routing, by the processor, the source AV signals from one or more transmitting AV devices in that output zone over a network to the one or more receiving AV device channels associated with that output zone and automatically measuring end-to-end path latencies, such that the one or more receiving AV device channels are processed according to the respective output zones as configured by the user and automatic negotiation of latency is performed based on a configuration of the AV system by the user in the graphical user interface; measuring, by the processor, latencies of signal data paths through the network between the transmitting and receiving AV devices of at least two output zones, including latencies caused by intermediate routing devices within the network; mapping, by the processor, the signal data paths between the transmitting and receiving AV devices; and matching, by the processor, a latency of the receiving AV devices and corresponding respective signal data paths that serve the two or more output zones, such that signal data paths for the logically-associated receiving AV device channels for each of the at least two output zones acquires a network latency of a maximum path latency from among all complete signal data paths to the receiving AV devices. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for configuring an audio/video (AV) system executable by a computing device having a processor and memory, the computer-readable medium comprising:
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instructions to draw a plurality of output zones to create a representation of a geographical layout of a venue in which the AV system is located in response to signals representative of user inputs through a user interface to form the plurality of output zones, a database storing, for each output zone of the plurality of output zones, one or more parameters in relation to that output zone; instructions to place a plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices within the output zones of the geographical layout that substantially represent physical locations thereof in the venue in response to signals representative of user inputs through the user interface to insert the plurality of transmitting and receiving AV devices in the output zones, where the transmitting and receiving AV devices include digital signal processing (DSP) devices; instructions to automatically load the parameters for each output zone according to the database into the one or more transmitting and receiving AV devices within that output zone responsive to placing the one or more transmitting and receiving AV devices within that output zone; and instructions to generate one or more control interfaces for the output zone based on the loaded parameters, one or more of the control interfaces being pre-determined by real-world operational function associated with the output zone, the control interfaces including interfaces for one or more of array tuning, output zone or room tuning, a wireless system panel, a venue monitor mode for all output zones, and a venue operation interface. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification