Patent ID: 7756118

Claim:
A system controller for controlling the routing and prioritization of live digital video streams in a packet switched network, wherein a digital video stream may optionally include encoded audio or other stream data, the packet switched network including at least one router device operable to accelerate delivery of prioritized packets over the delivery of other non-prioritized packets, the delivery of video streams being configured in a matrix of possible video connections between video sources and video consumers, the matrix being determined by the operation and configuration of at least one video switch, the matrix being alterable through the selection of video connections at a control device, the system controller comprising: a processor; a control interface connectable to a control device, wherein the control interface is further configured to receive video matrix switching commands to alter the matrix; a video switch interface connectable to a video switch, wherein the video switch interface is operable to transmit video switching commands to a video switch to alter the matrix; a priority control interface connectable to a router device, wherein the priority control interface is further configured to transmit communications to the router device to prioritize the delivery of a prioritized video stream over the delivery of other network traffic; and wherein the processor is further configured to receive video matrix switching commands through said control interface and to process those received commands, wherein said processor is further configured to translate received video matrix switching commands into one or more video switching actions and one or more priority control actions, wherein said processor is further configured to transmit video switching commands corresponding to the video switching actions to one or more connected video switches; wherein said processor is further configured to transmit concurrently with the video switching commands priority control commands corresponding to the priority control actions to one or more connected router devices in the packet switched network.