Method and system for distributing and selecting audio and video information

The present invention relates to a distribution system and selecting audio or video information over a network and the method implemented by the system.

It is known from the British patent application 2166328 an information distribution device audio or video on a coaxial cable network that requires ISDN-type specific bus forming a network telephone and a communication bus for other devices, said communication bus comprising of remote control units each associated with an adapter device connected to the bus.

Such a network has the disadvantage of requiring connecting multiple networks, a first wiring Type coaxial, a second wiring for telephone network like ISDN and a third wiring the communication control bus.

Another European patent application 140593 has the advantage to overcome these disadvantages by using the single coaxial network to distribute information audio from a jukebox unit using the cable network at least one channel assigned to the transmission audio information. This channel is divided into sub audio channels and each selection is multiplexed in frequency. And 75 to 200 audio channels are sent over a video channel of 6 MHz bandwidth. A box Conversion to select each sub channels and thus the user to listen to the song conveyed by this sub channel. The drawback of such a device is that the user can not determine the beginning and the end of the song because all selections are interpreted without interrupting the waiting time can up to 30 seconds. Another disadvantage of the device consists in the fact that it is not possible to simultaneously transmit video information and audio on this principle. In fact if we want to transmit video information must take the main carrier of each channel and in this case, per channel, it is can also send a video associated information one or two of acceptable quality audio information among which one of these two audio information corresponds to that associated with the video information. So if we want to transmit the corresponding video information 200 selections they happen very quickly saturate and occupy all available channels. In such a case the transmission of television channels be possible and in any case the amount of information audio would be less than 10.

So the object of the invention is to provide a system distribution of audio and video information using the coaxial cable network television distribution, without preventing the distribution of emissions television on this cable network and enabling at the same time distribution of corresponding video information the selections available on a jukebox unit. The purpose of the system is also to allow a interactive communication between the user and selections available without having to make a wiring specific premises equipped with the system, using normally existing networks in the premises.

This object is achieved in that the distribution system and selection of audio information and video wired coaxial network comprising a combination jukebox unit connected by a modulator to cable network distribution of television is characterized by it comprises a channel assigned to the transmission of information audio or video;<sl><li>means, connected to a separate network cable network, with interactive TV, selection distance of at least one audio information or video jukebox from the plurality of information to be transmitted on the cable network;</li><li>means for identifying the selection means or the television set associated with the means selection;</li><li>User's billing means associated with a television set for the selections consumed.</li></sl>

In another feature the selection means are constituted by the telephone network and the core PABX partner who delivers an interface jukebox exploited tone signals by interface software incorporated in the jukebox to interpret Key pressing the of a telephone as mouse events influencing the displacement a marker on the screen windows allowing to guide the user, said signals comprising also identification information

In another feature of the means of assistance Voice are provided to guide the user pressing keys of the telephone.

In another feature selections means are constituted by a control means connected to by the electrical network to an appropriate interface jukebox, said interface and selection means two running all the principles common carriers for transmitting identification information and the control information corresponding to the key presses of the order.

In another feature the jukebox has mass storage means, a processor main multitasking operating system, a circuit video controller and its controller circuit, own the cable network said video controller circuits and controllers its being connected to a radio frequency RF modulator and an input and output interface for remote selection means.

In another feature the jukebox has a touch screen and an interface specific to the touch screen, a sound controller circuit and a video controller circuit a clean display device jukebox.

In another feature the jukebox has coin means.

In another feature billing means operating a database associating jukebox selected under the cost of selecting and delivering to a billing system a user identifier and the amount to charge him.

In another feature the TV screen allows the display of an array of securities selections allowing choice selections either by direct access title or interpreter, or by category and selection in a list of the category.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method using a distribution and selection system requiring no wiring.

