Using multiple communication links in conjunction with a media adapter

• US 20050083975A1
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Macri, Dean P.
• Application Number:
  US10/689,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20050083975A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/486
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764

Abstract

A media adapter may include a wireless communication interface to receive video data from a remote program and a wired communication interface to send control data to the remote program. The media adapter may also include a display interface to direct the video data to a display device and an input interface to receive the control data for the remote program from a controller. A processor may be arranged to direct the video data to the display interface and to direct the control data to the wired communication interface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving video information from a remote program over a first communication link;

directing the video information to a display device;

receiving input information from an input device; and

sending the input information to the remote program over a second communication link that is different than the first communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decoding the video information before the directing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the input information over a second communication link is performed concurrently with the receiving video information over a first communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication link has a higher associated bandwidth than the second communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication link has a lower associated latency than the first communication link.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication link includes a wireless link, and

wherein the second communication link includes a wired link that operates over alternating current-carrying lines.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote program includes a video game or video display application executed on a remote computing device.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a first communication interface to receive output data from a remote program;

a second communication interface to send input data to the remote program;

an output interface to direct the output data to an output device;

an input interface to receive the input data from an input device; and

a processor arranged to direct the output data to the output interface and to direct the input data to the second communication interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first communication interface is arranged to communicate via a wireless link.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second communication interface is arranged to communicate via a wireless link.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second communication interface is arranged to communicate via a wired link.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first communication interface is arranged to communicate via a wired link.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second communication interface is arranged to communicate via a wired link.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second communication interface is arranged to communicate via a wired link.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the output interface is arranged to direct the output data to a display, and

wherein the input interface is arranged to receive the input data from a game controller.

16. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving high-bandwidth information from a remote program over a first communication link;

instructions for directing the high-bandwidth information to a display device;

instructions for receiving low-bandwidth information from an input device; and

instructions for sending the low-bandwidth information to the remote program over a second communication link that has a lower associated latency than the first communication link.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

instructions for decoding the high-bandwidth information prior to sending it to the display device.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the high-bandwidth information is video information, and

wherein the low-bandwidth information is control information.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the remote program is a video game or a video player program.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first communication link is a wireless communication link, and

wherein the second communication link is a wired communication link.

21. A media adapter, comprising:

a wireless communication interface to receive video data from a remote program;

a wired communication interface to send control data to the remote program;

a display interface to direct the video data to a display device;

an input interface to receive the control data for the remote program from a controller; and

a processor arranged to direct the video data to the display interface and to direct the control data to the wired communication interface.

22. The media adapter of claim 21, wherein processor is further arranged to direct the control data to the wired communication interface while directing the video data to the display device.

23. The media adapter of claim 21, wherein processor is further arranged to decode the video data before directing it to the display device.

24. The media adapter of claim 21, wherein processor is further arranged to encode the control data before directing it to the wired communication interface.

25. The media adapter of claim 21, further comprising:

another wireless communication interface to send video data to the remote program.