Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer protocol implementing – Computer-to-computer data transfer regulating
Patent
1997-02-21
1999-08-24
Lee, Thomas C.
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer protocol implementing
Computer-to-computer data transfer regulating
709233, 709231, 712225, 707 10, 707104, G06F 1516
Patent
active
059419539
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the advent of multimedia in computers, for the first time audio and video were integrated in the computer as data types equivalent to text and graphics, with the result that a multiplicity of currently available computers have audiovisual capabilities. However, audio and video functionality (A/V functionality) are generally separate from one another, and various use and programming interfaces exist on the different platforms. A scalable and upwardly hardware-neutral interface is required for the integrated management of the local audiovisual resources of the computer. Furthermore, distributed applications which are executable between computers, such as, for example, videoconferencing applications or video on demand applications, are acquiring more and more importance. For this reason, it is necessary to provide interfaces between the management of the local A/V resources and the exchange of the A/V data between computers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problem underlying the invention consists in specifying a method with which the disadvantages specified above are eliminated.
In general terms the present invention is a method for the simultaneous digital processing of a plurality of audio visual data packets to be transmitted from/to audio-video devices in a computer system. Information items concerning each audio/video device are combined as endpoint in a respective endpoint module. A data module controls the transport of the data packets between endpoints and initiates storage. The occurrence of events upon which a data traffic between endpoints is to be initiated is monitored by an event module. The setting up of endpoints as source and sink for the data packets and the logical interconnection of the endpoints are carried out by a protocol module.
Advantageous developments of the present invention are as follows.
The data exchange between endpoints which are assigned to different computers takes place via a network interface.
The modules form an audio/visual system. The access of a user to the system is controlled by an access unit.
The endpoint modules are managed with their information items as list entries in a field. The assigned device and its properties are contained as information per endpoint module and entry. An entry is selected by means of a keyword which specifies the endpoint module.
The operating mode, source and/or sink, in which the device assigned to an endpoint module is operated is stipulated in a transmission mode.
When a device is started, all the entries of the field are set to null and the transmission mode is switched off, in which device classes available at a computer are initialized by loading the entries with the specific parameters of the device classes and storing them. When a request or an event occurs, the assigned entry is selected by means of the keyword.
The protocol module, is realized as interface to the application and has two submodules. One submodule converts the enquiries sent by the user into a protocol-neutral format and the other submodule evaluates the enquiry and activates the modules which are responsible for the respective enquiry.
The second submodule can be assigned to a plurality of first submodules.
The event module monitors the interfaces of all the modules for the arrival of events. If a module has to wait for the arrival of an event, a file descriptor is generated for this event, which file descriptor is incorporated into an event queue. Upon arrival of the event, the corresponding module is activated and then receives the data. In the initialization phase, a list of descriptors is created for the event module, which list contains a keyword, a marking which shows whether the descriptor is to be used for reading or writing, the priority of the descriptor and a reference to the function which is to be executed upon the arrival of the event. In order to monitor an event, this descriptor is filled and is inserted into the descriptor list, in which the event module checks all the entries situated in the descriptor list
REFERENCES:
patent: 5375068 (1994-12-01), Palmer et al.
patent: 5414845 (1995-05-01), Behm et al.
patent: 5619656 (1997-04-01), Graf
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 37, No. 6a, Jun. 1994, Method for the Conversion of Multimedia Streams to Packet Streams, pp. 95-98.
Elektronik Jun. 1992, Video MIT DEM Computer, Hentschke et al, pp. 76-81.
Bergmann Johannes
Geiger Michael
Kim Harold
Lee Thomas C.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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