Network Devices, Methods and/or Systems for Use in a Media Nework

Abstract

In certain aspects, the present disclosure is related to devices, methods, systems and/or computer-readable media for use in an isochronous media network in which media devices connected to a network employ one or more synchronization signal to regulate or facilitate the transmission of media signals through the network. In certain aspects, the present disclosure is also related to devices, methods, systems and/or computer-readable media for use in a larger unified, or substantially unified, isochronous network created from aggregating local isochronous media networks in which media devices connected to a network employ a one or more synchronisation signal distributed from a local master clock to regulate or facilitate the transmission of media signals.

1 . A network device for synchronizing a plurality of media devices in a network, said network device comprising:
 an input interface receiving a time service or network time protocol;   a local clock synchronized to a time service; and   an output interface for transmitting a synchronization signal which coordinates the transmission of media signals through the network where the local clock is used to control the transmitted synchronization signal.   
     
     
         2 . A network device that is capable of providing a time service to a plurality of devices in a network, said network device comprising:
 an input interface for a reference signal, where said input reference signal is at least one of: a reference media clock or media signal input, a synchronization signal which coordinates the transmission of media signals through the network, and/or an internal reference clock;   a local clock governed by the input reference signal; and   an output interface providing said time service to said network devices via a clock synchronization protocol and/or synchronization signal.   
     
     
         3 . A network device as recited in  claim 1  which is capable of providing a service discovery service. 
     
     
         4 . A network device as recited in  claim 1  which is capable of providing a buffering/re-timing service for jittered packet streams. 
     
     
         5 . A network device as recited in,  claim 1  which is capable of providing a function for bridging a media signal between one or more incompatible isochronous media networks. 
     
     
         6 . A network device as recited in,  claim 1  which is capable of providing one or more network management functions. 
     
     
         7 . A network device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said input interface is capable of providing at least one input reference signals selected from: at least one of an AES word clock, an other word clock, audio signals and/or video signals. 
     
     
         8 . A network device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said network device is operable to synchronize additional network devices by transmitting a master clock signal at said output interface. 
     
     
         9 . A network device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said synchronization signal comprises at least one of IEEE 1588, NTP, IEEE 802.1AS or other versions of IEEE 802.1, and any other network time protocol. 
     
     
         10 . A network device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said media transport protocol comprises at least one of Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP), Dante, an IEEE1733 extension of RTP, and any other routable transport protocol. 
     
     
         11 . A network device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said network comprises at least one of a local area network (LAN), a virtual local area network (VLAN), one or more IP subnets, a CobraNet network, a Dante network, an Audio Video Bridging (AVB) network, and a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         12 . A network device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one media device in a first network is capable of sending and/or receiving synchronization information to at least one media device in a different network such that the media devices are capable of matching transmission and reception rates so that receiver underrun and/or overrun is prevented, substantially prevented, or acceptable. 
     
     
         13 . A network device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one media device in a first network is capable of sending and/or receiving media signals to another media device in a different network such that the media signals are able to pass from one network to at least one other network. 
     
     
         14 . A method of synchronizing a plurality of media devices in a network consisting of an aggregation of one or more local media networks using at least one synchronization signal, where said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) transmitting at least one synchronization signal from a master clock device;   (b) receiving said synchronization signal at one or more media devices in said network; and   (c) transporting media signals from one or more media devices to at least another of said media devices using a media transport protocol; wherein said steps a) and b) are performed using at least one synchronization signal.   
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said method includes the further steps of: receiving said synchronization information at a network device; and transmitting said synchronization information from said network device. 
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said network device is a slave network device that synchronizes with said network using said synchronization information from said master clock device. 
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said synchronization signal comprises at least one of IEEE 1588, NTP, IEEE 802.1AS or other versions of IEEE 802.1, and any other network time protocol. 
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said media transport protocol comprises at least one of Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP), Dante, an IEEEI 733 extension of RTP, and any other routable transport protocol. 
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said network comprises at least one of a local area network (LAN), a virtual local area network (VLAN), one or more IP subnets, a CobraNet network, a Dante network, an Audio Video Bridging (AVB) network, and a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein at least one media device in a first network is capable of sending and/or receiving synchronization information to at least one media device in a different network such that the media devices are capable of matching transmission and reception rates so that receiver underrun and/or overrun is prevented, substantially prevented, or acceptable. 
     
     
         21 - 32 . (canceled)