(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/ A1

Transcription

1 (19) United tate (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: U 2008/ A1 Cooper et al. U A1 (43) Pub. Date: ep. 25, 2008 (54) (75) (73) (21) (22) (60) YTEMAND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED AUDIO VIUAL YTEM CONTROL Inventor: Greg Cooper, Highland, UT (U); Craig Matuura, Draper, UT (U); Thoma Leihman, Holladay, UT (U) Correpondence Addre: THORPE NORTH & WETERN, LLP. P.O. Bo 1219 ANDY, UT (U) Aignee: Appl. No.: 12/054,102 Filed: Mar. 24, 2008 Control4 Corporation, Draper, UT (U) Related U.. Application Data Proviional application No. 60/896,469, filed on Mar. 22, Publication Claification (51) Int. Cl. G09G 5/00 ( ) (52) U.. Cl /1.1 (57) ABTRACT A ytem and method are provided for automating control of a plurality of video diplay coupled to a plurality of video ource through a witchable network. The method include the operation of mapping a ignal path for each ignal between the plurality of video ource and the plurality of Video diplay to form a binding map. The binding map can be tored in a controllable device. In addition, a graphical uer interface on a navigator can be generated. The graphical uer interface i configured to repreent the plurality of video diplay. A further operation i connecting the plurality of video diplay to the plurality of video ource through the witchable network baed on the binding map and a uer election made with the graphical uer interface in the con trollable device Child Media Controller 1 13 Configuration 110 Interface witchable Network Media Controller

2 Patent Application Publication ep. 25, 2008 heet 1 of 5 U 2008/ A1 1OO N Child Media - 27 / A 4- Configuration Controller Interface 113 witchable NetWork Media Controller VCR DVD 128 AIV FIG. 1

3 Patent Application Publication ep. 25, 2008 heet 2 of 5 U 2008/ A1 2O Diplay ource 1 Centerv 1 V 2 Left V 2 V M. Right v. N V Theme Available Channel port V tarting Channel 1 EPN v 2 EPN2 v N TNT I v. Working Channel 22O FIG 2

4 Patent Application Publication ep. 25, 2008 heet 3 of 5 U 2008/ A1 2OO. & FIG. 3

5 Patent Application Publication ep. 25, 2008 heet 4 of 5 U 2008/ A1 FIG 4

6 Patent Application Publication ep. 25, 2008 heet 5 of 5 U 2008/ A1 5OO N Providing a plurality of video ource electrically coupled to a plurality of video diplay through a witchable network. 51O Mapping a ignal path of each electrical ignal connected between the plurality of video ource and the plurality of video 1\u- 520 diplay to form a binding map. toring the binding map in a controllable M530 device. Generating a graphical uer interface 540 configured to repreent the plurality of /N/ video diplay. Automatically connecting at leat one of the plurality of video diplay to at leat one of the plurality of video ource M 550 through the witchable network baed on the binding map and a uer election made with the graphical uer interface. FIG. 5

