ES2264392A1 - Audio and video service integration system using transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), distributes combined audio and video signals by multicast to destinations via Internet or local area network (LAN) based on TCTP/IP - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a distributed architecture which includes TCP/IP control units associated to several audio and video devices, and client terminals for receiving signals, and for controlled transmission of combined audio and video signals to a transmission center through a LAN. The audio and video signals are distributed through the LAN, such that the audio and video signals are simultaneously transmitted by multicast to several destinations through the Internet or LAN based on TCP/IP.

Description

System and equipment for service integration Voice and video over the TCP / IP protocol.

Object of the invention

The TCP / IP protocol (Control Protocol Transport / Internet Protocol) generally designated as "Internet Protocol" was developed as a protocol standard to allow heterogeneous computers to exchange email and other files over the Internet; subsequently it was implemented as a communication protocol between computers, personal computers, devices or terminals connected to a LAN (local area network). The protocol stack of RED divides the information that is intended to be sent in "packages". Devices connected to a LAN have Associate a MAC address to your network card. If the network card It has installed TCP / IP also has an IP address, which will be origin or destination of outgoing or incoming packages.

To transmit voice or audio over a line logically it is necessary to digitize the signal beforehand, it is say, take samples of the analog signal and turn it into a series of discrete values that can be reproduced exactly. The  quality with which the samples are reproduced depends on the number of samples taken when digitized. This digital sample is can pack over the TCP / IP network protocol, which Get voice over IP (VoIP). The VoIP receiving device you have to be able to unpack the voice samples, from assemble them neatly and reproduce them. The advantage Main of this audio or video transmission system to via LAN or the Internet it is of an economic nature, since it uses the same wiring, telecommunications structure and electronic equipment to send audio, video and data, no existing telephone consumption added by communication.

The present invention, as its own title indicates, refers to a system and a developed team of compliance with it, capable of performing audio communications and / or video encapsulated in the TCP / IP protocol.

The most relevant feature of this system is that a fully distributed architecture is used, in which there are only units that we will call "Control-IP", associated to each of the final audio devices such as radio equipment, telephone exchanges, public address systems, intercoms, video recorders, intercoms that are commanded and used with a terminal client willing to the user, which unifies and integrates all its services. The "Control-IP" has two functions Main: First, control and command the services offered by the different exchanges and secondly send, receive, integrate, process and mix the audio and / or video signal that you arrives packaged over IP from others "Control-IP" and / or client terminals. The distribution of signaling, audio and / or video to multiple destinations simultaneously (IP-controls and / or terminals) are Performs via multicast on LAN electronics (Switch) encapsulated in the TCP / IP protocol.

The present invention is also characterized because this technology allows to integrate all voice services and audio existing in a single client interface over TCP / IP. Is say, we will integrate the public address system, the intercom, the telephony, the radio and video, as opposed to current technology that is limited to voice over IP applied to telephony, to IP video, but without any integration of services.

Background of the invention

There is no known solution that integrates voice over IP in public address or intercom from software running in a Client PC; there are also no solutions that integrate voice over IP with radio using multicast (sending information to multiple destinations simultaneously using the strategy more Efficient for sending messages on each network link only once and creating copies when links in the destinations are divided); no other improvements are known here propose, using a multimedia PC as a client or terminal.

There is no known solution that integrates and Unify all the services and concepts mentioned above.

The main problem facing the Voice over IP within a local area network (LAN) are delays in the audio that are usually greater than 200 milliseconds and perfectly audible with current technology. That is, from that is spoken until the voice is heard by the target device a clear delay is perceived. This delay sometimes has no importance, but on certain occasions it is essential reduce it so it can be acceptable.

The current technology architecture is Centralized incorporates the following elements: MCU, Gatekeeper, Gateway, Telephone terminal and a Router or half link with another net.

The MCU is used to mix several signals from  incoming audio (conference call) and get a sum signal outgoing. The element called Gateway or gateway is a device that interconnects two different networks. The gatekeeper is responsible for maintaining the database of users, permissions and network terminal capabilities; when a terminal pretend to talk to another, the first thing to do is register against the gatekeeper; this software verifies that said user exists and grants you the capabilities you have assigned to Start a conversation with another. The telephone terminal or client can be a PC-type computer, or a microprocessor of specific purpose, with voice over IP software installed.

The delay in audio is due among other things  that there are three elements in the chain of sending the audio, the origin terminal, the MCU and the destination terminal. The software must wait for the audio buffers to fill to be able to send them, so we have three buffered chains with the subsequent delay.

In addition, when this conventional system, which  described above, is launched in an environment critical, that is, when the service cannot fail, then the architecture presents vulnerabilities since if the Gatekeeper or the MCU the system stops working completely.

