Streaming Audio Visual Content Simultaneously to Different Topologies on a Wireless Adapter

• US 20130042291A1
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kambhatla, Srikanth
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/127
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817

Abstract

A source of video data may be coupled to a plurality of sinks using a wireless branch device with more than one connector. Numbers may be assigned to the connectors in a sequence depending on the wireless technology used by each connector. Examples of wireless technologies include DisplayPort, HDMI, and Wireless Gigabit Alliance. Sinks coupled to the branch device are interrogated to determine the number of connectors and each connector'"'"'s wireless technology.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

wirelessly coupling a source of video data to a plurality of sinks using a branch device with more than one connector;

assigning numbers to said connectors in a sequence depending on an interface technology used by each connector; and

interrogating sinks coupled to said branch device to determine a number of connectors and each connector'"'"'s wireless technology.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning numbers includes numbering connectors compliant with the DisplayPort standard before connectors compliant with the HDMI standard.

3. The method of claim 2 including numbering integrated Wireless Gigabit Alliance standard compliant sinks after numbering any DisplayPort or HDMI compliant connectors.

4. The method of claim 2 including assigning numbers that increase monotonously and without any gaps.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the connectors include connectors compliant with both the DisplayPort and HDMI standards.

6. The method of claim 5 including integrated Wireless Gigabit Alliance sinks coupled to said branch device.

7. The method of claim 1 including interrogating the sinks for the maximum number of daisy-chained DisplayPort sinks that can be activated for downstream connectors.

8. The method of claim 1 including assigning numbers to said connectors using passthrough packets.

9. The method of claim 8 including using a connector number and a passthrough packet to enable the source to identify a set of devices downstream from a given connector.

10. The method of claim 9 including using the number assigned to a connector as an address to identify a port on said branch device on which a message is to be sent.

11. The method of claim 10 including extending DisplayPort addresses with Endpoint Index numbers to virtualize DisplayPort addresses to span both wireless and DisplayPort interfaces.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to enable a computer to:

wirelessly couple a source of video data to a plurality of sinks using a branch device with more than one connector;

assign numbers to said connectors in a sequence depending on an interface technology used by each connector; and

interrogate sinks coupled to the branch device to determine a number of connectors and each connector'"'"'s wireless technology.

13. The medium of claim 12 further storing instructions to number connectors compliant with the DisplayPort standard before connectors compliant with the HDMI standard.

14. The medium of claim 13 further storing instructions to number integrated Wireless Gigabit Alliance standard compliant sinks after numbering any DisplayPort or HDMI compliant connectors.

15. The medium of claim 13 further storing instructions to assign numbers that increase monotonously and without any gaps.

16. The medium of claim 12 further storing instructions to interrogate the sinks for the maximum number of daisy-chained DisplayPort sinks that can be activated for downstream connectors.

17. The medium of claim 12 further storing instructions to assign numbers to said connectors through pass-through packets.

18. The medium of claim 17 further storing instructions to use a connector number and a pass-through packet to enable the source to identify a set of devices downstream from a given connector.

19. The medium of claim 18 further storing instructions to use the number assigned to a connector as an address to identify a port on said branch device on which said message is to be sent.

20. The medium of claim 19 further storing instructions to extend DisplayPort addresses with Endpoint Index numbers to virtualize DisplayPort addresses to span both wireless and DisplayPort interfaces.

21. A branch device comprising:

a processor to wirelessly couple a source of video data to a plurality of sinks;

said device including more than one connector;

said processor to assign numbers to said connectors in a sequence depending on an interface technology used by each connector and to interrogate sinks coupled to said branch device to determine a number of connectors and each connector'"'"'s wireless technology.

22. The device of claim 21, said processor to number connectors compliant with the DisplayPort standard before connectors compliant with the HDMI standard.

23. The device of claim 22, said processor to number integrated Wireless Gigabit Alliance standard compliant sinks after numbering any DisplayPort or HDMI compliant connectors.

24. The device of claim 22, said processor to assign numbers that increase monotonously and without any gaps.

25. The device of claim 21 including connectors compliant with both the DisplayPort and HDMI standards.

26. The device of claim 21, said processor to interrogate sinks for the maximum number of daisy-chained DisplayPort sinks that could be activated for downstream connectors.

27. The device of claim 21, said processor to assign numbers to said connectors using pass-through packets.

28. The device of claim 27, said processor to use a connector number and a pass-through packet to enable the source to identify a set of devices downstream from a given connector.

29. The device of claim 28, said processor to use the number assigned to a connector as an address to identify a port on said branch device on which said message is to be sent.

30. The device of claim 29, said processor to extend DisplayPort addresses with Endpoint Index numbers to virtualize DisplayPort addresses to span both wireless and DisplayPort interfaces.