This object is achieved in that the method of using a distribution and selection system information audio or video consists of a cable network television distribution which is connected by a RF modulator and its controller card and a card video controller a jukebox unit, said jukebox unit itself being connected to another network or telephone either electrically through an interface, said method comprising the steps of:<ul><li>Sending a local identifier associated with the post TV or the telephone line is the command remote;</li><li>a step of selecting audio or video information run on the network by use of a keyboard and an interface interpreting the keys of keyboard keys as a cursor;</li><li>a step of the jukebox queue of the order of selection and execution of information audio or video you selected;</li><li>a step of sending the cable network this information;</li><li>a step of sending upon confirmation of the selection information concerning the user identification and the cost of selection to a system billing.</li></ul>

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein :<sl><li>1 shows a schematic view of network distribution of audio information or video ;</li><li>2 shows the circuit diagram constituting the jukebox of the invention;</li><li>3 shows the organization of the system multitasking managing all material means and software;</li><li>Figure 4 shows a flowchart description operation management system multitask ;</li><li>5 shows the verification flowchart business tasks;</li><li>6 shows the queuing logic diagram Waiting selections;</li><li>7 shows a second variant of The network implementation of the invention.</li></sl>

The invention shown in Figure 1 consists a jukebox unit (1) arranged in a room (Z1). This jukebox unit (1) is connected to a modulator radio frequency (9) which is connected to a coupler circuit C by a coaxial cable. The coupler C circuit supplies by a coaxial cable of the R dispatchers who themselves are connected by coaxial cables to television sets (TV1, TV2, TV3, TV4). The coupler also receives on another of its inputs by a coaxial cable a radio frequency power source for distribution télévisionhabituelles emissions. Television sets are arranged in a zone (Z2) in which each TV is located, for example in a room. The TV (TV1) is implanted in Room (CH1) and the chamber (CH1) has a telephone set (T1) connected by a line to a central Phone (10) PABX. This core (10) is itself even connected by a link to a billing computer. Finally the central (10) is connected by a link to a appropriate interface jukebox (1). Each room (CH2, CH3, CH4) having a television set (TV2, TV3, TV4) also has a telephone Associate (T2, T3, T4). The jukebox unit (1) consists a central microprocessor unit CPU is a high-performance PC-compatible system, choice when implementing fell on a system the Intel 80486 DX / 2 type which has means storage and the following characteristics:<ul><li>compatibility with the local Vesa bus,</li><li>processor cache: 256 kB,</li><li>serial and parallel ports of high-performance,</li><li>Graphics adapter SVGA type microprocessor</li><li>Bus Controller SCSI / 2,</li><li>RAM memory self-powered static RAM 32 MO.</li></ul>

Any other central unit with performance equivalent or better can be used in the invention.

This central unit controls and manages a tour tone control (5), a circuit (4) for controlling telecommunications, a circuit (3) control input, a circuit (2) for controlling the storage mass, a circuit (6) for controlling the display means. Display means mainly consist of a video monitor (62) flat screen 14 or 15 inches (35.56 cm) without interlacing SVGA type with high resolution and low Radiation is this monitor which is used for reproduction of images (such as blankets albums of the musical selections), graphics or video clips

Mass storage means (21) using SCSI hard drives and high-speed high capacity, are connected to the storage means already present in the microprocessor device. These means are used to store information digitized and compressed audiovisual.

A telecommunications modem adapter (41) High speed of at least 28.8 kbps is integrated for allow connection to a distribution network information audiovisual controlled by a central server.

The CPU controls and manages a circuit (7) video controller connected by its output V2 to the radio frequency modulator (9) which is also connected to an audio output of the control circuit of the (5) which is independent of the volume control, tone and balance.

To reproduce the audio information musical selections, the system includes speakers (54) receiving the signal of an amplifier - tuner (53) connected to the electronic circuit (5) of synthesizer planned music to support a large number of input sources while providing an output having a CD like quality (CD), as for example the microprocessor multimedia audio adapter card type "Sound Blaster" of SBP32AWE Creative Labs Inc. on which two memory buffers (56, 57) are added purpose to be explained.

