Video selection and distribution system

A video distribution system for transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, comprising:

• a multiplicity of video monitors;
• a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• video crossbar switch means for simultaneously coupling each video monitor to a specified one of said video sources, said video crossbar switch means responsive to set up signals for connecting specified ones of said video sources to specified ones of said video monitors;
• program selection means associated with each said video monitor for generating video connection requests, each said video connection request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified video monitor;
• and
• control means, coupled to said video crossbar switch means and said program selection means, for receiving said video connection requests, responding to each said video connection request by generating and transmitting corresponding setup signals to said video crossbar switch means, and for preventing any of a predefined set of said video sources from being simultaneously connected to two video monitors;
• wherein
• said control means includes status means for storing information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and for denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• said control means further including menu generating means coupled to said status means for generating a menu display image representing a set of currently available video sources which are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• said video switch crossbar means including means coupled to said menu generating means for transmitting said menu display image to said video monitors;
• and
• said program selection means associated with each said video monitor includes means for generating video connection requests which specify a video source selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display image;
• whereby said program selection means cannot select a video source that is already coupled to another one of said video monitors.

A video distribution system for transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, comprising:

• a multiplicity of video monitors;
• a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• video crossbar switch means for simultaneously coupling each video monitor to a specified one of said video sources, said video crossbar switch means responsive to setup signals for connecting specified ones of said video sources to specified ones of said video monitors;
• program selection means associated with each said video monitor for generating video connection requests, each said video connection request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified video monitor;
• and
• control means, coupled to said video crossbar switch means and said program selection means, for receiving said video connection requests, responding to each said video connection request by generating and transmitting corresponding setup signals to said video crossbar switch means, and for preventing any of a predefined set of said video sources from being simultaneously connected to two video monitors;
• wherein said video monitors are arranged in a plurality of groups, each said group of video monitors being coupled to a distinct transmission medium;
• said video crossbar switch means including a plurality of frequency multiplexing means, each coupled to one of said transmission mediums;
• each frequency multiplexing means having means for transmitting the video signals from a multiplicity of said video sources in distinct frequency bands on one of said transmission mediums;
• each video monitor within each of said groups including tuning means for receiving and displaying the video signal in a distinct one of said frequency bands on the transmission medium coupled to said group of video monitors;
• said control means including status means for storing information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and for denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• said control means further including menu generating means coupling to said status means for generating a menu display image representing a set of currently available video sources which are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• said video switch crossbar means including means coupled to said menu generating means for transmitting said menu display image to said video monitors in a predefined frequency band on each of said transmission mediums;
• and
• each said program selection means including means for generating video connection requests which specify a video source selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display image;
• whereby said program selection means cannot generate a video connection request specifying a video source that is already coupled to another one of said video monitors.

A video distribution system for transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, comprising:

• a multiplicity of video monitors;
• a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• video crossbar switch means for simultaneously coupling each video monitor to a specified one of said video sources, said video crossbar switch means responsive to setup signals for connecting specified ones of said video sources to specified ones of said video monitors;
• program selection means associated with each said video monitor for generating video connection requests, each said video connection request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified video monitor;
• and
• control means, coupled to said video crossbar switch means and said program selection means, for receiving said video connection requests, responding to each said video connection request by generating and transmitting corresponding setup signals to said video crossbar switch means, and for preventing any of a predefined set of said video sources from being simultaneously connected to two video monitors;
• wherein a multiplicity of said video monitors are coupled to a common transmission medium;
• said video crossbar switch means including frequency multiplexing means for transmitting the video signals from each of a multiplicity of video sources in distinct frequency bands on said common transmission medium;
• each of said multiplicity of video monitors including tuning means for receiving and displaying the video signal in a distinct one of said frequency bands on said common transmission medium;
• said control means and video crossbar switch means coacting to couple a specified video source to a specified video monitor by transmitting the video signals from said specified video source on a frequency band corresponding to said specified video monitor;
• said control means including status means for storing information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and for denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• said control means further including menu generating means coupled to said status means for generating a menu display image representing a set of currently available video sources which are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• said video switch crossbar means including means coupled to said menu generating means for transmitting said menu display image to said video monitors in a predefined frequency band on said transmission medium;
• and
• each said program selection means including means for generating video connection requests which specify a video source selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display image;
• whereby said program selection means cannot generate a video connection request specifying a video source that is already coupled to another one of said video monitors.

