Converter device and system including converter device

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of converter devices each communicatively coupled to a video source equipment such that there is a one-to-one association between each converter device and each video source equipment, each of the plurality of converter devices including
• a converter circuit adapted to convert video data received from the video source equipment communicatively coupled to the converter device from a first format to a second format,
• a non-volatile memory circuit adapted to store equipment data, the equipment data including at least one of an elapsed operating time, a maintenance due date, manufacturer information, model information, and/or a serial number of the video source equipment communicatively coupled to the converter device,
• an image generator circuit adapted to provide a pre-defined video pattern, and
• a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the non-volatile memory circuit, the converter circuit, and the image generator circuit, the processing circuit adapted to
• transmit the equipment data to a matrix switch,
• transmit the converted video data in the second format to the matrix switch when the converter device is receiving the video data from the video source equipment communicatively coupled to the converter device, and
• transmit the pre-defined video pattern to the matrix switch when the converter device is not receiving the video data from the video source equipment communicatively coupled to the converter device;
• and
• a video processing server including
• the matrix switch, the matrix switch communicatively coupled to an output terminal of each of the plurality of converter devices and further communicatively coupled to one or more video destination devices, and
• a system processor communicatively coupled to the matrix switch, the system processor adapted to instruct the matrix switch to route video received from the plurality of converter devices to the one or more video destination devices.

A method operational at a system that includes a plurality of converter devices each communicatively coupled to a video source equipment such that there is a one-to-one association between each converter device and each video source equipment, each of the plurality of converter devices including a non-volatile memory circuit adapted to store equipment data, the equipment data including at least one of an elapsed operating time, a maintenance due date, manufacturer information, model information, and/or a serial number of the video source equipment communicatively coupled to the converter device, the system further including a video processing server that includes a matrix switch, the matrix switch communicatively coupled to an output terminal of each of the plurality of converter devices and further communicatively coupled to one or more video destination devices, the method comprising:

• transmitting the equipment data stored at a first converter device of the plurality of converter devices to the matrix switch;
• converting video data received at the first converter device from a first video source equipment communicatively coupled to the first converter device from a first format to a second format;
• transmitting the converted video data in the second format from the first converter device to the matrix switch when the first converter device is receiving video data from the first video source equipment communicatively coupled to the first converter device;
• and
• instructing the matrix switch to route the converted video data received from the first converter device to the one or more video destination devices.