Digital Video Compression User Interface for Unified Signal Flow Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital video compression systems present disjointed user experiences due to varied and equipment-centric or transport stream-centric user interfaces, requiring users to manage multiple views and perform duplicate data entry, which complicates system configuration and monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that partition the system into transform stages and represent signal streams using signal blocks, allowing users to view and modify the system as signal streams through these stages, providing a conceptual model of signal flow based on purpose rather than hardware interconnections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If equipment centric configuration is used, then each device can be managed independently using its own user interface, but the user experience becomes disjointed requiring duplicate data entry and multiple interface views
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple equipment-specific user interfaces into a single unified control system interface. The control system aggregates configuration capabilities for multiple device types (encoders, multiplexers, switches) into one integrated interface, eliminating the need for users to switch between separate device interfaces and perform duplicate data entry.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system implements a universal interface that can manage multiple types of devices with different native interfaces through a single paradigm. The interface provides consistent configuration methods for various device types, allowing users to manage encoders, multiplexers, and switches using the same interaction patterns rather than device-specific commands.
2Ease of operation
If transport stream centric approach is used, then configuration is abstracted to input and output of the system, but users still need multiple views and cannot manage all transform functions in a single view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transport stream configuration into hierarchical levels: input sources, transform stages (encoding, multiplexing, switching), and output destinations. Each level can be viewed and configured independently through the same interface paradigm, allowing users to focus on specific aspects while maintaining awareness of the complete signal flow through the system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple user interfaces are provided for different devices, then each device can be configured independently, but the overall system configuration becomes complex and requires switching between multiple views
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the user and multiple heterogeneous devices. It provides a standardized interface layer that translates user commands into device-specific configurations, allowing users to configure various device types through a single unified interface without needing to understand each device's native configuration protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing a user interface for managing a digital video compression system comprises the steps of receiving system configuration information relating to the digital video compression system being managed, and partitioning the system into a plurality of transform stages, each transform stage representing a transformation that can be performed on a signal stream as a signal stream flows through the system. A signal stream is represented using one or more signal blocks, wherein a signal block contains information relating to a signal stream within a transform stage. A view of the system is generated, wherein the view of the system is represented as one or more signal streams through the system, and one or more signal blocks along each of said signal streams. The view of the system is modified in response to user commands.