An apparatus includes a separator for selectively separating audio from input signals including video with audio, a switcher for selectively transferring the input signals to at least one output, a multiplexed path for sending the separated audio signal to the at least one output, the at least one output being configured for selectively directing the input signals and separated audio signals.
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18. A method comprising the steps of:
receiving input signals, each input signal including video with embedded audio components;
separating the audio components from input signals to generate a separated audio signals;
transferring selectively the input signals to an output;
multiplexing the separated audio signals;
sending the multiplexed separated audio signals over a multiplexed path to the output, wherein the a least one output selectively directs the input signals and the separated audio signals to a destination, wherein the output demultiplexes the multiplexed separated audio signals to direct the separated audio signals to the destination.
0. 25. An audio stream routing switcher comprising:
at least one input configured to receive a combined input stream that includes a video stream and a plurality of audio streams and to separate the plurality of audio streams from the combined input stream to generate a plurality of separated audio signals;
a router configured to route the video stream to an output; and
a multiplexer configured to multiplex at least a portion of the plurality of separated audio signals and transmit the multiplexed and separated audio signals to the output as at least one audio bit-stream transmitted separately from the video stream,
wherein the output is configured to selectively output the received video stream and at least one of the separated audio signals to a designated output,
wherein the output includes an audio signal selector configured to selectively output the at least one separated audio signal to the designated output.
0. 32. An audio stream routing switcher comprising:
at least one input board configured to receive a combined input stream that includes a video stream and a plurality of audio streams, the at least one input board including a digital signal processor configured to separate the plurality of audio streams from the combined input stream to generate a plurality of separated audio signals;
a router configured to route the video stream to an output; and
a multiplexer configured to multiplex at least a portion of the plurality of separated audio signals and transmit the multiplexed and separated audio signals to the output as at least one audio bit-stream transmitted separately from the video stream,
wherein the output is configured to selectively output the received video stream and at least one of the separated audio signals to a designated output,
wherein the output includes an audio signal selector configured to selectively output the at least one separated audio signal to the designated output.
0. 1. An apparatus comprising:
a separator for receiving input signals, each input signal including video with embedded audio and separating the audio from input signals to generate separated audio signals;
a switcher for transferring the input signals to an output;
a multiplexer for multiplexing the separated audio signals together and transmitting the multiplexed separated audio signals over a multiplexed path to the output, the being configured for selectively outputting the input signals and the separated audio signals,
wherein the output includes a demultiplexer to provide selective outputting of one of the separated audio signals to a designated output.
0. 2. The apparatus of
0. 3. The apparatus of
0. 4. The apparatus of
0. 5. The apparatus of
0. 6. The apparatus of
0. 7. The apparatus of
0. 8. The apparatus of
0. 9. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one input board configured to receive digital input signals, the digital input signals including video with embedded audio, the at least one input board including:
a de-embed module configured to de-embed audio from each of the digital input signals; and
a time division multiplexer configured to multiplex all of the de-embedded audio;
a crosspoint matrix configured to receive the digital input signals and transfer the digital input signals to at least one output board; and
an output board,
wherein the time-division multiplexer is configured to transmit the de-embedded audio signals to the output board separately from the digital input signals via a time division multiplexed path, and wherein the output board is configured to output one of the digital input signals or one of the de-embedded audio signals to a destination in accordance with a routing control setting.
0. 10. The apparatus of
0. 11. The apparatus of
0. 12. The apparatus of
0. 13. The apparatus of
0. 14. The apparatus of
0. 15. The apparatus of
0. 16. The apparatus of
0. 17. The apparatus of
20. The method of
21. The method of
24. The method of
0. 26. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 25, wherein the router is a crosspoint matrix coupled between the at least one input and the output.
0. 27. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 26, wherein the multiplexer is configured to transmit the portion of the plurality of separated audio signals via a path in the crosspoint matrix separately from the video stream to the output.
0. 28. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 25, wherein the audio signal selector is a transcode multiplexer configured to select the at least one separated audio signal from the portion of the plurality of separated and multiplexed audio signals.
0. 29. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 28, wherein the output further comprises an audio embedding module configured to embed the selected at least one separated audio signal in the video stream to generate a combined output stream having video and embedded audio to be outputted to the designated output.
0. 30. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 25, wherein each combined input stream is a digital video bit-stream with at least one of the plurality of audio streams embedded as audio data in a horizontal ancillary data space of the video stream.