7 U 2008/ A1 ep. 25, 2008 YTEMAND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED AUDIO VIUAL YTEM CONTROL CRO-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY 0001 Priority of U.. Proviional patent application er. No. 60/896,469 filed on Mar. 22, 2007 i claimed. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 0002 The preent invention relate generally to the con trol of automated equipment. BACKGROUND The neu of high definition televiion (HDTV), high peed electronic, and eponentially increaing digital torage capacity ha produced a revolution in the audioviual indutry that ha been unparalleled ince the creation of the televiion. Each year, new genre of video diplay are releaed. uch a high definition liquid crytal diplay, plama diplay, micro-mirror projection diplay, liquid crytal projection diplay, liquid crytal on ilicon diplay, and grating light valve baed diplay Not to be left behind, the only contant in the audio indutry ha been change, with new format including uper audio CD, audio DVD, the highly popular MP3, WAV, and other audio format. The new format have enabled a new generation of mall, portable audio player that allow people to keep their entire audio library on a ingle ource, or tranfer it between ource uch a their computer, their car radio, their portable MP3 player, and their home tereo Video torage i quickly following the lead of the audio indutry, with the advent of variou high definition video torage mean, uch a high definition DVD, Blu eray(r), and integrated digital video recorder capable of recording multiple broadcat, pauing live TV, and toring Video librarie in ingle location. A variety of audio and Video broadcating ource are alo available, with a recent reurgence in broadcating video over the public airwave with advent of HDTV, hundred of new digital video cable channel to chooe from, and literally thouand of channel available in both video and audio from variou atellite OUC The legion of recent change in the audio and video indutrie ha dramatically increaed the compleity of con necting and enjoying audioviual entertainment. A quarter century ago a typical family room conited of a televiion and a eparate, typically unconnected tereo receiver. Now a home entertainment ytem can include 6, 7, even 10 different interconnected electronic device, uch a a televiion, tereo receiver, CD player, DVD player, digital video recorder, at ellite receiver or cable bo, and MP3 player. To connect thee device to properly function together require fairly advanced kill. Each device typically come with it own unique remote control. Controlling the multiplicity of device can prove cumberome. To reduce the compleity, advanced, pro grammable remote control can be ued to condene the num ber of control needed to control uch a ytem When a more advanced ytem i needed, the com pleity required to connect and operate the advanced ytem can be beyond a typical uer' knowledge or deire. For eample, ome uer deire to view multiple video diplay at one time (i.e., a video wall) where two or more televiion are interconnected to the other electronic device. Having two, three, four, or more interconnected video diplay enable a uer to view multiple port feed, new feed, or other type of video diplay. In fact, connecting and witching the mul tiple video diplay between the variou video ource and electronic device can be o unwieldy that it dicourage the uer from etting up or uing uch a ytem. Properly etting up uch a ytem may take a few day or up to a week of an epenive programmer' time to etup automation oftware and comple macro to control a complicated audio video ytem a decribed. Even advanced controller that are con figured to operate audioviual entertainment cannot eaily and quickly provide a uer control for quickly and conve niently witching the multiple video diplay between mul tiple video ource and a variety of electronic equipment. UMMARY A ytem and method are provided for automating control of a plurality of video diplay coupled to a plurality of video ource through a witchable network. The method include the operation of mapping a ignal path for each ignal between the plurality of video ource and the plurality of video diplay to form a binding map. The binding map can be tored in a controllable device. In addition, a graphical uer interface on a navigator can be generated. The graphical uer interface i configured to repreent the plurality of video diplay. A further operation i connecting the plurality of video diplay to the plurality of video ource through the witchable network baed on the binding map and a uer election made with the graphical uer interface in the con trollable device. BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Additional feature and advantage of the invention will be apparent from the detailed decription which follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which together illutrate, by way of eample, feature of the inven tion; and, wherein: 0010 FIG. 1 i a diagram diplaying a plurality of inter connected video ource, video diplay, witching device, and audioviual equipment which are interconnected with a media controller to tore a binding map in accordance with an embodiment of the preent invention; 0011 FIG. 2 i a front view of a navigator configured to generate a graphical uer interface to control audio viual equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the preent invention; 0012 FIG. 3 i the navigator of FIG. 2, howing a graphi cal uer interface generated to control the audio viual ytem in accordance with an embodiment of the preent invention; 0013 FIG. 4 i the navigator of FIG. 2, diplaying an alternative uer interface generated to control the audio viual ytem in accordance with an embodiment of the preent invention; and 0014 FIG. 5 i a flow chart depicting a method for auto mating control of audio viual ytem uing a witchable network in accordance with an embodiment of the preent invention Reference will now be made to the eemplary embodiment illutrated, and pecific language will be ued

