Abstract:
A system and method using digital technologies to deliver a live-video-all-call bulletin over a local area network (LAN) in a facility, e.g., a school. The live video overrides all the facility&#39;s video-player devices by pausing them. Once the live-feed-video presentation is over, the system returns all of the facilities video players to the same state of operation each was in before the all-call presentation began.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the field of media and communication control devices in facilities. More specifically, this invention relates to using digital technologies to deliver a live video feed over a local area network (LAN) in a facility while retrievably overriding the currently displayed content on a plurality of video display devices included in the facility&#39;s video network. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Schools have traditionally used intercoms, paging systems, and public address systems. Over the years, technologies developed enabling the use of more advanced audio-visual equipment. For example, it&#39;s not unusual for the rooms in a school, or other facility, interconnected by an existing cable network. On each cable network, numerous media players, for example televisions, are all shared. Each of these media players are capable of receiving analog signals. The signals are combined. Different signals may be accessed by changing the channel. The source for these signals could come from outside the facility in some sort of broadcast or cable transmittal. The signal might have also come from a media device, such as a VCR or DVD within the facility. 
     Eventually, schools developed systems capable of providing video announcements. These audio/video systems have replaced the traditional audio-only equipment in many schools. The addition of video has enabled these schools to display live video content to, e.g., the classrooms, and other locations in the school which included televisions tapped into the facilities cable network. 
     These prior-art-video-announcement systems, however, have their disadvantages. 
     First, these systems usually require the announcement consistently be made from the same classroom. The camera used is typically of the analog-signal-producing ilk. In order to use the camera to play live video using the school&#39;s existing systems, an additional coax line must be run from the camera&#39;s location to what is typically an audio visual/computer equipment room in the school. This room is where the audio visual players, e.g., VCR&#39;s, and computing equipment, servers, etc. exist. It also may include a switching device capable of switching video content playing on a particular analog device, e.g., a VCR to play on a particular television in a classroom, or a plurality of televisions in a plurality of classrooms. 
     To set up for live video, the school will typically install an additional coax outlet in the room in which a broadcast is to be made. From the installed outlet, a coax line serving this outlet runs back to the switching device in the equipment room and serves as a video in line from the camera to the facility&#39;s AV system. From the switch, there will already be output coax lines which transmit video to the televisions in the classrooms. 
     Before starting the live video feed, a user must plug the camera into the input coax outlet. Then someone in the equipment room must manually stop or pause all the media playing devices, e.g., VCR&#39;s, DVD&#39;s. Once these devices have been stopped or paused, the switching device in the equipment room must be manipulated so that the input feed from the camera is broadcast on the desired televisions in the particular classrooms for which the announcement needs to be heard. This will enable the live feed to the classrooms, and the presentation is made. 
     Once the broadcast is finished, the feed is terminated by manipulating the switching device to again accept video content from the other media playing devices. The user is then required to manually un-pause and/or play these media devices to resume playing. The task of returning all of the player devices to the exact states existent before the live video feed is very cumbersome, time consuming, and prone to error. 
     Some schools have utilized a system wherein a live video announcement may be made from a plurality of classrooms or other rooms. This is accomplished by installing an extra coax outlet in each room in which live broadcasts are to be made from, and then running coax video input lines all the way back from each outlet to the AV room in the school. 
     An example of this type of system is shown in prior-art  FIG. 1 . Referring to the figure, we see that a school has a plurality of classrooms  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116 . Each classroom has a television included therein for playing video content. Room  110  includes a television  140 . Room  112  includes a television  142 . Room  114  includes a television  144 . Room  116  includes a television  146 . Each of these televisions are connected through coax lines  154 ,  156 ,  158 , and  160 . These are normally a part of the school&#39;s conventional cable television network. 
     Through these lines, the televisions are able to receive and demodulate modulated/combined analog signals emitted from a plurality of outputs  138 . These outputs may represent the outputs from VCR&#39;s, DVD&#39;s or other known video playing devices. They may also be a part of a more complicated system which is included in a central control room  118 . 
     Control room  118  includes an output device  136 . Output device  136  may be a device which receives content from a plurality of sources, e.g., VCR&#39;s, DVD&#39;s, television or cable programming. Also possibly included in room  118  is a switching control system  134  with a plurality of control knobs  135 . Using knobs  135  on switch  134 , a user is able to select content from a variety of video players and deliver to any or all of classrooms  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116 . 
