GB2430323A

GB2430323A - Improvements to video switching devices

Info

Publication number: GB2430323A
Application number: GB0519001A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chris Skelton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-19
Filing date: 2005-09-19
Publication date: 2007-03-21
Also published as: GB0519001D0

Abstract

A video switching device 2 that can allow multiple video sources 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 to be connected to a television 9 that includes; one or more video signal detectors to facilitate use with certain devices such as games console 7, camcorder 8 or similar, and to assist operation with home cinema or surround sound decoder type devices 6; and one or more inputs 7, 8 able to accept S-video input signals in addition to composite video and/or RGB signals and convert them into composite video signals for switching and display; and one or more intelligent recording loops 10,11 equipped with decision making circuit 14 to facilitate recording between input devices not necessarily switched through to the output, one 10 or more of which has the ability to output RGB signals for use with digital recorders 3 or similar high quality recording devices; and one or more fixed connections 12 from the output to one or more of the inputs to allow the same signal as available on the main output to be viewed also in one or more other locations by means of a video transmission device 15 or other means; and a switching circuit able to connect through not only the audio output from whichever input source is selected, but if no input is active to automatically switch through the audio output from the television 9 attached to the output to another device attached either by means of an additional connector or connectors and/or to the audio output pins of one or more of the input connectors, such as a set of headphones 17, a hi-fi amplifier 16, or a hearing assistance device 18 such as induction loop.

Description

Improvements to video switching devices Page 1

Description

Hitherto many televisions have presented a problem to users as they are equipped with only a single set of video and audio or SCART connections. In the days when the typical user had only a video recorder to attach to it this was no problem, but today many people have for instance a video recorder, a DVD player, a digital television adapter (often two in fact), one or more video games, a camcorder.

It is irksome to have to swap the cables around at the rear of the equipment every time one wants to watch something different, so clearly a switching solution is required to allow them all to be connected at once but so that only one may be seen on the television at any time.

A further problem appears when for instance the user wishes to record a program for later viewing, but wishes to watch another source at the same time.

If the user wishes to view the output from a camcorder on the television he or she potentially has a problem in that the switching signal used to control a video switching device is not available from a camcorder, so he will still need to disconnect cables.

If the user wishes to view the output of their audiovisual equipment in another location they can make use of devices such as wireless transmitters, however these require an input and are not equipped with a loop-through connection so the user doesn't have anywhere to connect their main television! If the user wishes to connect the audio output from their equipment to a hi-ti amplifier or similar device there is another problem, namely that they can connect to the television's input or its output connections, but not both at the same time, meaning they can have audio for example either from their digital receiver, or their analogue TV, but not both. This is a particular problem for the hard of hearing when they are using devices such as induction loop hearing assistance equipment.

The invention relates to a device intended to enable the user to connect multiple video devices to a single television by means of video and audio or SCART connections and to be able to watch one or more of the video sources on one or more televisions via video and audio or SCART connections while at the same time to record the output of the same or another of the video sources on one or more video recorders also attached to the device, and furthermore to be able to record from any of several sources connected to it onto any of several recording devices connected to it via internal record loops 10, 11 In the preferred embodiment the device will also have the ability for one or more of said inputs to automatically become an output able to output the full RGB signal to allow the highest possible quaiity recording. To achieve this the connections associated with the RGB signals associated with that input connector must be able, when that input is not selected as an input, to be connected, potentially via an amplifier or switching device or devices, either directly or indirectly, to whichever input connection is intended in the circumstances to be supplying the video signal that is to be recorded.

In the preferred embodiment Input-2 is defined as the RGB record port, and it can record either directly from Input-i if active, or from the signal that is supplied to the television via the output, that effectively being whichever of the inputs is selected by the automatic selection circuitry 14.