8 U 2008/ A1 ep. 25, 2008 hereinto decribe the ame. It will neverthele be undertood that no limitation of the cope of the invention i thereby intended. DETAILED DECRIPTION OF EAMPLE EMBODIMENT() A illutrated in FIG. 1, a ytem 100 i provided for automated generation of audio viual ytem control, in an eample embodiment. The ytem can include a plurality of N Video ource The video ource can be atellite baed, cable tranmiion baed, terretrial tranmiion baed, internet baed, a combination of the aforementioned, or any other broadband delivery method. The plurality of ource can include receiver boe configured to decode each received ignal. One or more of the plurality of ource can include a digital video recorder (DVR) to enable the video ignal from the ource to be tored for a predetermined amount of time to enable pauing of live TV, intant playback, commercial kip, and the like. The DVR can be a phyical device located in cloe proimity to the receiver bo(e). Alternatively, the DVR can be a ervice offered by the video ource provider The N video ource can each be interconnected through a witchable network 108 to a video wall 111 that include a plurality of M video diplay The video diplay can include any type of video preentation equip ment, including front and back projection type diplay, LCD and plama type diplay, CRT diplay, and any other type of diplay capable of generating a moving video picture. The witchable network can be any type of audio/video witch configured to enable two or more of the N ource to be interconnected with two or more of the M video diplay, repectively. One or more econdary witching device 120 can be coupled between the MVideo diplay and a plurality of electronic device, uch a a VCR 122, a DVD player 124 (tandard or high definition), an audio ource 126 uch a a tereo, digital muic player, or atellite audio receiver, a DVR 128, or any other deired number of different audio/video equipment 130 that ha been or will be developed. The con nection of the electronic equipment through the econdary witch to the M video diplay enable any of the elected electronic equipment to be electronically connected to any of the M video diplay Even auming that a ingle programmable remote control could be ued to control all of the device hown in FIG. 1, the tak of manually altering the etup of the video wall 111 can ignificantly reduce the utility of uch a etup. For eample, a uer watching a plurality of porting event on the M video diplay may want to reconfigure the video wall to enable the uer to move a video ource from a mall diplay, uch a video diplay III 114 to a larger diplay uch a Video diplay I 116. The uer may then want to replay the lat everal econd to review the video that wa previouly viewed on the maller creen. In order to accomplih thi eemingly imple tak, the uer will need to perform at leat the following tak: 1) tune a video ource. uch a ource II 104 to the deired channel; 2) configure the witchable net work 118 to connect ource II to video diplay I; 3) configure video diplay I to diplay the video received from ource II through the witchable network; 4) configure the econdary witch 120 to connect the DVR 128 to video diplay I; 5) command the DVR to replay a predetermined amount of video that wa previouly recorded (auming that the DVR had been previouly connected to the ame video ource a video diplay III) An intimate knowledge of each of the aforemen tioned device i likely needed in order to effectively control the device in the ytem 100. Many potential uer of a video wall would not generally have the time or interet to gain a ufficient undertanding to control the video wall, nor would they want to perform the five tak lited above every time they wanted to replay a few econd of video feed One olution to effectively controlling a video wall i to add more detailed and comple programming to a pro grammable remote control. Rather than jut uing the pro grammable remote to manually control the variou intercon nected device, the remote may be cutom programmed to perform a macro, uch a the erie of five tep above. Thi would enable the uer to quickly wap video ource between video diplay III 114 and video diplay I 116, including all of the neceary witching between the video ource 104 and the DVR Becaue of the wide variety of device and product, programming even a imple video wall can quickly become unwieldy and epenive. In addition, each automated device include a variety of internal feature that each of the video ource , witche 108, 120, video diplay , and electronic device can acce, which alo increae the overall ytem compleity. ince no ingle elec tronic manufacturer can know the content of an entire video wall, each video wall 111 and aociated device would typi cally need unique, cutomized programming baed on the individual etup and the type of equipment purchaed. A ubtantially complete oftware package, capable of per forming mot function of the equipment in the ytem 100 would likely entail hundred or thouand of line of code that would enable a uer to quickly perform deired tak uch a automated wapping between the variou video ource, Video diplay and connecting the electronic device to the deired diplay. Thu, uch a olution i generally available to uer with coniderable monetary reource available to con truct a video wall and pay a profeional to program the oftware code to automate the video wall What i needed i a mean for automating control of a video wall that doe not require etenive cutomized pro gramming. The preent invention provide a relatively imple uer interface for automating control of the video diplay and aociated electronic device in a video wall without the need for ubtantial amount of cutomized programming. In one embodiment, the media controller 110 can be connected with the witchable network 108, the N ource , the M video diplay , other potential witching need, uch a the econdary witch 120, and variou electronic device The media controller or controllable device can be configured to automate the connection and control of the N Video ource, MVideo diplay, witche, and variou elec tronic device, all collectively referred to a the video wall electronic device For eample, in one embodiment the media control ler 110 can be ued to control the video wall electronic device. The media controller can communicate with each device in the video wall electronic device group that i deired to be controlled. Communication with each device can be accomplihed through wired or wirele mean. The commu nication mean can include any communication between the media controller and the electronic device uing RF wirele

