Transmitting and Receiving Media Packet Streams

Abstract

This invention concerns the transmitting and receiving of digital media packets, such as audio and video channels and lighting instructions. The network ( 104 ) is comprised of at least a transmitter device ( 110 ) and a receiving device ( 112 ). The controllers ( 122 ) and ( 126 ) of these devices handle the exchanging of configuration messages between the devices ( 110 ) and ( 112 ). Using the invention, the user is not required to manually configure the processor to receive media packet streams. Instead, a controller ( 126 ) of a receiving device ( 112 ) operates to receive information on a user selection of media channels and automatically configure the processor of the transmitter device. Further, the receiving device ( 112 ) is able to receive media channels using both unicast and multicast protocols. Media channels can be given textual labels which are unique on the unique ( 104 ) and easily identify to the user the actual source of the media channel. Media channels of different formats to be sent on the same network simultaneous. Further, redundant media channels are easily accommodated.

1 . A receiver device for receiving media packet streams from a data network, the receiver device comprising:
 a data interface to receive media packet streams, each media packet stream containing one or more user selected media channels;   a processor to extract the user selected media channels from the received media packet streams;   and a controller to receive information on a user selection of media channels advertised on the data network, to receive information on the transmission source of each of the user selected media channels so as to group the user selected media channels that can be transmitted from the same transmission source, and to automatically provide instructions to the processor that one or more media packet streams are to be received for each group and the number of user selected media channels in each media packet stream.   
     
     
         2 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the selected media channels each have a format and the controller further operates to receive information on the format of each of the selected media channels so as to group the selected media channels with reference to the format of the selected media channels. 
     
     
         3 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more media packet streams of a group also contains media channels that are not the selected media channels of that group. 
     
     
         4 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is remote from the processor and/or the data interface. 
     
     
         5 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein information about the transmission source includes network parameters of the transmission source. 
     
     
         6 . A receiver device according to  claim 5 , wherein the network parameters include an IP address and configuration port identifier. 
     
     
         7 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission source is a transmitter device. 
     
     
         8 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein for each selected media channel the controller further receives information on the methods by which the selected media channel can be received. 
     
     
         9 . A receiver device according to  claim 8 , wherein the method by which the selected media channel can be received is within one or more pre-defined media packet streams using multicast protocol. 
     
     
         10 . A receiver device according to  claim 8 , wherein the method by which the selected media channel can be received is on request to the transmission source using unicast protocol. 
     
     
         11 . A receiver device according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller further operates to send a request to receive a media packet stream containing the one or more selected media channels of a group. 
     
     
         12 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller further operates to determine the preferred method of receiving the selected media channel. 
     
     
         13 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller provides further instruction to the processor on which output channels the extracted selected media channels should be routed to. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiver device comprises two or more data interfaces, and the controller provides further instruction to the processor on which data interface each media packet stream will be received. 
     
     
         16 . A receiver device according to  claim 15 , wherein the controller further operates to send a request to receive a first media packet stream at a first data interface and a second media packet stream at the second data interface, wherein samples contained in the first and second media packet stream are the same. 
     
     
         17 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the information the controller receives on the user selection of media channels is indicative of a unique name of each user selected media channel that describes in words the source of the media channel. 
     
     
         18 . A receiver device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller further operates to send an indication of the advertised name of the media channel as a look-up-key to a database connected to the data network and to receive the media channel format information for the media channel. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method for receiving media packet streams from a data network, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving information on a user selection of media channels advertised on the data network;   receiving information on the transmission source of each of the user selected media channels so as to group the user selected media channels that can be transmitted from the same transmission source;   automatically providing instructions to a processor that one or more media packet streams are to be received for each group and the number of user selected media channels in each media packet stream;   receiving the one or more media packet streams; and   extracting the user selected media channels from the received media packet streams.   
     
     
         21 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A transmitter device for transmitting media packet streams on a data network, the transmitter device comprising:
 a plurality of input media channels to receive media channels, each media channel having a format;   one or more transmission ports to transmit media packet streams;   a processor to packetize received media channels to create media packet streams for transmission by the transmission port;   and a controller to control the processor to create a first media packet stream containing one or more media channels having the same format, and to create a second media packet stream containing one or more media channels having the same format, wherein the format of the media channels of the first media packet stream is different to the format of the media channels of the second media packet stream.   
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A transmitter device according to  claim 35 , wherein the number of frames per packet is determined based on the sample rate and bit depth of the media channels within that group. 
     
     
         38 - 44 . (canceled)