     The system is also set up to play live video from any of classrooms  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116 . This is done by providing coax outlets  126 ,  148 ,  150 , and  152  in each of the classrooms. Cables  128 ,  162 ,  164 , and  166  run from each of these outlets and serve to transmit live video in an analog signal from any of the classrooms back to the control room  118 . These signals are receivable into a plurality of analog inputs  130  on a receiving component  132  in the control room. 
     Regardless of classroom selected for the video presentation, an analog video camera  120  is used to create the video signal. In the  FIG. 1  example, camera  120  is shown as being connected via cable  124  into outlet  126  for a live broadcast from room  110 . Though used in  FIG. 1  for a live feed from room  110 , the camera could easily be plugged into outlet  148  in room  112 , outlet  150  in room  114 , or outlet  152  in room  116 . This makes live feeds from any of the classrooms possible. 
     Regardless of the classroom, someone in the equipment room must stop or pause all the media playing devices, e.g., VCR&#39;s, DVD&#39;s, currently running. Once these devices have been stopped or paused, this person will then adjust the switches  134  using knobs  135  to match up the live video from line  128  to be broadcast over the televisions in selected classrooms. The presentation may then be made. 
     Once the broadcast from room  110  is finished, the person in the control room will switch the outputs  138  so that they receive content from the same sources as before the announcement was made. It is then required to manually un-pause and/or play these media devices to resume playing where the video content left off when the switch was made to the live-feed announcement. 
     These manual requirements make this process taxing. It likely will involve the participation of a second person—other than the presenter—in the school&#39;s equipment room to make the necessary switched connections before the presentation. This is so that there is not a significant interruption period caused by the live feed. And it will take this second individual significant time to do all the switching, pausing, and stopping required. Thus, these delays may require the presenter to wait around while the tech personnel try to get things set up. 
     It is additionally labor intensive to reset all of the interrupted media players to their initial settings after the live-feed presentation is finished. It may also be difficult to remember exactly which media playing devices were running, and which were not. This makes for errors in resetting the devices to their original states after the announcement is made. 
     The  FIG. 1  system also requires the addition of additional cabling to each classroom, e.g., classrooms  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116 . These classrooms will typically already have includes a single coax output outlet with a first coax, e.g., cables  154 ,  156 ,  158 , and  160 , for receiving video content to the classroom from the control room. They typically will not, however, include a second line (e.g., cables  128 ,  162 ,  164 ,  166 ) necessary to receive a live-video feed from the classroom. Thus, this additional cabling must be added at additional expense. 
     Thus, there is a need in the art for a new system which does not require (i) significant set up prior to the announcement, (ii) significant resetting to return the classrooms to the preexisting played content thereafter, (iii) the installation of significant additional cabling and associated equipment, or (iv) other resources. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an audio visual system for a facility which includes a video camera, and an encoder, and a decoder. It and works with the existing cable network in the facility. The encoder receives video content from the camera and encodes it into a digital stream. An IP Ethernet connection is used to connect the encoder into the facility&#39;s network. 
     The decoder is maintained on another end of the network. A digital stream signal generated by the encoder is decoded by the decoder into an analog signal. This analog signal is usable by a controller which is also included in the network. Using the controller, the system of the present invention is able to play the live video feed over the camera onto the network. 
     The system also includes a video all call button or switch which by pressing will start the live video feed and by again pressing will terminate the feed. 
     In addition to the all call feature, there is also a feature which using a database included in the end coder will record all of the states of media players associated with the controller. The encoder records these states so that after the live broadcast is completed, all of the devices on the system may be returned to their original states, e.g., play, pause, at the exact same instance in which they existed prior to the beginning of the video all call. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a typical system for a facility in which a camera is able to live video announcement from a plurality of different classrooms. 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an environment in which the present invention may exist or be practiced. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the steps used to practice one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram of the system of one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the steps used to practice an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring first to  FIG. 2 , we see an embodiment  206  of the system of the present invention involves utilization of a facility&#39;s local area network (LAN)  210 . One component in the LAN arrangement is a video camera  212 . Camera  212  may be a digital camera, or any other video source capable of taking visual imagery and reducing it to a digitally compressible signal. Numerous types of digital video cameras will be known to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type. 
     Associated with and connected into camera  212  is an encoding device  214 . Digital encoding devices, or “encoders,” reduce digital information, here received from camera  212 , and compress the data into an MPEG data stream or an MPEG bit stream. This makes the data easily transmittable. Here, however, the encoder has been modified to include special equipment. One add-on item is a video override switch  216 . This video-actuating switch  216  could take numerous forms. Here it is a simple push button. Pressing the button will cause the system to enter video all call mode, and video from camera  212  will be displayed on a plurality of predesignated audio visual display devices in the facility. 