9 U 2008/ A1 ep. 25, 2008 communication uch a a tandardized communication for mat under IEEE 802 or any other tandardized or proprietary wirele communication cheme. Communication mean can further include optical communication uch a infrared or fiber optic communication, or wired communication through a wired connection uch a a erial R232, UB, Firewire, or ome other type of connection configured to tranmit infor mation between the media controller and the media wall electronic device The media controller 110 can be configured by interfacing the media controller with a configuration interface 113. uch a a proprietary graphical uer interface or general purpoe computer. The configuration interface may be tem porarily connected to the media controller. The configuration interface can configure the media controller through a imple, graphical interface, a decribed in U.. patent application er. No. 1 1/221,143 filed on ep. 6, 2005, which i herein incorporated by reference. Rather than having to write pe cialized line of code to control each of the video wall elec tronic device, a uer can imply elect which type of device are connected to the media controller, and how the electronic device are interconnected For eample, the uer can ue a graphical interface to inform the media controller 110 that a Kno 1616 audio/ Video routing witcher i connected to the media controller I/O port 1 uing an R232 erial connection. The uer can then elect the variou electronic device from drop down boe, or other uch graphical uer interface, and program the type of device and deired connection between the device. In another eample, the uer may elect video di play I 116 a a ony R. 60" Grand WEGATM RDTM Rear Projection HDTV. The ony can be connected to media con troller I/O port number 2 uing an infrared etender cable that i configured to enable the media controller to communicate with the infrared I/O port in the ony televiion. ource I 102 may be defined in the media controller a a DihTM HD digital video recorder receiver that i connected to the neceary atellite receiver(). The uer can identify that the DihTM receiver i connected to the media controller I/O port number 3 uing an IEEE 1394 Firewire connection The media controller 110 can alo be informed, uing the configuration interface 113, which type of connec tion are made between the variou device in the video wall electronic device. Once the type of device are elected, uch a the ony(r) televiion and DihTM Network receiver, a graphical interface on the configuration interface can enable a uer to elect the connection between the device. For eample, a connection between the DihTM Video receiver and the ony(r) televiion can be elected a an HDMI connection. The media controller can map the type of connection between the variou device in the ytem 100 to map which type of ignal can be ent through the variou connection. For eample, video diplay I 116 may be a high definition diplay. ource II 104 may be capable of providing a high definition ignal. If a uer choe to move the video feed that i being hown on video diplay III 114 (which maybe a tan dard definition video feed) to video diplay I, the media controller can ue ource II to provide the video feed in high definition. Only connection capable of carrying a high defi nition ignal. uch a HDMI connector, will be aigned by the media controller to tranmit the high definition ignal from ource II to video diplay I The media controller can be epanded through the ue of one or more child media controller 115. The child media controller can be configured to electrically commu nicate with the media controller, which can act a a hot or hub controller. The child media controller can electrically com municate through wirele 117, wired, or optical mean, with a hot media controller. The child media controller can be ued to epand the number of device controllable by the media controller. The child media controller can alo be located in a eparate location, uch a a different room, to enable a ingle media controller hub to be ued to operate audio/video equipment, electrical device, video diplay, and video ource throughout a home, office, or building Once all of the video wall electronic device have been defined within the media controller 110 uing the con figuration interface 113, and the connection between the device identified, the media controller can then be ued to automate the control of the video wall 111. The media con troller may load the oftware driver ued to control the video wall electronic device. Uing any needed driver, a map of the connection, and connection format between the device, the media controller can then control the video wall 111 and the ytem 100 without the need for etenive, individualized programming In one embodiment, a oftware plug-in can be intalled in the configuration interface 113. The plug-in can enable a uer to build a graphical uer interface on a navigator to automate control of the video wall ytem 100. The navi gator can be a communication device configured to enable automated control of the video wall ytem 100. In one embodiment, the navigator 200 can be a touchpad graphical uer interface, a hown in FIG. 2, although any type of programmable remote control can be ued. The navigator can communicate with the media controller 110 uing any wired or wirele communication mean capable of ending infor mation between the navigator and the media controller, uch a radio frequency communication, optical communication, and/or wired communication mean, a previouly di cued The navigator 200 and/or configuration interface 113 (FIG. 1) can enable a uer to configure a video wall graphical interface for the navigator to enable a uer to utilize the navigator to automate control of the video wall ytem 100 (FIG. 1). For eample, FIG. 2 how a etup creen in which a uer can elect from a plurality of video ource, diplay, and electronic device that had been entered into the media controller, a previouly dicloed. The uer can elect the video diplay that will be controlled uing the navigator, including the location of the diplay on the video wall. The uer can alo elect the video ource 208, a pre-elected theme 212, uch a port, entertainment, new, and the like. A tarting channel 216 for each theme can be elected for each of the diplay in the video wall 111 that will be controlled uing the navigator Available channel 220 from the elected ource 208 are lited on the etup creen. A uer can then elect, for each theme, a working et 224 of channel. The working et of channel can reduce the number of channel from potentially hundred of available channel to a working group of deired channel for each theme to enable a uer to navigate the video wall more eaily FIG. 3 how an eample embodiment of a graphi cal uer interface created on the navigator 200 uing the etup creen hown in FIG. 2 and decribed above. Per the etup in FIG. 2, the left creen 302 i elected to be connected to a cable video ource. The center creen 304 i elected to be