Description of the invention

The architecture proposed in this invention  It is completely distributed, so there are no elements Critics like the MCU or the Gatekeeper. There are only the units that we have called "Control-IP" whose function is to control the final audio devices as they could be radio equipment, telephone exchanges, public address systems, intercom or video recorders and send them the audio signal and / or video and control that reaches them in TCP / IP. This architecture facilitates that, if one of these devices falls, the service does not fall complete, just drop the central (telephone, public address, intercom, radio repeater, VCR) that depends on that IP-control

There may be several units IP-control on a LAN controlling several exchanges of the same type, or of different mixed types, for example it is possible to reconcile on the same network: a PA system, an IP switchboard, or a radio station, etc. Also, several Users can simultaneously control one or more exchanges telephony, public address system, intercoms, video intercoms, video Radio recorders and repeaters.

Audio mixing is not done in a way centralized in the MCU, on the contrary it is done in the equipment of destination called Control-IP or on the computer terminal. Each IP-Control performs the mixing of audio exclusively used by the radio or PA system connected to each of them.

The client terminal consists of a PC with network card and sound card with headphones, microphone and with an installed client software capable of commanding and using the collateral central through the team IP-control

Control-IP hardware is constituted by a microprocessor equipped with a LAN connection with multicast capability, of DSP's to process audio or video, of a BUS, of a serial, USB, or generic port, to control the central and a specific purpose software. He Control-IP can be installed as a device independent of the central, embedded or punctured and forming part Of the same.

The IP-Control can also be based on a PC-server type hardware with Multi-channel sound card and serial, USB, or generic ports, for  control the control panels plus the purpose software specific.

Audio or video distribution is done by multicast on network electronics (Swich) with this capacity. To start a conference call between several users, it is only necessary for said user to register in a multicast group, since there is no MCU; neither does the element called Gatekeeper, on the contrary the database of users and capabilities reside equally in each of the teams IP-Control, so if one of them fails, just a PA system or radio equipment stops working.

Delays in audio or video are always less than 100 milliseconds since the chain of elements it is only formed by the terminal and the IP-control

Signaling is reflected in all Control-IP terminals and equipment simultaneously.  The load produced by signaling protocols is reduced since it is sent by multicast and each Control-IP it processes only its signaling, unlike the architecture centralized before presented, where the Gatekeeper processes the signaling of all network terminals.

Description of the figures

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to facilitate the understanding of characteristics of the invention, is attached herein descriptive a set of drawings in which, with character Illustrative and not limiting, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 represents the structure of a network LAN local area in which the system and equipment has been implemented to perform audio and / or video communications encapsulated in the TCP / IP protocol, object of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a block diagram Control-IP functionalities that form the basis of  the invention.

Figure 3 represents a block diagram functional IP-terminal.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

As seen in Figure 1, the system  and equipment for audio and / or video communications encapsulated in the TCP / IP protocol, it presents an architecture distributed, in which there is a LAN local area network to which connect various final audio devices such as radio equipment, telephone exchanges, PA system, intercom, video recorders, using the "Control-IP" and own client terminals.

The essence of the invention is constituted by the distributed architecture that is presented and by the device "Control-IP".

The "Control-IP" has two main functions: firstly control and command the services offered by the different exchanges and secondly send, receive, integrate, process and mix the audio signal and / or video that arrives packaged over IP from others "Control-IP" and / or client terminals.

According to an important characteristic of the present invention the distribution of audio and / or video is effected by sending information to multiple destinations simultaneously (multicast), about the electronics of a local area network or Internet, encapsulated in the TCP / IP protocol. To start a conference call between several users, it is only necessary that user registers in a multicast group, since the database of users and capabilities resides equally in each of the Control-IP equipment; in this way if one of them fails, only the PA system or a device stops working associated.

You can see in the figure the existence of several Control-IP units in the same local area network (LAN) controlling several centrals of the same type or mixed, is that is, a PA system and an IP PBX, etc. So same, several users can simultaneously control one or several telephone exchanges, public address systems, intercoms, video Goalkeepers, video recorders and radio repeaters, through your own IP-Control, or a Associated IP-terminal.

An IP-terminal, whose architecture is represented in figure 3, it is formed by a PC with network card and sound card with headphones, microphone and  with a client software installed able to command the central collateral through the Control-IP equipment associated with she.

At the hardware level each Control-IP consists of a microprocessor equipped with LAN connection with multicast capability, from DSP's to process audio, from a BUS, from a serial, USB or generic port to control the control panels plus a purpose software specific. It can also be based on a hardware type PC-server with multi-channel sound card and serial, USB or generic ports to control the control panels plus the Control-IP specific purpose software.