Improvements to video switching devices Page 2 In addition one or more of the input ports has the ability to detect not only the conventional voltage switching signal via SCART pin-8, but also to detect the presence of a video signal from a video source attached to it, and when the presence of a video signal is detected to act as if the conventional SCART voltage switching had been applied, and to output a conventional control voltage via the output connector to enable automatically control of whatever is connected there.

In the preferred embodiment the device should furthermore be able to decide, in the absence of a video signal, to ignore any conventional voltage switching signal via the input connector such that that input will, in the absence of a video signal, not be automatically selected even if the device attached to it is switched on. In this embodiment that input connector could also be so connected internally that its audio output pins are connected to the output connector's audio output pins, such that they output the same audio signal as supplied to the television, allowing it to supply an audio output signal to a device such as a home cinema or surround sound decoder 6, or hearing assistance devices for the hard of hearing, such induction loops.

In addition the preferred embodiment could be equipped with one or more additional video signal detectors attached to separate connectors, either additional SCART-type or separate phono or s- video connectors, to facilitate use with certain devices such as games console 7, camcorders 8, personal computers 20 or similar.

Also one or more if the inputs, in addition to being equipped with a conventional video input connector such as a SCART or Phono connector, could also have a S-Video (S-VHS) connector for use with such devices as personal computers 20, and be equipped with the necessary circuitry to convert an S-video signal consisting of separate chrominance and luminance information into a composite video signal which can be switched through the device and delivered to the television via the output connector in the normal way.

In the preferred embodiment the switching device, in addition to allowing the output to be switched through to one of several different inputs, will be equipped with one or more sets of fixed (non switched) connections. One of these may run from the input connections of the output connector to the output connections of one of the input connectors that can be used for recording to a video recorder, another of these may run for instance from the input connections of one of the input connectors to the output connections of another input connector that can be used for recording to a video recorder.

In the preferred embodiment one or more of the input connectors may connect to a video detecting circuit, such that when a video signal is detected even in the absence of a more conventional signal the device will be able to switch to said input. Furthermore the device will be able to generate a conventional signalling signal to control any other devices connected to it that may require it.

The user may wish to have access to the video output from any or all of the video sources available in another room, potentially using a wireless transmission device. Most of said devices have only a single input connector available which if used of course ties up the main output so it cannot be connected to a television.

In the preferred embodiment of the switching device, the output connections, in addition to feeding one connector for use by the main television, may also be connected to either one or more additional connectors solely used as outputs, or may connect to the output connections of one or more of the input connector, via and one or more internal tbced connections 12, such that said connector can be used for connection to one or more other televisions in other locations either directly or by means of a wireless transmission device 15 or other means; Improvements to video switching devices Page 3 In one embodiment the device could be equipped with an additional connector or connectors such that the audio output can be passed to an alternative playout device such as a hi-fi amplifier 16 in addition to the television. This output could switch be made to on and off automatically, and in one embodiment it could be equipped with a switching circuit able to connect not only the audio output from whichever input source is selected, but if no input is active to automatically switch through the audio output from the television attached to the output connector. In addition to being useful for connecting hi-fi amplifiers or similar devices this output would be used for connecting headphones 17 or other nearing assistance devices for the hard of hearing, such induction loops 18.

In the preferred embodiment the device should be equipped with circuitry able to reduce its power consumption considerably when no input signal is received.

In an alternative embodiment the device could be so designed that that all or part of its circuitry can be powered from a signal received prom one or more of its input or output connectors, which could be the pin-8 voltage signaling signal, or from the fast blanking signal, or from one or more video signal, or from another signal received from any one of its inputs.

In an alternative embodiment the device could be so designed that it all or part of its circuitry can be powered from a power supply output connection available on a piece of external equipment connected to it, such as but not limited to a digital television receiver. The connection could be by means of a plug-through adaptor that can be attached to a specific signal outlet such as but not limited to the RF2' outlet on a Sky digital satellite receiver, or the LNB' input of any satellite receiver, or the Blaster' connection on a digital cable tv receiver, or a USB connector available on any digital TV receiver or personal computer.