10 U 2008/ A1 ep. 25, 2008 connected to a atellite video ource, and the right creen i elected to be connected to a terretrial earth tranmiion ource through an antenna. Of coure, any type of ource can be connected to any type of diplay, depending on the type of diplay and ource available. Other type of ource may include electronic device uch a a VCR, DVD, CD, DVR, or other digital information torage or delivery ytem. In one embodiment, each ource can be electrically coupled to a digital video recorder The theme in FIG. 2 wa elected to be port, with the tarting channel for the center, left, and right diplay elected for EPN, EPN2, and TNT repectively. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the graphical interface on the naviga tor 200 can be configured to enable a uer to wap the video currently being hown on two of the diplay by preing one of the wap button 312,314. For eample, a uer could wap the EPN2 channel being hown on diplay 302 to diplay 304, while the EPN channel hown on diplay 304 can be wapped to diplay 302. A previouly dicued, wapping the channel on the two diplay may involve a comple et of intruction ent to a plurality of electronic device, uch a Video ource, witch matrie, digital video recorder, and the video diplay Rather than ending each of the device manually, a uer may merely pre the wap button312. The navigator can end a ingle command to the media controller. The plug-in for the media controller can then interpret the command received from the navigator and proceed to end the correct command to the neceary equipment to wap the channel Alternatively, the plug-in oftware may be tored in the navigator itelf. In thi cae, the navigator can end a plurality of command to the media controller, intructing it which device within the video wall ytem 100 (FIG. 1) need to be adjuted to wap channel between the two diplay. However, toring the plug-in in the media controller 110 can be preferable, ince limiting the number of command ent by the navigator can increae the likelihood that the command are correctly received by the media controller. 0036) imilarly, intant repeat button 308, 310 can be configured to control elected video diplay. In one embodi ment, the intant repeat button can repeat a video equence hown in a elected diplay for a predetermined amount of time. The video equence can be from a prerecorded video ource or a live video ource connected to a digital video recorder. The amount of time to be replayed can be configured at a previou time in the media controller 110 (FIG. 1). Alter natively, the amount of replay time may be variably con trolled uing the navigator In another embodiment, the intant repeat button can perform more than one function, uch a wapping between a maller and larger ource. uch a video diplay 304 and 306, and repeating a predetermined length of video feed from the maller video diplay 306 on the larger video diplay 304. Thi feature can enable a uer to watch, for eample, a plurality of different porting venue on the video wall. If the uer deire to review an action port equence diplayed on one of the maller diplay, the uer merely need to pre one of the intant replay button to wap the video feed and rewind the video equence that had been howing on the mall video creen to re-diplay the equence on the large video creen An alternative graphical interface i hown in FIG.4 on the media controller 200. A plurality of video diplay i hown. In thi embodiment, a uer can wap between two video diplay by electing the wap button 410. followed by electing two ource to wap. Any of the video feed to the plurality of video diplay can be replayed for a predetermined amount of time by electing the intant repeat button 412 followed by the deired video diplay to replay. Variou other control can be diplayed between the wap and intant repeat button when a diplay i elected The graphical interface on the navigator can be con tructed in a uer friendly approach to enable a uer to control the variou diplay within the video wall 111 (FIG. 1). For eample, in one embodiment, a uer can change a channel by electing one of the diplay, uch a video diplay 306. When the diplay ha been elected then additional button, drop down boe, or other type of control can be diplayed, enabling the uer to control the elected diplay. The addi tional control can allow the uer to change a channel to one of the working channel 224 within the elected theme 212 (FIG. 2) The number of control and type of control di played in the graphical interface on the navigator 200 can be dependent upon the video diplay elected. For eample, if the video ource of video diplay 406 i a DVD player, rather than a live feed, then etra control for the DVD player may appear when video diplay 406 i elected While a variety of eample have been given for potential graphical interface on the navigator 200 to enable the uer to control a video wall, the eample are not meant to be limiting in cope. The interface may be any uer friendly interface that enable the uer to end command from the navigator to the media controller that allow automated con trol of a video wall, uch a the video wall 111 hown in FIG. 1, or on the graphical interface in FIG. 3 and A further embodiment of the invention include a method 500 for automating control of a plurality of video diplay coupled to a plurality of video ource through a witchable network, a depicted in the flow chart of FIG. 5. The method can include the operation of mapping a ignal path for each electrical ignal connected between the plurality of video ource and the plurality of video diplay to form a binding map, a hown in block 510. A further operation include toring the binding map in a controllable device, a hown in block 520. The controllable device can be the media controller a previouly dicued Another operation provide generating a graphical uer interface on a navigator, wherein the graphical uer inter face i configured to repreent the plurality of video diplay, a hown in block 530. The graphical uer interface, a di cloed above, can be any type of interface capable of enabling a uer to control the video diplay and video ource. The graphical uer interface can alo be ued to control the wit chable network and a plurality of audioviual equipment in conjunction with the media controller. The audioviual equip ment can be controlled can be connected to the plurality of video diplay and/or the plurality of video ource through the witchable network. One or more econdary witche can alo be ued to connect the variou equipment, ource, and diplay In one embodiment of the invention, the graphical uer interface i generated by the media controller or control lable device baed on the binding map. Thi provide a ueful interface for the end uer without any actual programming. The interface generation ytem may have a number of tem plate that can be ued for variou epected configuration or the interface may be generated baed on certain pre-defined

