Patent · US Expired

Video and audio synchronization

US7020894B1 · kind B1 · utility

21Cited by
5References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 16, 1999
Grant dateMar 28, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 16, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N5/04
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In order to synchronise video and audio signals, a video test signal and an audio test signal are generated at the transmitting end of a transmission link, and transmitted over the link. The video test signal has first and second active picture periods of contrasting states. The audio test signal has first and second periods of contrasting states. As generated, the video and audio test signals have a predetermined timing relationship—for example, their changes of respective states may be coincident in time. At the receiving end of the link, the video and audio test signals as received are detected, and any difference of timing between the video and audio test signals is derived from their changes of respective states, measured and displayed, including an indication of whether the video signal arrived before the audio signal or vice-versa. Additionally or alternatively, such a measurement signal can be used in a control loop to compensate for the delay and automatically re-synchronise the audio and video signals. The system is particularly suitable for transmission of video and audio over separate paths of a link—e.g. respectively over satellite and terrestrial paths.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.