Communication control method and communication control apparatus

• US 20010028655A1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Yukihiko, Noda, Takuro
• Application Number:
  US09/788,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028655A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems

Abstract

A communication control method and a communication control apparatus are provided for preventing truncation at the beginning upon receipt of data, for example, between devices interconnected through a bus line in conformity to the IEEE 1394 standard. In a communication system 100 which comprises an output device 3 for outputting stream data through a data bus 5, which includes predetermined connecting means, an input device 4 for acquiring the stream data from the output device 3 through the data bus 5, and a communication controller 1 for controlling the output device 3 and the input device 4, all of which are interconnected through the data bus 5, the communication controller 1 requests the output device 3 and the input device 4 to start communicating stream data, forces the input device 4, which has been requested to start the communication, to notify the output device 3 that the input device 4 has completed a preparation for receiving the stream data, and forces the output device 3 to transmit the stream data to the input device 4 through the data bus 5 when the completion of preparation for the reception is notified to the output device 3, thereby making it possible to prevent truncation at the beginning upon receiving the stream data at the input device.

Claims

1. In a communication system having an output device for outputting stream data through a data bus including a predetermined connecting means, an input device for acquiring the stream data from said output device through said data bus, and a communication controller for controlling said output device and said input device, wherein said output device, said input device and said communication controller are interconnected through said data bus, a method of controlling a communication of said stream data, performed by said communication controller, said method comprising the steps of:

requesting said output device and said input device to start communicating said stream data;

forcing said input device, which is requested to start communicating by said step of requesting the start of the communication, to notify said output device that said input device has completed a preparation for receiving said stream data; and

forcing said output device to transmit said stream data to said input device through said data bus when said output device is notified of the completion of the preparation for reception.

2. The communication control method according to

claim 1

wherein said step of requesting the start of the communication includes setting a connection such that said output device and said input device can communicate the stream data.

3. A communication control apparatus for use in a communication system which has an output device for outputting stream data through a data bus including predetermined connecting means and an input device for acquiring said stream data from said output device through said data bus, wherein said communication control apparatus is coupled to said input device and said output device to control said output device and said input device for communicating said stream data between said input device and said output device, said communication control apparatus comprising:

communication starting means for requesting said output device and said input device to start communicating said stream data;

notifying means for forcing said input device, which is requested to start communicating by said communication starting means, to notify said output device that said input device has completed a preparation for receiving said stream data; and

transmission control means for forcing said output device to transmit said stream data to said input device through said data bus when said output device is notified of the completion of the preparation for reception from said notifying means.

4. The communication control apparatus according to

claim 3

wherein said start requesting means sets a connection such that said output device and said input device can communicate the stream data.