0. 31. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 30, wherein the at least one input comprises a digital signal processor configured to de-embed the audio data from the horizontal ancillary data space to generate the at least one separated audio signal, respectively.
0. 33. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 32, wherein the router is a crosspoint matrix coupled between the at least one input and the output.
0. 34. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 33, wherein the multiplexer is configured to transmit the portion of the plurality of separated audio signals via a path in the crosspoint matrix separately from the video stream to the output.
0. 35. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 32, wherein the audio signal selector is a transcode multiplexer configured to select the at least one separated audio signal from the portion of the plurality of separated and multiplexed audio signals.
0. 36. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 35, wherein the output further comprises an audio embedding module configured to embed the selected at least one separated audio signal in the video stream to generate a combined output stream having video and embedded audio to be outputted to the designated output.
0. 37. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 32, wherein each combined input stream is a digital video bit-stream with at least one of the plurality of audio streams embedded as audio data in a horizontal ancillary data space of the video stream.
0. 38. The audio stream routing switcher according to claim 37, wherein the digital signal processor is further configured to de-embed the audio data from the horizontal ancillary data space to generate the at least one separated audio signal, respectively.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/448,498 titled “EMBEDDED AUDIO ROUTING SWITCHER” and filed Jun. 22, 2009, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority, under 35 U.S.C. §365 of International Application No. PCT/US2006/48697 filed on Dec. 20, 2006, which was published in accordance with PCT Article 21(2) on Jul. 3, 2008, in English, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention generally relates to switching systems and more particularly to systems and methods including a serial digital video router switching matrix with full embedded audio switching capability, which is independent from the video switching.
Routing switchers may also be called signal selectors, audio/video (AV) selectors or simply routers. A standard routing switcher may have multiple video and audio signals from a number of sources, such as Videotape Recorders, Media Servers, Satellite Receivers, etc. connected to the routers inputs. The router's output or outputs can go to one or more destinations, such as Videotape Recorders, Video/Audio Mixers, Video/Audio Monitors, etc. Which input connects to which output(s) may be selected by a user with the push of a button, without disconnecting/reconnecting audio and video cables.
In a television facility, a single program may require switching to a plurality of different channels or stations. In some situations, the audio that is embedded may not be appropriate for each channel. For example, a different language may be needed or a dubbed version of the audio track may be required. In these situations, the audio output must be switched independently from the video. A routing switcher may be employed to perform this task.
When constructing a signal switching infrastructure for a television facility, a choice needs to be made to use video with embedded audio as a single switching level or to use independent audio routing matrices to switch audio separately from video. The advantages of switching video with embedded audio include a substantial reduction of switching hardware and system cabling when compared with separate audio switching matrices. Many modern devices such as video tape recorders, media servers and master control switchers support video inputs and outputs with embedded audio.
A principal disadvantage is that conventional serial digital video switching matrices do not permit independent switching of the embedded audio streams within the video signal. This makes it difficult to combine, e.g., the video from input #1 with the audio from input #2 at an output of the switching matrix. In many facilities, especially production/post production, or where multi-channel and/or multilingual audio must be considered, this limitation has dictated the use of a separate audio switching infrastructure.
In the past, separate audio switching infrastructures have been employed (with the attendant increase in cost, space needed, cabling and power consumption). Hybrid systems using outboard audio embedding and de-embedding devices in conjunction with serial digital video switching matrices have also been employed. This alternative is also costly and complex to implement.
In an aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a separator for selectively separating audio from input signals including video with audio, a switcher for selectively transferring the input signals to at least one output, a multiplexed path for sending the separated audio signal to the at least one output, the at least one output being configured for selectively directing the input signals and separated audio signals.
In another aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes at least one input board configured to receive digital input signals, the digital input signals including video with embedded audio, the at least one input board including: a de-embed module configured to d-embed audio from each of the digital input signals, a time division multiplexer configured to multiplex all of the de-embedded audio to at least one output board, a crosspoint matrix configured to receive the digital input signals and transfer the digital input signals to the at least one output board, a time division multiplexed path configured to transport the de-embedded audio signals to the at least one output board separately from the digital input signals, and the at least one output board configured to route one of the digital input signals and selected de-embedded audio signals in accordance with a routing control setting.