Similarly, the control circuit means visualization also includes two buffers (66, 67) in purpose to be explained.

Similarly, the additional video controller circuit (7) use these buffer circuits (66, 67) for tranfer information between the hard drive and the cable network coaxial.

A thermally controlled supply 240 ventilated watts provides power to the system. this power supply is protected against overcurrent and overshoots.

The audiovisual reproduction system manages, by through its input controller circuit (3), a screen Touch (33) "Intelli Touch" 14-inch (35.56 cm) Elo Touch Systems Inc. which includes a panel glass coated using the "Advanced technology SAW "and a type of bus controller AT. This touch screen allows after posting on video monitor (62) or a TV Screen (61) Miscellaneous selection data used by customers, and information command and control Management used by the manager or owner of system. It is also used for maintenance purposes in combination with an external keyboard (34) can be connected to the system that has a connector for it keyboard controlled by a key lock (32) through the interface circuit (3).

the input circuit (3) also interfaces with the a system remote control assembly (31) made, for example:<ul><li>an infrared remote control from Mind Path Technologies Inc., an emitter which has 15 keys command to the microprocessor system and 8 control keys for device projection.</li><li>an infrared receiver with serial adapter Mind Path Technologies Inc.</li></ul>

A fee payment device (35) National Rejectors Inc. is likewise connected to the circuit input interface (3). It is also possible using any other device that allows reception any payment by coins, paper money, tokens, cards Magnetic chips or combination of means of payment

To house the system, it is further provided a frame or built with customizable exterior trim.

Besides these components, a microphone (55) is connected the sound controller (5), which allows to transform the latter into a powerful ads and information system destinies to the public or possibly karaoke machine. Also a speaker system Wireless can be used by the system.

The assembly (31) remote control allows the manager, for example from behind the bar, access and to control various commands such as:<ul><li>the on / off control of the microphone,</li><li>control muting the speakers,</li><li>control volume control,</li><li>ordering cancel the musical selection being listened to.</li></ul>

Two buffers (56, 57) are associated with the controller circuit of its (5) for storing each so alternative information corresponding to a its second quarter. Likewise two buffers (66, 67) are associated with the video controller circuit (6) capable and each alternately store a tenth of a second image. Finally a respective buffer (46, 36, 26) is associated with each of the controller circuits communication (4), input interface (3) and storing (2).

The operating system software was developed around a library of tools and services largely facing the audiovisual field in a universe multimedia. This library includes advantageously an efficient multi-tasking operating system which effectively allows the simultaneous execution multiple code fragments. This operating software thus allows concurrent execution so orderly and avoiding conflict, operations performed on the display means, the means sound reproduction as well as the management of telecommunication links through the network of distribution. Moreover, this software has high flexibility

The digitized and compressed audiovisual data are stored in the storage means (21).

Each selection is available in two formats scanned: with hi-fi quality or CD quality.

The multitasking operating system is the essential element to allow the simultaneous execution multiple code fragments and to manage priorities between the various tasks that wake

This multitask operating system is organized, as shown in Figure 3, around a core comprising a module (11) for resolving priorities between tasks of a module (12) supervising tasks, a module (13) serialization of the material used and a module (14) process communications. Each modules communicates with interfaces (15) application programming and database (16). There are as many programming interface that there applications. And the module (15) comprises a first interface (151) for programming of the switch key (32), a second interface (152) for programming for the remote control (31), a third interface (153) for programming the screen touch (33), a fourth interface (154) for programming for the keyboard (34) a fifth interface (155) setting for the payment device (35), a sixth interface (156) for programming for sound control circuit (5), a seventh interface (157) for programming the circuit (6) control of the video, an eighth interface (159) to the video control circuit of the cable network and a last interface (158a) for the channel (4) of control Telecommunication and (158b) for the control circuit Communications with the PABX (10).