     Aside from having a video actuating switch, The encoder must also be of the programmable variety. It should be programmed such that activation of the switch sends information in a signal to the rest of the system indicating all-call status. Encoder  214  should also be equipped with a memory component (not shown, included in encoder  214 ) which will be used to record a plurality of states for numerous video devices, as will be described in detail later. 
     Upon activation of actuator switch  216 , camera  212  will receive images and, with encoder  214 , a data stream will be created and then transmitted across LAN  210 . This streamed digital AV signal is then receivable by some, or normally all of the audio-visual display devices in the system. 
     Before it may be viewed on conventional analog equipment, e.g., televisions, a conversion from digital to analog must take place. This might happen in a variety of ways. In the  FIG. 2  embodiment, the facility&#39;s cable television system is accessed using a cable  217  which leads to a switch  218 . 
     Switch  218  presents two paths—cable  219  and cable  221 —both of which ultimately lead to the existing cable network in the facility through a media controller/router  222 . 
     If switch  218  is in one position, the data stream travels via cable  219  and is received by a stand-alone MPEG decoder  220 , converted to a analog signal, and then directed into analog-receiving components on and in controller  222 . This will most likely be the position of the switch when the system is in video-all-call mode. 
     Switch  218  may comprise any kind of switch applicable and useable with the disclosed system. For example, if the conduit used is Ethernet, an Ethernet switch would be used. A USB switch would be used for USB connectivity, and so on. It could also comprise some kind of software based switch. Really, any device or program could be used which results in optional delivery of the live-data-stream video feed through one of cable  219  or cable  221 . 
     Decoder  220  may be any kind of digital decoding device. These devices are well known in the art. This decoder  220  accepts the digital or bit video stream through switch  218  (when the switch is open to such) and converts the stream into an analog signal  223 . This analog signal will be directly received by controller  222  and then delivered to the facility&#39;s cable network. 
     If switch  218  in a second position, the data stream travels via cable  221 , still in digital, to media router  222  where the digital signaling will be managed by the controller. This is the likely switch position when the system in normal mode. When in normal mode, some ordinary uses of the system might be the display of a DVD or VCR movie in one or more classrooms. Other activities might include accessing digital video content off of digital video content server  236 . 
     More details regarding one embodiment of controller  12  may be gleaned from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/694,337, filed Oct. 27, 2003. The contents of that application are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and are to be considered a part of this original disclosure. 
     The internal functionality of controller  222  is discussed in the earlier filed application referenced above, and, thus, will not be discussed in detail here. Generally, however, controller  222  contains processing components and data storage components. It will have to be programmed to accomplish all the objectives disclosed. These components enable the controller  222  to successfully be interfaced by the phone system of the facility (not shown), a desktop computer  242  with media-player software installed thereon, any other workstations on the LAN, MPEG encoder  214 , a digital video content server  236 , and any other smart devices included in the LAN. The software and hardware needed to accomplish this interfacing will fall within the scope of that which is known to one skilled in the art. 
     Controller  222  is an optionally-rack-mounted device with an encasing housing. It&#39;s processing component comprises a microprocessor, supporting memory (RAM), an Ethernet controller, a DTMF controller, and additional control circuitry for processing and controlling requests between various system components. 
     The controller may be communicated with through an Ethernet connection  225  over the LAN. It also may be interfaced with using a manual keypad included on its housing. Other means of interfacing with the device, e.g., over the phone, are also possible and would fall within the scope of this invention. 
     Through this interfacing, controller  222  can be manipulated to cause analog signals  223  to be distributed through conduit  250  to the cable television distribution network  232 . Controller  222  can also be caused to control the functions of a DVD player  224 , a VCR  226 , a Network DVD player  228 . 
     To accomplish this, controller  222  has a plurality of IR emitters (not shown). The controller  222  is able to control DVD player  224 , a VCR  226 , a Network DVD player  228  through infrared lines of communications  242 ,  244 , and  246  much in the same way a typical commercially available IR remote is used to control these devices. The IR equipment inside controller  222  is much the same as these well-known remote control devices. The emitters, through infrared lines of communications  242 ,  244 , and  246  are used to send specific signals to the DVD/decoders such as playback, reverse, pause, and other similar commands. A bulk emitter (not shown) is also provided as part of the controller  222 . This bulk emitter usually serves to send on/off signals to the DVD/decoders. Infrared lines of communications  242 ,  244 , and  246  may be completely wireless. When necessary, however, IR extension cabling may be required to give the signal adequate range when the player devices are not located in close proximity to the controller  222 . Media players such as DVD player  224 , a VCR  226 , a Network DVD player  228  come from the factory already adapted to receive specific IR commends to perform specific functions. Controller  222  takes advantage of this by using IR for control purposes. This allows the user to select off the shelf media player devices rather than manufacturing new ones or making modifications. 