At the logical level each IP-Control, as seen in figure 2, it presents a structure in layers, that is a structure in which each task group related are executed in a logical part or functional block of the team; These layers are as follows:

TO)

Cap TCP / IP network with multicast and RTP capability on the LAN connection. its functionality is to connect to the local area network (LAN) over TCP / IP protocol, specifically over RTP to send audio in multicast The specific signaling, audio and video, is also send in multicast, both to Control-IP and to terminals

B)

Cap of registration of users and terminals. It consists of a database distributed containing the profiles with the rights of the users that connect to the Control-IP and that use public address, intercom, telephone, radio or video. Its function is to validate users, negotiate the capabilities between the IP-Control and the terminal and Establish audio connections.

C)

Cap Mixing and audio services. Its function is to mix signals from audio or video from several radio, public address systems, intercom, or telephony, controlled by one or more IP-controls and send them to one or more terminals. The audio or video mix can go both ways, that is, from Control-IP to terminal and vice versa, but taking into Note that the audio is always mixed by the final equipment.

The services of Audio or video can be obtained at the terminals depending on the profile that they have associated and the type of exchange that manages the IP-control If the Control-IP has associated with a radio station, then you will have rights to work with certain radio channels, monitoring rights, integration with other services, network switching, retransmission between channels,  etc. If the Control-IP has an associated central PA system, the terminal may have the right to send notices to a certain area, to launch emergency plans, activate relays, devices, etc. All types of rights can go combined depending on the type of exchange associated with the IP-Control and the number of IP-controls connected to the LAN.

D)

Cap of audio and / or video signaling. Its function is to establish the specific connections and protocols for voice and / or video over IP.

AND)

Cap of specific signaling. Public address, telephone, radio and video, offer specific services that are necessary assign, command, relate and integrate in the software of Terminal, so that the operator can work with all these services at the same time.

The logical architecture of Terminal-IP is practically the same as the IP-Control, but also incorporate a layer of presentation or user interface (F) to handle e integrate the plants controlled by the IP-control

Once nature is sufficiently described of the invention, as well as a preferred embodiment, for the appropriate purposes that the materials, form, size and arrangement of the elements described may be modified, as long as this does not involve an alteration of the essential features of the invention claimed in continuation.

Claims (4)

1. System for integration of voice and video services over the TCP / IP protocol, characterized in that it is based on a distributed architecture, in which there are several equipment or units called Control-IP, associated with each of the final audio devices or video, which can be radio equipment, telephone exchanges, public address systems, intercoms or video recorders, video intercoms or the client terminals provided to the user receiving said signals, being the function of said equipment or units (Control-IP) that of control, send and mix: The audio and / or video signal that comes to each radio station or repeater, from the PA system, intercom or video connected to each of the units, or to the corresponding terminal equipment, through a local area network (LAN) over which the audio and / or video signal is distributed, by sending the information to multiple destinations simultaneously (multicast), on the electronics of u a local area network or Internet, encapsulated in the TCP / IP protocol, being able to control or receive the signal from any of these exchanges several users simultaneously from those connected to said LAN, through an own IP-Control, or a Terminal -IP associated, consisting of a multimedia PC, with a network card and software capable of commanding the collateral exchange through the Control-IP equipment associated with it. 2. System, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that in the same local area network (LAN) there are several units or equipment (Control-IP) that control several exchanges of the same or different types; Likewise, several users can simultaneously control one or more telephone exchanges, public address systems, intercoms, video intercoms, video recorders and radio repeaters. 3. Equipment for integration of voice and video services over the TCP / IP protocol, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that at the hardware level each equipment (Control-IP) is constituted by a PC-server, or a microprocessor, equipped with connection LAN with multicast, DSP or FPGA capability to process audio or video, from a serial, USB, BUS and / or specific communications port to control the control panels plus a specific purpose software; while at the logical level each Control-IP associated with each exchange or terminal has the following layers, which perform the following tasks:

TO)

cap TCP / IP network with multicast and RTP capability on the LAN connection, which is responsible for connecting to the local area network (LAN) over TCP / IP protocol;

B)

cap of registration of users and terminals, which consists of a base of distributed data that contains the profiles with the rights of the  users that connect to the Control-IP and that use public address, intercom, telephone, radio or video, its function being to validate users, negotiate the capabilities between the IP-Control and the terminal and establish audio or video connections;

C)

cap mixing and audio services; whose function is to mix signals from audio from various radio repeaters, public address systems, intercom, or telephony, controlled by one or more IP-controls and send them to one or more terminals;

D)

cap audio and / or video signaling; whose function is to establish the specific connections and protocols for voice and / or video over IP; Y

AND)

cap of specific signaling of the services of the central PA, intercom, telephony, radio and video.

4. Equipment, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that a Terminal-IP is formed by a PC with a network card and sound card with headphones, microphone and with a client software installed capable of commanding the collateral control panel through the Control-IP equipment associated with her; which presents a logical architecture equivalent to that of the Control-IP of the previous claim, also incorporating a presentation layer or user interface to be able to manage and integrate the control panels controlled by the Control-IP.