SINK APPARATUS, SOURCE APPARATUS, FUNCTION BLOCK CONTROL SYSTEM, SINK APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD, SOURCE APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD AND FUNCTION BLOCK CONTROL METHOD

• US 20140211097A1
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: OH, Sung-bo
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/730
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A sink apparatus, a source apparatus, a function block control system incorporating the sink and source, and related methods are provided. The source apparatus may be configured to analyze specification information related to and from the sink apparatus, generate a function block control signal for the sink apparatus based on the analyzed specification information and output properties of content to be transmitted, and transmit the generated function block control signal and the content to the sink apparatus. The sink apparatus may be configured to receive the function block control signal and content from the source apparatus, selectively turn on or off at least one function block from a plurality of function blocks according to the received function block control signal, and output the received content using at least one of the plurality of function blocks that remain on.

Claims

1. A sink apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit specification information related to the sink apparatus to a source apparatus, and receive content and a function block control signal from the source apparatus;

a controller configured to selectively turn on or off at least one function block among a plurality of function blocks of the sink apparatus according to the received function block control signal; and

an output unit configured to output the received content using at least one of the plurality of function blocks that remain on.

2. The sink apparatus of claim 1, wherein the specification information related to the sink apparatus comprises information related to the at least one function block of the sink apparatus.

3. The sink apparatus of claim 1, wherein the specification information is transmitted by being included in extended display identification data (EDID).

4. The sink apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one function block is at least one of a Wi-Fi function block, a USB function block, an input function block, an analog input function block, an Ethernet input function block, an audio function block, a video function block, and a three-dimensional (3D) function block.

5. A source apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive specification information related to the sink apparatus and transmit contents;

a control signal generator configured to generate a function block control signal related to the sink apparatus based on the received specification information and output properties of the content; and

a controller configured to control the transceiver to transmit the generated function block control signal to the sink apparatus.

6. The source apparatus of claim 5, wherein the function block control signal is included in a source product descriptor (SPD) info-frame.

7. The source apparatus of claim 5, wherein the function block control signal is transmitted to the sink apparatus by being synchronized with the content.

8. The source apparatus of claim 5, wherein the function block control signal comprises a control signal configured to turn off a video function block when the transmitted content is audio content.

9. A function block control system comprising:

a source apparatus configured to generate a function block control signal based on specification information received from a sink apparatus and output properties of content to be transmitted, and transmit the generated function block control signal and the content to the sink apparatus; and

the sink apparatus configured to receive the function block control signal and content from the source apparatus, selectively turn on or off at least one function block among a plurality of function blocks of the sink apparatus according to the received function block control signal, and output the received content using at least one of the plurality of function blocks that remain on.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the function block control system is based on a HDMI transmission standard.

11. A method for controlling a sink apparatus, the method comprising:

transmitting specification information related to the sink apparatus to a source apparatus;

receiving content and a function block control signal;

selectively turning on or off at least one function block among a plurality of function blocks of the sink apparatus according to the received function block control signal; and

outputting the received content using at least one of the plurality of function blocks that remain on.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the specification information related to the sink apparatus comprises information related to the at least one function block of the sink apparatus.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the specification information is transmitted by being included in extended display identification data (EDID).

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one function block is at least one of a Wi-Fi function block, a USB function block, an input function block, an analog input function block, an Ethernet input function block, an audio function block, a video function block, and a three-dimensional (3D) function block.

15. A method for controlling a source apparatus, the method comprising:

analyzing specification information received from a sink apparatus;

generating a function block control signal for the sink apparatus based on the analyzed specification information and output properties of the content; and

transmitting the content and the generated function block control signal to the sink apparatus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the function block control signal is included in a source product descriptor (SPD) info-frame.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the function block control signal is transmitted to the sink apparatus by being synchronized with the contents.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the function block control signal comprises a control signal turning off a video function block in response to the transmitted contents being audio content.

19. A method for controlling a function block, the method comprising:

analyzing, by a source apparatus, specification information related to and from a sink apparatus;

generating, by the source apparatus, a function block control signal for the sink apparatus based on the analyzed specification information and output properties of content;

transmitting, by the source apparatus, the generated function block control signal and the content to the sink apparatus; and

outputting, by the sink apparatus, the received content and selectively turning on or off at least one function block according to the received function block control signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the function block control method is based on at least one of a HDMI transmission standard, a DVI transmission standard, and a MHL transmission standard.

21. A sink apparatus comprising:

a plurality of function blocks configured to output content;

a transceiver configured to receive a function block control signal that is based on specification information related to the sink apparatus and that contains at least an on/off command for at least one of the plurality of function blocks; and

a controller configured to selectively turn on or off the at least one of the plurality of function blocks in response to the function block control signal.