INFORMATION DEVICE INCLUDING MAIN PROCESSING CIRCUIT, INTERFACE CIRCUIT, AND MICROCOMPUTER

• US 20100191883A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Koyama, Masayuki, Arakawa, Takahiko, Ando, Tomoko, Nagano, Hideo, Hatakenaka, Makoto, Muramatsu, Kikuo, Higashida, Motoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/106
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

An information device packaged in one package includes a main function unit and an interface function unit. The main function unit includes a main processing circuit for executing signal processing related to a main function in the information device and a first microcomputer for controlling the main processing circuit by executing a first firmware program. The interface function unit includes an interface function unit including a first interface circuit for receiving data from an exterior device located outside of the information device to provide to the main function unit, a second interface circuit for performing an authentication operation with the exterior device, a second microcomputer for controlling the first interface circuit, and a memory for storing a second firmware program for controlling the first interface circuit.

Claims

1. An information device packaged in one package, comprising:

a main function unit including a main processing circuit for executing signal processing related to a main function in said information device and a first microcomputer for controlling said main processing circuit by executing a first firmware program; and

an interface function unit including a first interface circuit for receiving data from an exterior device located outside of said information device to provide to said main function unit, a second interface circuit for performing an authentication operation with the exterior device, a second microcomputer for controlling said first interface circuit, and a memory for storing a second firmware program for controlling said first interface circuit,

wherein said second microcomputer downloads said second firmware from said memory by executing a download program, and controlling said authentication operation of said second interface circuit,

wherein said interface function unit is subjected to a single-chip process separately from said main function unit,

wherein said first interface circuit and said second microcomputer are connected to each other by using a parallel interface, and

wherein said first interface circuit is an interface circuit conforming to HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface).

2. The information device according to claim 1,

wherein said first interface circuit receives an externally input video signal and an externally input audio signal corresponding to said video signal to output said video signal and said audio signal in parallel, said information device further comprising a lip-sync circuit for adjusting the timing between said video signal and said audio signal output in parallel from said first interface circuit, said lip-sync circuit being subjected to the single-chip process together with said first interface circuit and said second microcomputer.

3. The information device according to claim 1,

wherein said first interface circuit includes a receiver circuit for receiving an external signal to output said external signal, and a transmitter circuit for outputting a signal output from said receiver circuit to the outside of said information device.

4. The information device according to claim 1,

wherein said second microcomputer has the function of communicating with said first microcomputer.

5. The information device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of input ports for receiving respective external signals; and

a switch circuit for selecting one of the external signals input to said plurality of input ports to output a selected signal to said first interface circuit, said switch circuit being subjected to the single-chip process together with said first interface circuit and said second microcomputer.

6. The information device according to claim 1,

wherein said first interface circuit receives an encrypted signal input from the outside of said information device, decrypts said encrypted signal, and outputs the decrypted signal, said information device further comprising a watermarking circuit for embedding a watermark into a signal output from said first interface circuit to output the resultant signal, said watermarking circuit being subjected to the single-chip process together with said first interface circuit and said second microcomputer.