A method of transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, a plurality of distinct groups of said video monitors each being coupled to a distinct transmission medium;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• locally generating, at the site of said video monitors, video connection requests, each said request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified one of said video monitors;
• preventing the generation of video connection requests for any of a predefined set of said video sources which are already connected to one of said video monitors;
• centrally receiving said video connection requests;
• coupling the video source to the video monitor specified in each said request;
• said coupling step including the step of frequency multiplexing the video signals from a multiplicity of said video sources, and transmitting video signals from said specified video sources to the video monitors in each said group in distinct frequency bands on one of said transmission mediums;
• receiving at each said video monitor within each of said groups a distinct one of said frequency bands on the transmission medium coupled to said group of video monitors;
• storing information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• generating a menu display image representing a set of currently available video sources which are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• and
• transmitting said menu display image to said video monitors in a predefined frequency band on each of said transmission mediums;
• wherein said locally generating step generates video connection requests which specify a video source selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display image;
• whereby said locally generating step cannot generate a video connection request specifying a video source that is already coupled to another one of said video monitors.

A method of transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a multiplicity of video monitors;
• providing a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• simultaneously coupling, with a video crossbar switch, specified ones of said video monitors to specified ones of said video sources;
• storing status information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• generating a menu display image representing a set of currently available video sources which are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• transmitting said menu display image to said video monitors;
• locally generating, at the site of said video monitors, video connection requests, each said request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified one of said video monitors;
• wherein said specified video source is selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display image;
• centrally receiving said video connection requests;
• and
• coupling via said video crossbar switch the video source specified in each said request to the video monitor specified in that request, while preventing each of a predetermined set of said video sources from being simultaneously connected to two video monitors.

A video distribution system for transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, comprising:

• a multiplicity of video monitors;
• a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• video crossbar switch means for simultaneously coupling each video monitor to a specified one of said video sources, said video crossbar switch means responsive to setup signals for connecting specified ones of said video sources to specified ones of said video monitors;
• program selection means associated with each said video monitor for generating video connection requests, each said video connection request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified video monitor;
• and
• a controller, coupled to said video crossbar switch means and said program selection means, for receiving said video connection requests, responding to each said video connection request by generating and transmitting corresponding setup signals to said video crossbar switch means, and for preventing each of a subset of said video sources from being simultaneously connected to two video monitors;
• wherein
• said controller includes status means for storing status information concerning said video sources, said status information including information indicating which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• said controller further including menu generating means coupled to said status means for generating and updating menu display images that indicate which of said video sources are currently available for user selection in accordance with said status information and predefined availability criteria;
• said video crossbar switch means including means coupled to said menu generating means for transmitting said menu display images to said video monitors;
• and
• said program selection means associated with each said video monitor includes means for generating video connection requests which specify a video source selected from the video sources represented on said menu
• display images.

A method of transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a multiplicity of video monitors;
• providing a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• selectively and simultaneously coupling, with a video crossbar switch, specified ones of said video monitors to specified ones of said video sources;
• storing status information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• generating and updating menu display images that indicate which of said video sources are currently available for selection in accordance with said status information and predefined availability criteria;
• transmitting said menu display images to said video monitors;
• locally generating, at the site of said video monitors, video connection requests, each said request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified one of said video monitors;
• wherein said specified video source is selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display images;
• centrally receiving said video connection requests;
• and
• coupling via said video crossbar switch the video source specified in each said request to the video monitor specified in that request, while preventing each of a subset of said video sources from being
• simultaneously connected to two video monitors.

A method of transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a multiplicity of video monitors;
• providing a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• simultaneously coupling specified ones of said video monitors to specified ones of said video sources;
• storing status information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• generating a menu display image representing a set of currently available video sources which are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• transmitting said menu display image to said video monitors;
• locally generating, at the site of said video monitors, video connection requests, each said request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified one of said video monitors;
• wherein said specified video source is selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display image;
• centrally receiving said video connection requests;
• and
• coupling the video source specified in each said request to the video monitor specified in that request, while preventing each of a predefined set of said video sources from being simultaneously connected to two video monitors.

A method of transmitting selected video programs to a number of independently controlled video monitors, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a multiplicity of video monitors;
• providing a multiplicity of video sources of video signals;
• selectively and simultaneously coupling specified ones of said video monitors to specified ones of said video sources;
• storing status information denoting which of said video sources, if any, is coupled to each of said video monitors and denoting which of said video sources are not coupled to any of said video monitors;
• generating and updating menu display images that indicate which of said video sources are currently available for selection in accordance with said status information and predefined availability criteria;
• transmitting said menu display images to said video monitors;
• locally generating, at the site of said video monitors, video connection requests, each said request specifying a video source to be connected to a specified one of said video monitors;
• wherein said specified video source is selected from said currently available video sources represented by said menu display images;
• centrally receiving said video connection requests;
• and
• coupling the video source specified in each said request to the video monitor specified in that request, while preventing each of a subset of said video sources from being simultaneously connected to two video monitors.