     Video content playing on devices  224 ,  226 , and  228  is returned to ports on controller  222  through RCA or other media cables  243 ,  245 , and  247 , respectively. Thus, the media devices can be controlled by infrared through lines of communications  242 ,  244 , and  246 , and audio-visual content will be returned through conduit  243 ,  245 , and  247 . 
     Analog video content leaving controller  222  via cable(s)  250  will be readied for transmission to the cable network by being modulated by RF modulators  230 . The resulting modulated signal will be demodulated by demodulators contained in each of a plurality of televisions  234 . 
     These televisions  234  may also be controlled via IR signaling much like the media player devices. Here, it is even more likely to do so with IR extensions to obtain the needed range. Using IR signaling, the televisions may be, inter alia, turned on, turned off, be turned to a desired channel, or set to accept a video feed. 
     Digital video content server  236 , which is also included in the LAN  210 , is a computing device containing numerous audio-visual files. In this embodiment, these audio-visual files are in Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) format. Other formats are, of course, possible, and are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. Some examples of other formats include JPEG, TIFF, Bitmap, Photoshop, and Picture image formats, MP3 and WMA audio formats. MPEGs may be in MPEG1, MPEG2, and MPEG4 video formats. 
     Typically, server  236  will maintain numerous different audio-visual files thereon. There will also, however, be multiple instances of many or all of these files. This is done so that different users may watch the same video at the same time, but have different start and end times. Each user may thus watch a different instance of the same MPEG. This enables video on demand to each classroom in the facility. 
     Controller  222  is able to communicate with and receive streamed video files (e.g., MPEGs) from server  236  using Network DVD/decoder  228 . Network DVD/decoder  228  is a newly developed off-the-shelf item. Two versions now commercially available are GoVideo™ networked DVD player or a Gateway™ connected DVD player. Like a conventional DVD players, these new devices include a CD player in which the user may simply insert a CD and play it on a television or other media player. In addition to these older technologies, however, the new DVD/decoders are able to stream movies, music, and pictures from a digital system to an analog electronics component. They come with software that will be loaded onto server  236  in a manner that will be known to those skilled in the art. This software enables the DVD/decoder to access audio/video files on video server  236  and then stream the file to the decoder inside DVD/decoder  228 . The software is made available by the manufacturer of these devices. 
     This streaming technology enables music, movies and pictures stored on server  236  to be selected and then played on analog-based devices. 
     The access by Network DVD/decoder  228  to server  228  occurs through LAN  210  through a conduit  237 . To access video files, the user navigates to a directory on server  228  using the network DVD/decoder&#39;s software. This navigation is observable over a computer or television monitor in a way which will be known to those skilled in the art, and may be learned by review of manuals which come with DVD/decoder devices as purchased. Conduit  237  may comprise an Ethernet connection, or numerous other possible forms of network connectivity. Wireless connections are also a possibility here, and also, it should be mentioned with respect to any of the other connective means employed in system  206 . 
     An independent television  238  is also shown. This television  238  is able to receive video content over network  310  using another digital decoder  240 . This decoder may be similar to decoder  220 . Here, however, it is used to provide video content (and live video feeds from camera  212 ) independently from the facility&#39;s cable TV distribution network  232 . 
     Also included on the network  210  is the already-referred-to desktop media player  242 . This is simply a standard PC with media player software installed thereon. This device is able to accept streamed video from either camera  212  or from server  236  and play it using a standard computer monitor and speakers. 
     The single camera shown in the  FIG. 2  system is very versatile because of its networkability. Though  FIG. 2  does not show a plurality of classrooms like  FIG. 1 , it should be understood that this camera, or multiple cameras can be tapped in to the network through any connector (e.g., Ethernet or IP) in any classroom. This type of networking equipment is normally already existent in a typical modern school classroom. This makes a single camera able to make live broadcasts from any existing classroom on the network without installing any additional connective equipment, e.g., cabling, outlets. 
