Data format recognition for networks providing device interoperability

• US 20030097497A1
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Esakov, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US09/990,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097497A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59

Abstract

A method for enabling interoperability between a first device and a second device in a network, such as a HAVi-compatible network, provides advantages over conventional methods. According to an aspect of the invention, a user input requesting the second device to decode data is received via the first device. The first device causes an initial portion of the data to be transmitted from a data source to the first device. The first device detects a data format exhibited by the initial portion of the data. The first device also causes the initial portion of the data and a remaining portion of the data to be sequentially transmitted to the second device. According to an exemplary embodiment, the second device decodes the initial portion of the data, and then decodes the remaining portion of the data. The initial and remaining portions of the data may include video and/or audio data.

Claims

1. A method for enabling interoperability between a first device and a second device in a network, the method comprising steps of:

receiving via the first device, a user input requesting the second device to decode data;

causing via the first device, an initial portion of the data to be transmitted from a data source to the first device;

detecting via the first device, a data format exhibited by the initial portion of the data; and

causing via the first device, the initial portion of the data and a remaining portion of the data to be sequentially transmitted to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprised of the second device decoding the initial portion of the data, and then decoding the remaining portion of the data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a HAVi-compatible network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device transmits the initial portion of the data to the second device, and enables the remaining portion of the data to be transmitted to the second device from the data source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device sequentially transmits the initial portion of the data and the remaining portion of the data to the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial portion of the data and the remaining portion of the data comprise video data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial portion of the data and the remaining portion of the data comprise audio data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a signal routing device.

9. In a network for providing interoperability between devices, a device for performing steps comprising:

receiving a user input requesting a second device within the network to decode data;

receiving an initial portion of the data from a data source;

detecting a data format exhibited by the initial portion of the data; and

enabling the initial portion of the data and a remaining portion of the data to be sequentially transmitted to the second device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second device decodes the initial portion of the data, and then decodes the remaining portion of the data.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the network is a HAVi-compatible network.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the device enables the initial portion of the data and the remaining portion of the data to be sequentially transmitted to the second device by:

transmitting the initial portion of the data to the second device; and

enabling the remaining portion of the data to be transmitted to the second device from the data source.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the device enables the initial portion of the data and the remaining portion of the data to be sequentially transmitted to the second device by:

transmitting the initial portion of the data to the second device; and

transmitting the remaining portion of the data to the second device.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the initial portion of the data and the remaining portion of the data comprise video data.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the initial portion of the data and the remaining portion of the data comprise audio data.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is a signal routing device.