Broadcast method and system

• US 9,654,237 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Keener, David J., Jones, John S., Ward, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Trang U
• Application Number:
  US13/205,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,108 Days
• Field of Search: 348578, 348723, 348725, 348722, 348473, 348579, 348580, 348157, 348169, 348554-555, 348705-706, 348558, 725 36, 725 67, 725 70, 725146, 725148, 725118-120, 725126-127, 725131, 725139
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/04 from field pickup units [FPU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/05 Mobile studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/07 characterised by processes or methods for the generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/28 Mobile studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for airing broadcast signals is disclosed. Preferably, the system includes a production truck interface panel receiving a broadcast signal. A transmission relay circuit relays the signal from the interface panel to a broadcast network, and preferably including a broadcast signal detection circuit, and a signal processing circuit. The detection circuit determines a signal type of the broadcast signal, and the signal processing circuit processes the determined signal type. The system preferably further includes an operations control station displaying the determined type of broadcast signal. The method for airing broadcast signals over the broadcast network preferably includes the steps of providing the broadcast signal to the transmission relay circuit, detecting the broadcast signal type with the broadcast signal sensing and discerning circuit; and reconfiguring the signal processing circuit when the configuration of the signal processing circuit does not support transmission of the determined broadcast signal type.

Claims

1. A method for airing a broadcast signal over a broadcast network comprising:

receiving a broadcast signal at a transmission relay circuit of a demarcation/equipment cabinet;

determining the broadcast signal type with a broadcast signal sensing and discerning circuit of the transmission relay circuit;

reconfiguring a signal processing circuit of the transmission relay circuit when the configuration of the signal processing circuit does not support transmission of the determined broadcast signal type;

generating the received broadcast signal with a broadcast signal generation circuit of the transmission relay circuit;

injecting the generated broadcast signal into the signal processing circuit;

passing the generated broadcast signal from the signal processing circuit to an interface panel communicatively coupled with the broadcast signal generation circuit;

looping the generated broadcast signal from the interface panel to the transmission relay circuit; and

confirming signal path continuity between the transmission relay circuit and the interface panel.

2. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the signal processing circuit comprises:

signaling the determined broadcast signal type; and

identifying a pair of connectors of the signal processing circuit that service the determined broadcast signal type.

3. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 2, wherein reconfiguring the signal processing circuit comprises:

using a jumper cable with the pair of signal processing circuit connectors that serve the determined broadcast signal type.

4. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the signal processing circuit comprises:

signaling the determined broadcast signal type;

selecting a relay, wherein the relay is communicatively coupled with the signal processing circuit configured for processing the determined broadcast signal type; and

activating the relay to connect the received broadcast signal to the signal processing circuit configured for processing the determined broadcast signal type.

5. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 4, wherein reconfiguring the signal processing circuit comprises:

issuing one or more alerts when a change of state of the transmission relay circuit is detected; and

logging detected changes of state of the transmission relay circuit.

6. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the determined broadcast signal type across a communications network to an operations control station; and

displaying, in a graphical user interface of the operations control station, the determined broadcast signal type.

7. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 6, further comprising:

issuing a command from the operations control station to the demarcation/equipment cabinet to reconfigure the signal processing circuit when the configuration of the signal processing circuit does not support the displayed determined broadcast signal type.

8. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the signal processing circuit into an analog processing path when the determined broadcast signal type is an analog video signal;

producing a digital video transport signal from the analog video signal with the analog processing path of the signal processing circuit; and

transferring the digital video transport signal across a backbone of a communications network.

9. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a signal to an operations control station signifying the determined broadcast signal type; and

based on the transmitted signal, displaying the determined broadcast signal type in a graphical user interface of the operations control station.

10. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether a relay symbol provided by the graphical user interface has been activated;

if the relay symbol has been activated, generating a relay activation command; and

transmitting the relay activation command to the demarcation/equipment cabinet.

11. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 10, further comprising:

configuring the signal processing circuit to support processing of the determined broadcast signal type.

12. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, wherein the type of broadcast signal determined comprises a NTSC analog video signal.

13. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, wherein the type of broadcast signal determined comprises a DS-3 digital video transport signal.

14. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, wherein the type of broadcast signal determined comprises an ASI digital video signal.

15. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 1, wherein the type of broadcast signal determined comprises a signal selected from a group consisting of:

SDI and HD-SDI digital video transport signals with embedded audio signals.

16. A method for airing a broadcast signal over a broadcast network comprising:

receiving a broadcast signal at a transmission relay circuit of a demarcation/equipment cabinet;

determining the broadcast signal type with a broadcast signal sensing and discerning circuit of the transmission relay circuit;

reconfiguring a signal processing circuit of the transmission relay circuit when the configuration of the signal processing circuit does not support transmission of the determined broadcast signal type;

transmitting a signal to an operations control station signifying the determined broadcast signal type;

based on the transmitted signal, displaying the determined broadcast signal type in a graphical user interface of the operations control station;

determining whether a relay symbol provided by the graphical user interface has been activated;

if the relay symbol has been activated, generating a relay activation command; and

transmitting the relay activation command to the demarcation/equipment cabinet.

17. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 16, further comprising:

configuring the signal processing circuit to support processing of the determined broadcast signal type.

18. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 16, wherein the type of broadcast signal determined comprises a NTSC analog video signal.

19. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 16, wherein the type of broadcast signal determined comprises a DS-3digital video transport signal.

20. The broadcast signal airing method of claim 16, wherein the type of broadcast signal determined comprises a signal selected from a group consisting of:

SDI and HD-SDI digital video transport signals with embedded audio signals.