     One embodiment for the steps of the video-all-call process of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The process first involves some preliminary set up not disclosed in  FIG. 3 . First, the camera  212  and MPEG encoder  214  should be provided in a particular classroom in which a live video feed is to take place from. Most likely, MPEG encoder  214  and camera  212  will be tapped into the local area network  210  via some form of IP connection, e.g. Ethernet. You will recall that encoder  214  must be selected or adapted to include a pushbutton switch  216  which will cause the necessary signaling and transmission of video. Once the camera is set up and arranged to record the video feed, the  FIG. 3  process is ready to begin. 
     Step  302  begins this process. In step  302  the user presses the video all call (VAC) actuator button  216 . Once this button is pressed, it activates the camera  212  and MPEG encoder  214  to begin the live-video feed. 
     At this time in step  304  the encoder  214 , which is a smart device, communicates with the media controller  222 . Encoder  214  asks controller  222 , which includes processing capabilities, the status of each of its ports. The status (e.g., paused, playing, or “blanked” which means that the device is placed in a state that would make the screen on a monitor appear to be off or blacked out by displaying an all-black screen) for each port on controller  222 , if the port is connected to an AV device, will be known to controller  222 . For example, DVD  224  may be represented and connected through a particular port. VCR  226 , however, would be represented and tapped into the controller  222  on a different second port. Finally, network DVD  228  would be included on a completely separate port. 
     In response to the inquiry, media controller  222  responds to encoder  214  with the status information in step  306 . The response will include the particular status on each port. For example, with respect to the port (on controller  222 ) which is connected to DVD  224 , the media controller response would be that the DVD is, e.g., playing stopped or blanked. The media controller  222  would also respond with the status of the ports for the VCR  226  and network DVD  228 . The status of numerous other devices could also be included with this information. Through DVD decoder and controller  222 , the state information would also include any particular version of an MPEG video being streamed from digital video server  236  and being played over network DVD decoder  228 . 
     In step  308  encoder  214  which is mentioned above a smart device, stores this state information provided by media controller  222  in memory (not shown) in encoder  214 . This information will be used later in the process to return all devices to their previous state before the video all call. 
     Once encoder  214  receives the necessary state information, in step  310  it commands media controller  222  to enter video-all-call state on all of its ports. This will cause, in step  312 , the media controller  222  to pause all currently playing channels. For example, if an instance of an MPEG file on server  236  is playing over network DVD  228 , this particular instance of the movie, e.g., a video biography, will be paused at the exact point in the movie that the video all call button on encoder  214  was pressed. It is the same for a tape playing on VCR  226 , or a movie on DVD  224 . Any media playing will be paused via infra red signaling through infrared lines of communications  242 ,  244 , and  246 . 
     Next, in step  314 , controller  222  switches video routing from whatever prior media was being played on any of the devices in the system  206  to accept the live-video feed from camera  212 . In one embodiment, the live video will be played over all channels on all ports. As a result, in step  316  the camera audio/video content is presented on all the display devices, e.g. TVs on the cable distribution network  232 , the desktop media player  242 , the stand alone TV  238 , and any other devices which might be included in such a network. This enables the user to make a live video presentation as disclosed in step  318  from a particular selected classroom inside the school. 
     Once the video presentation is complete, in step  320 , the user presses the video-all-call button  216  again to end the presentation. Upon this second activation of the button switch  216 , the encoder, in step  322 , commands media controller  222  to return to its previous state using the information which was previously saved in the memory on MPEG encoder  214  regarding the state of all of the particular devices on the network, e.g., DVD  224 , VCR  226 , network DVD  228 . The encoder does this by sending messages to the media controller with respect to each state. 
     In step  324 , the media controller  222  resumes play on all of the devices (e.g., DVD  224 , VCR  226 , network DVD  228 ) to the same state, and the same position in any playing media, that it was in before the video-all-call activation. For example, for the video biography being streamed from server  236  over network DVD  228  (this was referred to above already) the biography will be resumed at the exact location at which it was formerly interrupted by the video all call. The same is true for any tapes playing on VCR  226  or any DVD&#39;s playing on DVD  224 . All media paused for the announcement is restarted exactly where it left off. Thus, all the previous existing states are reinstituted. This prevents students from missing out on large chunks of an audio-video recording which would otherwise be disrupted by the overriding live video feed. 
     As can be seen, the present invention and its equivalents are well-adapted to provide a new and useful method of and system for delivering media content within a facility. Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     The present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. Many alternative embodiments exist but are not included because of the nature of this invention. A skilled programmer may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.