Communication method and communication apparatus

• US 20010021194A1
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Published: 09/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Horiguchi, Mari, Sato, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,050,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/421
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438

Abstract

The problem is to facilitate alteration of a transmission line in the case where the target device establishes a connection on the bus and thereby secures a transmission line in order to transmit stream data in a network of the IEEE 1394 scheme or the like. Stream data outputted from an output device 1 connected to a predetermined network is received by an input device 2. When the output device or a different device has sent an order for setting so that output data of the output device 1 may be inputted to a data input section 2b of the input device 2, the input device 2 conducts input setting based on the order. In addition, when the device which sent the order has sent an order to cancel the input setting, the input device 2 conducts processing of canceling the input setting.

Claims

1. A communication method of receiving stream data outputted from an output device connected to a predetermined network, in an input device, characterized in that

when said output device or a different device has sent an order for setting so that output data of said output device may be inputted to a data input section of said input device, said input device conducts input setting based on said order, and in addition

when said device which sent said order has sent an order to cancel said input setting, said input device conducts processing of canceling said input setting.

2. The communication method according to

claim 1

, characterized in that

said input setting order is an order to specify an input plug of said input device.

3. The communication method according to

claim 2

, characterized in that

said specified input plug specifies only a kind of the plug, data specifying the plug subjected to input setting is obtained on the basis of a response from said input device, and said canceling order is an order for canceling input setting of a plug specified by the data.

4. The communication method according to

claim 2

, characterized in that

a plug of an internal function block of said input device is also specified.

5. A communication apparatus connected to a predetermined network, characterized in that said communication apparatus comprises:

input and output means for conducting communication with another device in said network; and

communication control means responsive to detection of an order to enable reception of stream data from a predetermined device, out of data received by said input and output means, for conducting input setting of the stream data, and responsive to detection of an order to cancel the input setting issued by the same device as that which issued the order to enable reception of stream data, in a state with the input setting conducted, for conducting processing to cancel said input setting.

6. The communication apparatus according to

claim 5

, characterized in that

input setting executed under control of said communication control means is setting for inputting said stream data from an input plug specified by the detected order.

7. The communication apparatus according to

claim 6

, characterized in that

when only a kind of the input plug is specified in the order detected by said communication control means, input setting is conducted by using an arbitrary input plug among input plugs of the pertinent kind,

said input and output means transmits data concerning the input plug used for input setting to a device of an origination source of said order, and

when said communication control means has detected a cancel order and the input plug being used for input setting is specified, said communication control means conducts processing of canceling said input setting.

8. The communication apparatus according to

claim 6

, characterized in that

the input setting executed under control of said communication control means is setting for supplying said stream data to a plug of an internal function block specified by the detected order.