Patent ID: 7242316
Filing Date: 2007-07-10
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for distributing media content from hardware input devices to hardware output devices, located remotely from each other, in a home network, the apparatus comprising: a. a control unit receiving user input and converting the user input to control signals; b. at least two encoder devices, each coupled to a hardware input device and configured to receive the control signals, at least one of the at least two encoder devices including an infrared transmitter for sending infra red control signals to its respective hardware input device; and c. at least two decoder devices, each coupled to a hardware output device and configured to receive control signals at least one of the at least two decoder devices including an infrared transmitter for sending infra red control signals to its respective hardware output device; wherein the control unit couples each encoder device with an appropriate decoder device, and wherein each encoder device digitally encodes an analog audio/video signal from its coupled input device to form an encoded signal and transmits the encoded signal over the home network to its coupled decoder device, and wherein each coupled decoder device translates the encoded signal into a decoded signal suitable for the output device coupled to that coupled decoder device, and wherein at least two of the encoder devices are remote from each other on the home network.