In a further aspect of the invention, a method includes separating audio from input signals including video with audio, transferring selectively the input signals to at least one output, sending the separated audio signal to the at least one output, and selectively directing the input signals and separated audio signals with the at least one output.
In a yet further aspect of the invention, a method for routing video signals with embedded audio through a routing switcher includes receiving digital input video signals with embedded audio, de-embedding an audio portion from the digital input signals while separately maintaining the digital input signals, and time division multiplexing the audio portion of all of the digital input signals for transfer to an output stage on a time division multiplexed path. The digital input signals are transferred to the output stage separately from time division multiplexed audio signals. At least one of the digital input signals and the time division multiplexed audio signals are routed to a destination.
The advantages, nature, and various additional features of the invention will appear more fully upon consideration of the illustrative embodiments now to be described in detail in connection with accompanying drawings wherein:
It should be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and are not necessarily the only possible configuration for illustrating the invention.
The present invention provides systems and methods for fully embedded audio switching capability for a serial digital video router. The serial digital video router switching matrix can provide the fully embedded audio switching independently from the video switching. The router can be employed in high definition and/or standard definition applications. By providing full independent switching of the audio signals included in the serial digital video bit-streams, reduction in cost and complexity is provided and greater flexibility is achieved in selecting input and outputs for the system.
It is to be understood that the present invention is described in terms of a television facility; however, the present invention is much broader and may include any audio/video system, which receives a plurality of audio and visual signals from one or more sources to be routed to one or more destinations. Content may be received by any method for example, delivered over a network, e.g., telephone, cable, computer, satellite, etc. The present invention is described in terms of a television network application; however, the concepts of the present invention may be extended to other applications, e.g., cable, satellite network, wireless and wired network types.
It should be understood that the elements shown in the FIGS, may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software or combinations thereof. Preferably, these elements are implemented in a combination of hardware and software on one or more appropriately programmed general-purpose devices, which may include a processor, memory and input/output interfaces.
The present description illustrates the principles of the present invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope.
Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.
Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the block diagrams presented herein represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the invention. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudocode, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable media and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.
The functions of the various elements shown in the figures may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (“DSP”) hardware, read-only memory (“ROM”) for storing software, random access memory (“RAM”), and non-volatile storage.
In the claims hereof, any element expressed as a means for performing a specified function is intended to encompass any way of performing that function including, for example, a) a combination of circuit elements that performs that function or b) software in any form, including, therefore, firmware, microcode or the like, combined with appropriate circuitry for executing that software to perform the function. The invention as defined by such claims resides in the fact that the functionalities provided by the various recited means are combined and brought together in the manner which the claims call for. It is thus regarded that any means that can provide those functionalities are equivalent to those shown herein.
Referring now in specific detail to the drawings in which like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements throughout the several views, and initially to
Integrated audio de-embedding is employed for each serial digital video (SDV) input 16. Each input board 12 de-embeds the audio (AES/EBU or simply AES) from the SDV input signal by employing a de-embed module 20. All the de-embedded audio signals are then combined together on one or more time division multiplexed (TDM) bit-stream(s) 24 by a time division multiplexer (TDM) 22. The TDM bitstream(s) 24 are connected directly to video switching matrix output circuits 26 on output boards 14. The serial digital video signals with their embedded audio 15 are also connected to inputs of a video switching matrix 30.
In cases where a given output needs the video with its original embedded audio signal 15, the output of the video switching matrix 30 (e.g., a serial digital video crosspoint matrix) is connected directly to a given output (output board 14) and the original embedded audio is simply passed through with the video 15′. In cases where a given output (output board 14) needs different audio signals which are embedded in the video signal, the audio is selected from the TDM stream(s) 24 by a router control system and a time division demultiplexer 32 demuxes the signals and combines the video using audio embedding circuitry 34 associated with the given output. The desired signal may be selected using the time division demultiplexer 32 on the output board 14.
Audio is preferably embedded in the digital video bitstream 15 in the Horizontal Ancillary Data space in accordance with the signal format standards defined by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). Audio is de-embedded by module 20 by selecting the desired audio channel ancillary data from the serial digital video bit stream 15, buffering the data, and reformatting as an AES/EBU digital audio bit stream. Video and audio signal selection is controlled by a routing switcher control system 52. Video and audio are usually presented to the operators as separate signal levels on the routing control panels and graphical user interfaces (e.g., control 52). This enables the operator to either select both video and audio from the same input (in which case the audio already embedded with the video is used), or the operator may select video from one input and audio from one or more alternate inputs (in which case the desired audio signals are selected from the audio TDM stream 24 and applied to an audio embedding circuit 34 of the appropriate output. A routing selection may be made by an operator, by a program or by hardware based on operating conditions or presettings.
