Arrangement for mixing and/or processing video signals
View Patent ↗For a possibly flexible use of an arrangement ( 1 ) for mixing and/or processing one or more video signals, the arrangement ( 1 ) includes video hardware components ( 2 ) which are implemented for a dedicated purpose and, within the arrangement ( 1 ), are exclusively usable for said dedicated purpose, in that the arrangement ( 1 ) also includes video computers ( 3, 4 ) which can alternatively perform a plurality of functions and are thus usable within the arrangement ( 1 ) for different purposes, dependent on their need, the video hardware components ( 2 ) being implemented for uses which are computer-intensive and/or require a large bandwidth, the video computers ( 3, 4 ) being provided for uses which can be processed in real time by the video computers ( 3, 4 ), the arrangement ( 1 ) accommodating a control circuit ( 6 ) which assigns tasks to the video computers ( 3, 4 ), dependent on their need.
1. An arrangement for at least one of mixing and processing one or more video signals, comprising:
a first and a second arrangement of video hardware components and video computers, the video hardware components being implemented for a dedicated purpose and exclusively usable for said dedicated purpose, and the video computers each being non-dedicated to a specific purpose and capable of performing a plurality of functions that are dynamically changeable independent of one another, depending on a current need to be filled by the video computers; and
a control circuit for assigning tasks to the video computers, depending on the current need, wherein the video hardware components are implemented for uses which are computer-intensive and/or require a large bandwidth, and the video computers are provided for uses which can be processed in real time by the video computers, wherein the first and the second arrangement of video hardware components and video computers are coupled, wherein video data are exchangeable between the first and the second mixing and/or processing arrangements, and wherein at least one of the mixing and/or processing arrangements comprises a video computer which, dependent on the need, is assignable to one of the two mixing and/or processing arrangements.
2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video hardware components are implemented as video mixer stages.
3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the relevant desired function of the video computers are activated by software which is loadable in dependence upon the current need.
4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video computers are loadable with software provided for chromakey or lumakey effects.
5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video hardware components and the video computers in the first and the second arrangement are coupled by means of a respective wideband bus system.
6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video hardware components and the video computers in the first and the second arrangement are coupled by means of a respective video crossbar.
7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video computers comprise standard processors.
8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video hardware components are implemented as video crossbars.
9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video computers are loadable with software provided for trick effects.
10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein first and the second arrangement of video hardware components and video computers are coupled by means of a wideband bus system.
11. A plurality of arrangements for at least one of mixing and processing one or more video signals, comprising:
a first arrangement and a second arrangement,
wherein each of the first arrangement and the second arrangement include: video hardware components implemented for a dedicated purpose and exclusively usable for said dedicated purpose;
video computers, each being non-dedicated to a specific purpose and capable of performing a plurality of functions that are dynamically changeable independent of one another depending on a current need to be filled by the video computers; and
a control circuit for assigning tasks to the video computers, depending on the current need, and
wherein any of said video computers included in one of said first arrangement and said second arrangement may be dynamically assignable for use by said other one of said first arrangement and said second arrangement for processing video signals, on an as-needed basis, so as to minimize an overall number of video computers included in any one of said first arrangement and said second arrangement.
12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the video hardware components are implemented as video mixer stages.
13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the relevant desired function of the video computers are activated by software which is loadable in dependence upon the current need.
14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the video computers are loadable with software provided for chromakey or lumakey effects.
15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the video hardware components and the video computers are coupled by means of a wideband bus system.
16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the video hardware components and the video computers are coupled by means of a video crossbar.
17. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the video computers comprise standard processors.
18. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the video hardware components are implemented as video crossbars.
19. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the video computers are loadable with software provided for trick effects.
20. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of arrangements for at least one of mixing and processing one or more video signals are coupled by means of a wideband bus system.