Signal processing system, signal output device, signal receiving device, and communication control mehtod

• US 20040225756A1
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyano, Michio, Kato, Junji, Sato, Makoto, Kikkawa, Norifumi, Kageyama, Yuichi
• Application Number:
  US10/479,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units

Abstract

The present invention relates to a signal processing system, and proposes the establishment of a proper signal path between a signal output device and a signal input device. A signal output device 4, when an establishment request signal requesting the establishment of a signal path is sent to a signal input device 5, sends the establishment request signal to the signal input device 5 with signal path information according to a signal path inside the signal output device attached thereto, and the signal input device 5 establishes the signal path between the signal output device 4 and the signal input device 5 based on the signal path information, thus making it possible to establish a proper signal path between the signal output device 4 and the signal input device 5

Claims

1. A signal processing system constructed by connecting a signal output device, a signal input device, and a control device to a prescribed network for establishing a signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device in response to a request of said control device and for inputting data signals outputted from said signal output device into said signal input device through said signal path, wherein:

said signal output device comprises

establishment request means for, when an establishment request signal requesting the establishment of said signal path is sent to said signal input device, sending said establishment request signal to said signal input device with signal path information according to a signal path inside said signal output device attached to said establishment request signal; and

said signal input device comprises

establishment means for establishing said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device based on said signal path information.

2. The signal processing system according to claim 1, wherein

said establishment request means sends said establishment request signal to said signal input device depending on the operation state of said signal output device.

3. The signal processing system according to claim 2, wherein

said establishment request means judges in response to a request of said control device whether said signal output device is in a state where it should establish said signal path, and if it is judged that said signal path should be established, transmits said establishment request signal to said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be established, transmits said establishment request signal to said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be established.

4. The signal processing system according to claim 1, wherein

said establishment means, when receiving said establishment request signal sent from said signal output device, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device depending on the operation state of said signal input device.

5. The signal processing system according to claim 4, wherein

said establishment means, when receiving said establishment request signal sent from said signal output device, judges whether said signal input device is in a state where said signal path should be established, and if it is judged that said signal path should be established, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be established, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be established.

6. The signal processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

said signal output device comprises

cancellation request means for sending a cancellation request signal requesting the cancellation of said signal path when it is judged based on own operation state that said signal path should be cancelled, under such a state that said signal path is established between said signal output device and said signal input device; and

said signal input device comprises

cancellation means for, when receiving said cancellation request signal sent from said signal output device, canceling said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device depending on own operation state.

7. The signal processing system according to claim 6, wherein

said cancellation means, when receiving said cancellation request signal sent from said signal output device, judges whether said signal input device is in a state where said signal path should be cancelled, and if it is judged that said signal path should be cancelled, cancels said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be cancelled, cancels said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be cancelled.

8. The signal processing system to claim 1, wherein

said control device is united with said signal output device or said signal input device.

9. The signal processing system according to claim 1, wherein

said network is constructed by an IEEE1394 serial bus.

10. A signal output device of a signal processing system constructed by connecting a signal output device, a signal input device and a control device to a prescribed network for establishing a signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device in response to a request of said control device and for inputting data signals outputted from said signal output device into said signal input device through said signal path, said signal output device comprising

establishment request means for, when an establishment request signal requesting the establishment of said signal path is sent to said signal input device, sending said establishment request signal to said signal input device with signal path information according to a signal path inside said signal output device attached to said establishment request signal.

13. The signal output device according to claim 10, comprising

cancellation request means for, when it is judged based on the operation state of said signal output device that said signal path should be cancelled, under such a state that said signal path is established between said signal output device and said signal input device, sending a cancellation request signal requesting the cancellation of said signal path.

14. The signal output device according to claim 10, wherein

said control device is united with said signal output device.

15. The signal output device according to claim 10, wherein

said network is constructed by an IEEE1394 serial bus.

11. The signal output device according to Clam 10, wherein

said establishment request means sends said establishment request signal to said signal input device depending on the operation state of said signal output device.

