Apparatus and method to achieve a constant sample rate for multiplexed signals with frame boundaries

• US 8,374,203 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Winnov, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Winnov, L.P.
• Inventors: Graham, Harry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Kibrom T
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAMONT, BENJAMIN S
• Application Number:
  US11/479,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,420 Days
• Field of Search: 370535-545
• US Class Current: 370/535
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/16 in which the time allocation to individual channels within a transmission cycle is variable, e.g. to accommodate varying complexity of signals, to vary number of channels transmitted H04J3/17, H04J3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/01 Conversion of standards , e.g. involving analogue television standards or digital television standards processed at pixel level

Abstract

Given a hardware platform capable of capturing framed data in a multiplexed fashion from multiple sources, a method and apparatus are shown for providing a constant frame rate for each logical stream.

Claims

1. A method of achieving frame rates for signals, comprising the steps of:

providing a specified quantity of one or more input source streams, each input source stream comprising first framed data, and each input source stream having an associated nominal frame rate;

wherein each input source stream is an AVStream-Process-Dispatch-method-initiated input source stream;

specifying one or more logical streams, each logical stream comprising second framed data, and each logical stream having an associated specified frame rate;

determining a source sequence list;

selecting input source streams in a sequence, wherein the sequence is responsive to the source sequence list;

processing the input source streams responsive to the sequence;

supplying second framed data to the logical streams responsive to the processed input source streams;

wherein a first case of operation corresponds to the specified quantity of input source streams is equal to a quantity of one;

wherein a set of first additional cases of operation each correspond to the specified quantity of input source streams is equal to a quantity greater than one;

calculating and instantiating an applicable case of operation,

wherein the applicable case of operation is selected to be the first case of operation or selected to be from the set of first additional cases of operation; and

,

wherein at least two of any of the nominal frame rates and the specified frame rates are distinguishably different frame rates.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining an efficiency of a system receiving the one or more input source streams;

calculating and instantiating one or more demands for a shared resources,

wherein each demand

is associated with one of the one or more logical streams,

is responsive to at least the specified frame rate associated with the associated logical stream,

is associated with one of the one or more input source streams,

is responsive to at least the nominal frame rate associated with the associated input source stream, and,

is responsive to at least the efficiency,

calculating and instantiating a source sequence length,

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is responsive to at least the efficiency, and,

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources;

calculating and instantiating a source sequence list,

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the efficiency,

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources,

wherein the source sequence list has a length, and,

wherein the length of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the source sequence length;

selecting input source streams in a sequence, wherein the sequence is responsive to at least the source sequence list;

wherein the shared resources processes the selected input source streams in an order responsive to at least the sequence;

for each of the one or more demands for the shared resources, supplying the logical stream associated with the demand with a processed input source stream,

wherein the processed input source stream corresponds to a selected input source stream, and,

wherein the selected input source stream is the input source stream associated with the demand;

calculating and instantiating an aggregate demand for the shared resources, wherein the aggregate demand is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources;

providing a specified availability of the shared resources;

wherein the specified quantity of input source streams is equal to a quantity greater than one;

wherein the applicable case of operation is further selected from the set of first additional cases of operation consisting of a second case of operation and a third case of operation;

wherein the second case of operation corresponds to the aggregate demand for the shared resources less than or equal to the specified availability of the shared resources; and

,

wherein the third case of operation corresponds to the aggregate demand for the shared resources greater than the specified availability of the shared resources.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

specifying a skip process;

calculating and instantiating an additional demand for the shared resources associated with the skip process;

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is further responsive to at least the additional demand for the shared resources;

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is further responsive to at least the additional demand for the shared resources; and

,

wherein the applicable case of operation is the second case of operation.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

calculating and instantiating the efficiency; and

,

wherein calculation of the efficiency is at least responsive to the specified quantity of one or more input source streams.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

calculating and instantiating a short term timing loop measure;

calculating and instantiating a long term timing loop measure;

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the short term timing loop measure; and

,

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the long term timing loop measure.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

derating the one or more demands for the shared resources, responsive to at least the aggregate demand for the shared resources; and

,

wherein the applicable case of operation is the third case of operation.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

calculating and instantiating the efficiency; and

,

wherein calculation of the efficiency is at least responsive to the specified quantity of one or more input source streams.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

calculating and instantiating a short term timing loop measure;

calculating and instantiating a long term timing loop measure;

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the short term timing loop measure; and

,

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the long term timing loop measure.