In an alternative embodiment the device could be so designed that it is able to power the majority of its circuitry from one source of whatever type, and that can also draw power from a different source if necessary during periods of high current demand or if it needs to deal with a signal of a higher voltage than is available from the main source.

Figure 1 shows a possible embodiment of this invention.

Claims

Improvements to video switching devices Page 4 Claims A video switching

device equipped with SCART connectors intended for connecting multiple video sources to a single television in such a way that more than one of said devices can be active at the same time but that only one output signal is connected to the television at a time with the ability automatically to connect either the output signal or one of the input signals not currently connected to the output to an output that can be used for recording or display.
2 A device substantially as in claim 1 that has the ability automatically to change the input connections of one or more of its input connectors into an RBG output.
3 A device substantially as in claim 2 that is equipped with amplifiers to ensure no loss of signal available at the record output
4 A device substantially as in claim 1 that includes one or sets of fixed connections for audio and video signals, one of which may run from the input connections of the main output connector to the output connections of one of the input, others of which may run from the input connections of one of the input connectors to the output connections of another input connector.
A device substantially as in claim 1 in which one or more of the input connectors may connect internally to a video detecting circuit, such that when a video signal is detected even in the absence of a more conventional signal the device will be able to switch to said input, and which on detection of a video signal can be able to generate a conventional signalling signal to control any other devices connected to it, and that can in addition decide to ignore a conventional voltage switching signal at that input if no video signal is present.
6 A device substantially as in claim I in which one or more of the input connectors or sets of connectors may also connect internally to an Svideo connector and be equipped with a circuit to combine the separate chrominance and luminance signals into a composite video signal.
7 A device substantially as in claim 1 wherein the output signal in addition to feeding one output connector or set of connectors for use by the main television, may also be connected to the output connections of one or more of the input connectors or sets of connectors.
8 A device substantially as in claim 1 wherein the output signal in addition to feeding one output connector or set of connectors for use by the main television, may also be connected to the output connections of one or more of the input connectors or sets of connectors; that is equipped with a switching circuit able to connect not only the audio output but also if no input is active to connect the audio incoming from a device connected to its output connector.
9 A device substantially as in claim 1 equipped with additional output connectors such that the audio output can be passed to one or more alternative playout devices; that is equipped with a switching circuit able to connect not only the audio output but also if no input is acflve to connect the audio incoming from a device connected to its output connector.
A device substantially as in any or all of the above claims equipped with circuitry able to reduce its power consumption considerably when no input signal is received.
11 A device substantially as in any or all of the above claims so designed that that all or part of its circuitry can be powered from the voltage signaling signal received from any one of its inputs.
12 A device substantially as in any or all of the above claims so designed that that all or part of its circuitry can be powered from one or more video signal received from any one of its inputs.

Improvements to video switching devices Page 5
13 A device substantially as in any or all of the above claims so designed that all or part of its circuitry can be powered from the fast blanking signal received from any one of its inputs.
14 A device substantially as in any or all of the above claims so designed that all or part of its circuitry can be powered from any signal received prom one or more of its input or output connectors.
A device substantially as in any or all of the above claims so designed that all or part of its circuitry can be powered from a power supply output connection available on a piece of external equipment connected to it, such as but not limited to a digital television receiver.
16 A device substantially as in claim 15 where the means of acquiring the external power supply is by means of a plug-through adaptor that can be attached to a specific signal outlet such as but not limited to the RF2' outlet on a digital satellite receiver, or the LNB' input of any satellite receiver, or the Blaster' connection on a digital cable tv receiver, or a USB connector available on any digital TV receiver or personal computer.
17 A device substantially as in any or all of the above claims that is able to power the majority of its circuitry from one power source of whatever type, and that can also draw power from a different source if necessary during periods of high current demand or if it needs to deal with a signal of a higher voltage than is available from the main source.
18 A device substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.