12. The signal output device according to claim 11, wherein

said establishment request means judges in response to a request of said control device whether said signal output device is in a state where said signal path should be established, and if it is judged that said signal path should be established, sends said establishment request signal to said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be established, sends said establishment request signal to said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be established.

16. A signal input device of a signal processing system constructed by connecting a signal output device, a signal input device, and a control device to a prescribed network for establishing a signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device in response to a request of said control device and for inputting data signals outputted from said signal output device into said signal input device through said signal path, said signal input device comprising

establishment means for establishing a logical signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device based on signal path information.

17. The signal input device according to claim 16, wherein

said establishment means, when receiving an establishment request signal sent from said signal output device, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device depending on the operation state of said signal input device.

18. The signal input device according to claim 17, wherein

said establishment means, when receiving said establishment request signal sent from said signal output device, judges whether said signal input device is in a state where said signal path should be established, and if it is judged that said signal path should be established, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be established, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be established.

19. The signal input device according to claim 16, comprising

cancellation means for, when receiving a cancellation request signal sent from said signal output device, canceling said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device depending on the operation state of said signal input device.

20. The signal input device according to claim 19, wherein

said cancellation means, when receiving said cancellation request signal sent from said signal output device, judges whether said signal input device is in a state where said signal path should be cancelled, and if it is judged that said signal path should be cancelled, cancels said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be cancelled, cancels said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be cancelled.

21. The signal input device according to claim 16, wherein

said control device is united with said signal input device.

22. The signal input device according to claim 16, wherein

said network is constructed by an IEEE1394 serial bus.

23. A communication control method of a signal processing system constructed by connecting a signal output device, a signal input device and a control device to a prescribed network for establishing a signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device in response to a request of said control device and for inputting data signals outputted from said signal output device into said signal input device through said signal path, wherein:

said signal output device comprises

an establishment request step of, when an establishment request signal requesting the establishment of said signal path is sent to said signal input device, sending said establishment request signal to said signal input device with signal path information according to a signal path inside said signal output device attached to said establishment request signal; and

said signal input device comprises

an establishment step of establishing said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device based on said signal path information.

24. The communication control method according to claim 23, wherein

said establishment request step sends said establishment request signal to said signal input device depending on the operation state of said signal output device.

25. The communication control method according to claim 24, wherein

said establishment request step judges in response to a request of said control device whether said signal output device is in a state where said signal path should be established, and if it is judged that said signal path should be established, sends said establishment request signal to said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be established, sends said establishment request signal to said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be established.

26. The communication control method according to claim 23, wherein

said establishment step, when receiving said establishment request signal sent from said signal output device, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device depending on the operation state of said signal input device.

27. The communication control method according to claim 26, wherein

said establishment step, when receiving said establishment request signal sent from said signal output device, judges whether said signal input device is in a state where said signal path should be established, and if it is judged that said signal path should be established, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be established, establishes said signal path between said signal output device and said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be established.

28. The communication control method according to claim 23, wherein:

said signal output device comprises

a cancellation request step of, when it is judged based on own operation state that said signal path should be cancelled, under such a state that said signal path is established between said signal output device and said signal input device, sending a cancellation request signal requesting the cancellation of said signal path; and

said signal input device comprises

a cancellation step of, when receiving said cancellation request signal sent from said signal output device, canceling said signal path established between said signal output device and said input device depending on own operation state.

29. The communication control method according to claim 28, wherein

said cancellation step, when receiving said cancellation request signal sent from said signal output device, judges whether said signal input device is in a state where said signal path should be cancelled, and if it is judged that said signal path should be cancelled, cancels said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device, and if it is judged that said signal path should not be cancelled, cancels said signal path established between said signal output device and said signal input device after the state is changed to the one where said signal path should be cancelled.

30. The communication control method according to claim 28, wherein

said control device is united with said signal output device or said signal input device.

31. The communication control method according to claim 28, wherein

said network is constructed by an IEEE1394 serial bus.