11 U 2008/ A1 ep. 25, 2008 rule which can eamine the deired audio viual configura tion. Alternatively, the end uer can provide input regarding how the uer would like the uer interface to be graphically or logically arranged A further operation include generating a graphical uer interface on a navigator, wherein the graphical uer inter face i configured to repreent the plurality of video diplay, a hown in block 540. The graphical uer interface can be configured baed on the binding map tored in the control lable device. A uer can automate control of the diplay, ource, witche, and audioviual equipment uing the graphical uer interface on the navigator. The navigator can end command to the controllable device baed on uer interaction with the graphical interface. The controllable device can then control the variou diplay, ource, witche, and audioviual equipment baed on the binding map and wired, wirele, and/or optical connection between the controllable device and the diplay, ource, witche, and audioviual equipment The binding map can alo include information related to the type of connection between the diplay, ource, witche, and audioviual equipment. For eample, connection between the device may be wirele connec tion having a predetermined bandwidth, coaial connec tion, wired connection, optical connection, and connec tion of a pecified format uch a UB, IEEE 1394, , Zigbee, HDMI, DVI, component connection, and the like. toring thi information in the binding map enable more intelligent choice to be made, baed on the type of ignal that i to be routed between the variou device, uch a an audio ignal, a control ignal, a tandard definition video ignal, a high definition video ignal, and o forth The media controller 110 and navigator 200 enable a ymbiotic relationhip that allow a uer that i not highly killed in connecting and controlling video equipment to electrically couple a video wall to a media controller and contruct a graphical interface for the navigator that permit the uer to quickly and imply make deired change in a Video wall. uch a changing channel on the variou di play, electrically connecting deired ource and electronic audio/video equipment to the deired diplay, and wapping replaying video feed on the variou diplay. uch a ytem can be rapidly configured without the need for etenive, cutomized programming While the forgoing eample are illutrative of the principle of the preent invention in one or more particular application, it will be apparent to thoe of ordinary kill in the art that numerou modification inform, uage and detail of implementation can be made without the eercie of inven tive faculty, and without departing from the principle and concept of the invention. Accordingly, it i not intended that the invention be limited, ecept a by the claim et forth below. 1. A method for automating control of a plurality of video diplay coupled to a plurality of video ource through a witchable network, compriing: mapping a ignal path for each ignal between the plurality of video ource and the plurality of video diplay to form a binding map: toring the binding map in a controllable device; generating a graphical uer interface on a navigator, wherein the graphical uer interface i configured to repreent the plurality of video diplay; and connecting at leat one of the plurality of video diplay to at leat one of the plurality of video ource through the witchable network baed on the binding map and a uer election made with the graphical uer interface in the controllable device. 2. A method a in claim 1, further compriing connecting a plurality of audio viual equipment to the plurality of video diplay through at leat one of the witchable network and at leat one econdary witch. 3. A method a in claim 2, wherein the at leat one econd ary witch i connected to the witchable network and the controllable device. 4. A method a in claim 1, further compriing connecting at leat one of the plurality of video ource and the plurality of video diplay to the controllable device. 5. A method a in claim 2, further compriing configuring the controllable device to electrically control at leat one function on the plurality of video ource, the plurality of Video diplay, and the plurality of audioviual equipment. 6. A method a in claim 1, further compriing entering connection information into the controllable device decrib ing connection made between the plurality of video diplay, the plurality of video ource, and the witchable network. 7. A method a in claim 6, further compriing entering connection format information into the controllable device compriing the connection format ued between the plurality of video diplay, the plurality of video ource, and the witchable network. 8. A method a in claim 1, further compriing enabling the controllable device to generate the graphical uer interface for the navigator uing the binding map tored in the controllable device. 9. A method a in claim 1, further compriing enabling a uer to generate a view for the graphical uer interface for the navigator uing the binding map tored in the controllable device. 10. A methoda in claim 1, further compriing enabling the navigator to communicate with the controllable device to allow a uer to interface with the graphical uer interface on the navigator to control at leat two of the plurality of video diplay. 11. A method a in claim 1, further compriing controlling additional audioviual equipment through the ue of a child media controller in communication with the controllable device. 12. An automated video wall control ytem, compriing: a plurality of video diplay coupled to a witch network; a plurality of video ource coupled to the plurality of video diplay through the witch network; a media controller electrically coupled to at leat two of the plurality of video diplay and at leat two of the plural ity of video ource, wherein the media controller i configured to control the plurality of video diplay and the plurality of video ource to which it i connected uing control driver tored within the media controller; a navigator configured to diplay a graphical uer interface baed on connection of the media controller, wherein the navigator i enabled to end command to the media controller baed on a uer' interaction with the graphi cal uer interface to automate control of the video wall ytem. 13. The ytem of claim 12, further compriing at leat one electronic audio video device electrically coupled through at

