1. Project Proposal for Integrated Control and Connection management Robby Gurdan and Richard Foss

2. Presentation Overview Motivation Protocol Overview Example system

3. Motivation Integrate control and connection management with a single protocol Full physical network independence Provide security via subnet access control Incorporate latency control A need for a distributed server-less system

4. Challenges Many incompatible network standards A range of devices to control with varying levels of complexity and capability Timing constraints with real time audio streaming Synchronization between multiple media stream types No global security standard for media and control data

5. Markets Installation market Live events MI / home studio offices residential telecommunication security related systems

6. Benefits to the Industry and End User Full control and streaming interoperability Consistent user-device interaction Full system control is possible from small controllers Extensive parameter control is possible with limited messaging Full backward and forward compatibility Parameter learning capability

7. XFN Protocol IP-based peer to peer network Each device will have an IP stack XFN protocol layer above IP stack – A tree structured parameter hierarchy – Hierarchy reflects structure of device, eg. Input section of mixing console Channel strip Parameter group Parameter type, eg gain Parameter value

8. Parameter Groupings Groupings are natural to audio engineers Lowest level nodes – Parameter values and formats Each parameter - a fixed number of groupings – From parameter level – Up to top-most tree grouping level

9. Grouping level names SECBLK SECTYPE SECNR PARAMETER_BLOCK PAR_BLOCK_INDEX PAR_TYPE PAR_INDEX VALFT/VALUE

10. Known Group Object ID’s At each level: – Known group object ID’s – Each unique within the level Address of a particular parameter – Constituted from seven group object ID’s Group objects and ID’s published in specification

11. Gain Parameter in BBox SECBLKSCT_BLOCK_INPUTID 01 SECTYPESCT_TYPE_ANALOGID D4 SECNRSTREAMNUMBERID 100001 PARAMETER_BLOCK PRM_BLK_DGTL_AMPID 11 PAR_BLOCK_INDEXNUMBERENTRYID 1 PAR_TYPEGAINID 0201 PAR_INDEXPAR_INDEXID 1 VALFT/VALUE8 bit/0-25500/0-255

12. Isoch Channel Number SECBLKSCT_BLOCK_INPUTID 01 SECTYPESCT_TYPE_1394ID E1 SECNRINTERFACENUMBERID 0 PARAMETER_BLOCKPRM_BLOCK_MULTICOREID 11 PAR_BLOCK_INDEXNUMBERENTRYID 1 PAR_TYPEIsochChannelNumber ID 201 PAR_INDEXDummyID VALFT/VALUE8 bit/0-255 00/0-255

13. Tree Structure in each device DEVICE SECBLK SECTYPE PARMBLOCK PARMBLKINDEX SECNR......... PARMTYPE PARMINDEX The nodes represent particular objects relevant to the level on which they appear.

14. ‘Wild card ID’s’ Wildcard ID may be used in place of: – An object ID – On a particular level Selects all objects on next level of tree Allows for control of: – a large number of parameters – with a single broadcast command

15. Command Structure Each command comprises: – An operand (such as SET or GET) – An operand modifier (such as VAL) – A structured address comprising level ID’s – A format indicator and value

16. Level Commands To trace through the tree structure: – Use ‘Level’ commands For any node of a tree: – Return sub-nodes below the node Allows discovery of parameters Provide this address Return these nodes

17. Parameter Index Values A device holds a parameter index value – For each parameter it contains Controller can request index – Via a ‘get index’ command – With an associated structure address – Device provides index to controller Controller uses index instead of address

18. Joins Parameters can be joined into groups Change one parameter of the group – All other parameters of group change Joins can be: – Absolute or relative – Unidirectional or bidirectional

19. Join mechanism Bidirectional Group – Parameter changes are sent between all joined parameters Unidirectional Group – Parameter changes are sent only in a single direction

20. Modifiers Provide the capability to selectively modify one or more settings within a command – Settings are modified at any level of command – Command can be: Directed at a parameter Emanating from a parameter

21. Modifier Example Modifier changes a command from a tactile controller from: channel -> channel 2

22. Across Bus Transmission? Currently the IEEE 1394.1 specification No implementations Problems: – Devices must be bridge aware – All asynchronous packets are passed No control mechanisms (security) – No re-bundling of packets

23. IP and Media Stream Router

24. Media Stream Routing Allows control over – The receipt of isochronous multimedia streams Via a portal On same bus as transmitter – The extraction of sequences and re-bundling of sequences For transmission over co-portal – The configuration of transmitted isochronous streams

25. Stream Re-Bundling

26. IP Routing Creation of an IP address for each portal of the router Creation of an IP routing table – each entry: – A subnet (corresponding to a bus) – A subnet mask – A router interface to send to – IP address of gateway if address not on local bus

27. IP Routing – the mechanism All IP messages written to router portal – Received by the firmware of the router – Firmware views routing table – Routes accordingly Routing table is set up: – Via on-device control or – Via IP messages directed at router