Five tasks with a decreasing order of priority are managed by the core (kernel) of the operating system, the first (76) for entries has video outputs the highest priority, the second (75) level two for the sound, the third (74) of level three telecommunications, fourth (73) level four interfaces and the fifth (70) to level five management. These orders of priority will be considered the module (11) for resolving priorities as as the appearance or disappearance of a task. So as soon as a video task appears, the other tasks running are suspended, priority is given to this task and all system resources are allocated to the video task. The video task (76) Output is to unload the video files mass memory (21) alternately to one of two buffers (66, 67) while the other buffer (67, 66 respectively) is used by the circuit (6) controller video to produce the display after decompression Datas. Input, video task (76) is to to transfer data received in telecommunications buffer (46) to the mass memory (21). It is the same for its task (75), on the one hand input between telecommunications buffer (46) and the buffer (26) of the mass memory (21) and secondly output between buffer (26) of the mass memory (21) and one of two buffers (56, 57) of the circuit (5) controller of his.

Task scheduling module (12) will now be described in connection with Figure 4. This module performs in order of priority first test (761) to determine if the video task is active, ie if one of video buffers (66, 67) is empty. In the case where the response the negative is happening task scheduling module the next test is a second test (751) to determine if the audio task is active, ie if one of buffers (56, 57) is empty. In case of negative answer a third test (741) determines whether the communication task is active, ie if the buffer (46) is empty. After a positive response to a test, the module task scheduler (12) fills in step (131) the queue request (13) to access memories and at stage (132) this request by reading or writing between mass memory (21) and the buffer corresponding to the active task, then loops back to the first test. When the test (741) on the activity of a communication is affirmative, scheduler (12) performs a test (742) to whether it is to read or write information in memory. Whether the read or write request is queued in step (131). On the other hand the scheduler determines at step (743) if it is for transmission or reception and in the case a transmission sent by the step (744) the information block the central server. In the case of reception the supervisor checks on the floor (746) that the buffers of the core are free to access and if so sends a message to the central server to accept receiving a data block in step (747). After the receiving a block, an error check (748) is performed the type of cyclic redundancy CRC (cyclic redundant check). The block is rejected at stage (740) in case error, or accepted in the opposite case, by sending a message corresponding to the mean central server that the block bearing a specific number is rejected or accepted, then loops back to the starting tests if there is no higher level task active the supervisor at stage (731 or 701) the treatment the interface or management tasks.

Detection of an active task or is ready as shown in Figure 5 by a test respectively (721-761) on each of the hardware or software buffers respectively (26) of the hard drive (36) interface (46) telecommunication (56 and 57) thereof, (66 and 67) Video that are associated with each of the controller circuits respective (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) of each of the devices materials associated with the central unit (1). Testing (721) shows whether the data are present in the input and output buffer memory disk, the test (731) shows whether data is present in the hardware or software of the buffers customer interface device, test (741) lets you view if data is present in the memory buffers software or hardware of the telecommunication device, test (751) determines whether data are present in the hardware memory buffer or software to sense the test (761) lets see if data is present in buffer hardware or software video device memory. Yes one or more of these buffers are filled with data scheduler (12) positions the pads or respective status (821) for the hard disk (831) to the interface (841) for telecommunications, (851) for audio, (861) for video corresponding to the hardware to an illustrative logic of the activity. In the case otherwise the supervisor status buffers are returned in step (800) to an illustrative value of the inactivity.

The operating status of the system is maintained on Hard disk.

Each time a notable event is triggered, the system immediately saves it to disk.

Thus, in the event that a fault would occur electrical or equipment failure, the system will be able to restart the exact same where it was interrupted.

The events that generate backup operation status are:<ul><li>entry money (adding credits);</li><li>adding a selection in the queue;</li><li>the end of a selection (change selection currently listening).</li></ul>

The file is in a machine format only readable by the unit and does not take more than 64 bytes.