12 U 2008/ A1 ep. 25, 2008 leat one of the witch network and a econdary witch to at leat one of the plurality of video diplay and the plurality of Video ource. 14. The ytem of claim 13, wherein the media controller i electrically coupled to the at leat one electronic audio video device. 15. The ytem of claim 12, further compriing a binding map tored in the media controller, wherein the binding map i configured to repreent connection between the plurality of video diplay, the plurality of video ource, and the witch network. 16. The ytem of claim 15, wherein the binding map further comprie information related to a format of each connection between the plurality of video diplay, the plu rality of video ource, and one or more witche. 17. The ytem of claim 15, wherein the graphical interface for the navigator i configured baed on the binding map. 18. The ytem of claim 12, further compriing a child media controller in electronic communication with media controller, wherein the child media controller i configured to control at leat one of the plurality of video diplay, the plurality of video ource, and at leat one electronic audio/ video device. 19. A mean for automating control of a plurality of video diplay coupled to a plurality of video ource through a witchable network, compriing: a mean for mapping a ignal path of each electrical ignal connected between the plurality of video ource and the plurality of video diplay to form a binding map: a mean for toring the binding map in a controllable device; a mean for generating a graphical uer interface config ured to repreent the plurality of video diplay; and a mean for automatically connecting at leat one of the plurality of video diplay to at leat one of the plurality of video ource through the witchable network baed on the binding map and a uer election made with the graphical uer interface. c c c c c