In one embodiment, a first SDV signal is received with embedded audio and a second SDV signal is received from a different source. In accordance with this embodiment, the first and second signals have their audio deembedded and provided to output boards. The output boards can embed the audio from the first signal into the second signal and vice versa. Alternately, the outputted first and second signals may both be able to use the audio of the original first signal, or the outputted first and second signals may both be able to use the audio of the original second signal. Since all audio streams are available any audio or combination of audio channels can be selected and output including the SDV with fully embedded audio streams. This has many advantages and provides great flexibility in selecting output hardware for optimizing the outputs of the system for entertainment value or other reasons.
Referring to
In another embodiment, in addition to or instead of constructing a new system with purpose-built TDM paths from inputs to outputs, it is also possible to implement the present principles in existing serial digital video switching matrices. One way of doing this may include replacing conventional input and output circuits with those including audio de-embedding, embedding and time division multiplex (TDM) bussing. The TDM busses would be distributed from the input circuits to the output circuits by dedicating existing paths in a video switching matrix for the use of TDM. This results in an equivalent system to the one schematically represented in
For the approach using existing hardware, the TDM bit rate is preferably compatible with the video switching matrix, in practice either the standard definition component serial digital bit rate 270 Mb/s (64 audio channels) or the high definition component serial digital bit rate of 1.48 Gb/s (up to 352 audio channels) should be employed. Since this scheme uses some of the video routing paths for the TDM busses, the effective matrix size may be reduced.
Referring to
Referring to
As described above, signal processing by a processor 19 is performed and the audio is de-embedded (20). Time division multiplexing (22) is performed and may include the TDM input 110 as well as all of the de-embedded audio from signals 15, which is placed on paths 111 and transported through the matrix 130. The video with embedded audio signals 15′ are also transported to the output boards 16. In this example, four output boards 16 are available. Each output board 16 includes twenty eight outputs (total 112 outputs). The audio outputs 110′ (AES or TDM) for this system may include four per board (16 total). The routing (32), embedding (34) and reclocking (36) are also performed as previously described.
Referring to
As described above, signal processing by a processor 19 is performed and the audio is de-embedded (20). Time division multiplexing (22) is performed and may include the TDM input 110 as well as all of the de-embedded audio from signals 15, which is placed on paths 111 and transported through the matrix 132. The video with embedded audio signals 15 are also transported to the output boards 16. In this example, eight output boards 16 are available. Each output board 16 includes twenty four outputs (total 192 outputs). The audio outputs 110′ (AES or TDM) for this system may include eight per board (64 total). The routing (32), embedding (34) and reclocking (36) are also performed as previously described. In
Referring to
In block 310, the digital input signals are transferred to the output stage separately from time division multiplexed audio signals. The digital input signals are preferably transferred using the crosspoint matrix, and are transferred with the original embedded audio. In block 312, the time division multiplexed audio signals are demultiplexed to provide the signal to particular destinations or to simply reproduce the audio to be re-embedded with a same or different video signal In accordance with particular requirements, if needed. In block 314, embedding a time division multiplexed audio signal into to a digital input signal or video signal may be performed to reconstitute a video signal with new embedded audio. In block 316, reclocking may be performed, if needed, by extracting a clock signal from the SDV signal to re-clock the SDV signal thereby removing jitter.
In block 320, an audio only input may be provided and configured to receive an audio signal or a time division multiplexed audio signal for transfer to the output stage. The audio only signals are available for mixing with video signals as with de-embedded audio signals. The audio only input may be received and employed at any point in the operation. In block 322, at least one of the digital input signals and the time division multiplexed audio signals are routed to a destination from the output stage. The destination is usually selected by a routing control system, by a user, by a program, in accordance with preselected conditions, etc. For example, if an original audio stream is sent with English audio and the film is sent to a Spanish station, the Spanish audio may be preselected for a given destination from a particular output board or stage. The signals are routed to destinations based on a router control system or programmed selections (e.g., routing settings).
Having described preferred embodiments for an embedded audio routing switcher (which are intended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments of the invention disclosed which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as outlined by the appended claims.
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