9. A system for achieving frame rates for signals, comprising:

a specified quantity of one or more input source streams, each input source stream comprising first framed data, and each input source stream having an associated nominal frame rate;

wherein each input source stream is an AVStream-Process-Dispatch-method-initiated input source stream;

one or more logical streams, each logical stream comprising second framed data, and each logical stream having an associated specified frame rate;

a source sequence list;

a multiplexer adapted to receive said one or more input source streams, wherein the multiplexer selectively routes said one or more input source streams, responsive to the source sequence list;

a computer system;

wherein the computer system determines an efficiency of a system receiving the one or more input source streams;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates one or more demands for

a shared resources,

wherein each demand

is associated with one of the one or more logical streams,

is responsive to at least the specified frame rate associated with the associated logical stream,

is associated with one of the one or more input source streams,

is responsive to at least the nominal frame rate associated with the associated input source stream, and,

is responsive to at least the efficiency;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates a source sequence length,

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is responsive to at least the efficiency, and,

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates the source sequence list,

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the efficiency,

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources,

wherein the source sequence list has a length, and,

wherein the length of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the source sequence length;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates an aggregate demand for the shared resources, wherein the aggregate demand is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates an applicable case of operation,

wherein the applicable case of operation is selected from the set of cases of operation consisting of a first case of operation, a second case of operation, and a third case of operation;

wherein the first case of operation corresponds to the specified quantity of input source streams is equal to a quantity of one;

wherein the second case of operation corresponds to the aggregate demand for the shared resources less than or equal to the specified availability of the shared resources; and

,

wherein the third case of operation corresponds to the aggregate demand for the shared resources greater than the specified availability of the shared resources.

10. The system of claim 9

wherein the shared resources is adapted to receive one or more selectively routed input source streams from said multiplexer.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising

a demultiplexer adapted to supply second framed data to said one or more logical streams.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising

a phase accumulator corresponding to one of the one or more input source streams.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising

a phase accumulator corresponding to a skip process.

14. The system of claim 9:

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates an additional demand for the shared resources associated with a skip process;

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is further responsive to at least the additional demand for the shared resources;

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is further responsive to at least the additional demand for the shared resources;

wherein the applicable case of operation is the second case of operation.

15. The system of claim 9:

wherein the computer system derates the one or more demands for the shared resources, responsive to at least the aggregate demand for the shared resources; and

,

wherein the applicable case of operation is the third case of operation.

16. The system of claim 15:

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates the efficiency;

wherein calculation of the efficiency is at least responsive to the specified quantity of one or more input source streams;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates a short term timing loop measure;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates a long term timing loop measure;

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the short term timing loop measure; and

,

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the long term timing loop measure.

17. A system for achieving frame rates for signals, comprising:

a multiplexer adapted to receive a specified quantity of one or more input source streams;

wherein each input source stream is an AVStream-Process-Dispatch-method-initiated input source stream; and

,

a source sequence list;

wherein the multiplexer selectively routes said one or more input source streams, responsive to the source sequence list;

wherein the source sequence list is responsive to one or more specified frame rates;

wherein each of the one or more specified frame rates is associated respectively with one of one or more logical streams;

wherein each input source stream comprises first framed data;

wherein each input source stream has an associated nominal frame rate;

wherein each logical stream comprises second framed data; and

,

a computer system;

wherein the computer system determines an efficiency of a system receiving the one or more input source streams;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates one or more demands for a shared resources,

wherein each demand

is associated with one of the one or more logical streams,

is responsive to at least the specified frame rate associated with the associated logical stream,

is associated with one of the one or more input source streams,

is responsive to at least the nominal frame rate associated with the associated input source stream, and,

is responsive to at least the efficiency;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates a source sequence length,

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is responsive to at least the efficiency, and,

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates the source sequence list,

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the efficiency,

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources,

wherein the source sequence list has a length, and,

wherein the length of the source sequence list is responsive to at least the source sequence length;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates an aggregate demand for the shared resources, wherein the aggregate demand is responsive to at least the one or more demands for the shared resources;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates an applicable case of operation,

wherein the applicable case of operation is selected from the set of cases of operation consisting of a first case of operation, a second case of operation, and a third case of operation;

wherein the first case of operation corresponds to the specified quantity of input source streams is equal to a quantity of one;

wherein the second case of operation corresponds to the aggregate demand for the shared resources less than or equal to the specified availability of the shared resources; and

,

wherein the third case of operation corresponds to the aggregate demand for the shared resources greater than the specified availability of the shared resources.

18. The system of claim 17

wherein the shared resources is adapted to receive one or more selectively routed input source streams from said multiplexer.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising

a demultiplexer adapted to supply second framed data to said one or more logical streams.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising

a phase accumulator corresponding to one of the one or more input source streams.

21. The system of claim 17 further comprising

a phase accumulator corresponding to a skip process.

22. The system of claim 17:

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates an additional demand for the shared resources associated with a skip process;

wherein calculation of the source sequence length is further responsive to at least the additional demand for the shared resources;

wherein calculation of the source sequence list is further responsive to at least the additional demand for the shared resources; and

,

wherein the applicable case of operation is the second case of operation.

23. The system of claim 17:

wherein the computer system derates the one or more demands for the shared resources, responsive to at least the aggregate demand for the shared resources; and

,

wherein the applicable case of operation is the third case of operation.

24. The system of claim 23:

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates the efficiency;

wherein calculation of the efficiency is at least responsive to the specified quantity of one or more input source streams;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates a short term timing loop measure;

wherein the computer system calculates and instantiates a long term timing loop measure;

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the short term timing loop measure; and

,

wherein calculation of the efficiency is further at least responsive to the long term timing loop measure.