The number and type of active tasks is indicated supervisor (12) execution management module selections whose flowchart is shown in Figure 6. The management performed by the module begins by a test (61) to determine if selections are waiting in the queue.

Thereafter if the test (61) on the queue determines that selections are waiting, when a customer selects a title he wishes to hear, it is automatically written in a queue file the system on the hard drive.

Thus, each selection made will never be lost in case of power failure. The system plays (reproduces) the entire selection before removing the file waiting line.

When the selection has been reproduced in its entirety, it is removed from the queue file and is written the statistics file system with the date and the time of purchase, and the date and time she was executed.

Immediately after the transfer to the statistics file the selection is completed, if the system checks there are others in the queue file. If there is a another, the system immediately begins to play selection.

The total elapsed time between the end of a selection and the beginning of the next is less than 0.5 second.

It is possible to extend this period with a button located in the System control panel.

The processing continues by testing (65) for determining if the selection contains an audio scenario. Yes Yes, this scenario is registered in step (651) in the queue Supervisor tasks (12). If not, or after entry, processing is continued by test (66) to determine if the selection contains moving images. If so the video scenario is written in step (661) in the queue of scheduler (12). If no or if yes after this entry, the processing continues by testing (64) for determining if the selection contains still graphics. In the affirmative the script of the graphic presentation is registered in step (641) in the queue of scheduler (12). If no or if yes after this entry processing continues by testing (63) for determining if the selection contains an advertising scenario. In so the scenario is written in step (631) in the queue of scheduler (12). And the supervisor (12) notified of uncompleted tasks can manage the flow tasks simultaneously.

Due to a share of multitasking management mode and secondly the presence of hardware buffers or software assigned to each task to store temporarily data it is possible to add the video controller module management tasks to the coaxial network and an interface with the central local telephone without having to change fundamentally the operation of a jukebox according to the invention. In addition the operation of the telephone network associated with the operation of the cable network in coaxial Local allows playing music by the process the invention without introducing changes important in the premises wiring and the device enabling the establishment of the system.

In effect, in operation, a user, example of the chamber CH1, will take its combined T1 and call a specific number for a fictitious room number assigned to the operation and selection of information to be broadcast on the network coaxial. When the PABX recognizes this number it sends a signal to the interface (8) of the jukebox (1) which triggers a selection of audio and video pieces task to broadcast. This selection task triggers the emission of the coaxial network information to a display matching layout viewports having selection boxes actuated by a moving cursor moved by the actuation of some dialpad keys. A software interface interprets the tone of the phone keys operable to transform the events mouse interpreted by the operating system of the jukebox so as to cause in conjunction with these keys actuated movement of a marker on the windows displayed on the television screens. This marker is brought on validation buttons the selection for the confirmation of the selection actuating a key on the phone keypad specific to this action. The selection made by the user and in his room by using the phone and the TV screen will be included in the file jukeboxes of queries as well as other selections on the touch screen jukebox and will be interpreted and sent on the cable network currently come to be broadcast to all receivers television building. Furthermore when the telephone communication the PABX sent an identification number of the room jukebox. The latter returns via the PABX system billing, the room number and or the cost of the selections so the user is billed directly for its consumption of music or video.

Finally the device shown in Figure 7 is another embodiment of the present invention in it lacquered include the wired network with the splitter (R), the coupler (C) and its various television stations (TV1, TV2), connected by the coupler (C) to a modulator radio frequency (9) itself connected to the video output (V2) and stereo audio jukebox (1). The jukebox (1) comprises an interface (81) connected to a housing (82) connected on the power-supply mains. this box (82) aims to extract the current information control superimposed carrier current. These informations command is transmitted by a housing control (83) itself connected to the mains by a electrical outlet. The control box includes either a mouse device or trackball type (Trackball) or joystick type (joystick) with a validation button to activate each time the screen display button that the cursor or the marker is moved through the sleeve type displacement element broom or trackball or mouse.