TRANSMISSION APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND TRANSMISSION METHOD

• US 20180034582A1
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakahara, Kentaro, Matsumoto, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,461,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/06 using capacity coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/04 Control of transmission; Equalising
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/50 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via two-conductor transmission lines H04B3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0023 characterised by the signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0272 Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission

Abstract

The present technology relates to a communication system, and a transmission method that a restoration time from a state that a transmission of a signal between AC-coupled apparatuses is suspended can be shortened without increasing a power consumption.

A first control signal is transmitted via the second signal line in a case where a transmission of the signal via the first signal line is restored from a suspended state, and that a transmission of a charging signal that charges an AC coupling capacitance serially connected to the first signal line via the first signal line is started before a timing when the transmission of the first control signal is ended. The present technology is applicable, for example, to a communication system in conformity with the eDP standard.

Claims

1. A transmission apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit that transmits a signal via a first signal line and a second signal line to a reception apparatus, the reception apparatus being AC-coupled via the first signal line; and

a communication control unit that controls transmission of the signal to the reception apparatus,

the communication control unit controlling such that a first control signal is transmitted via the second signal line in a case where a transmission of the signal via the first signal line is restored from a suspended state, and that a transmission of a charging signal that charges an AC coupling capacitance serially connected to the first signal line via the first signal line is started before a timing when the transmission of the first control signal is ended.

2. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication control unit controls such that a second control signal is transmitted via the first signal line before the transmission of the signal via the first signal line is suspended.

3. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the transmission apparatus and the reception apparatus perform transmission of a signal in accordance with an Embedded DisplayPort standard,

the first control signal is an AUX_PHY_WAKE signal, and

the second control signal is an ML_PHY_SLEEP signal or an ML_PHY_STANDBY signal.

4. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication control unit starts transmissions of the first control signal and the charging signal at the same time.

5. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication control unit starts the transmission of the charging signal before a predetermined time to start the transmission of the first control signal or after a predetermined time from the start of the transmission of the first control signal.

6. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication control unit ends the transmissions of the first control signal and the charging signal at the same time.

7. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bias circuit that maintains potential of the first signal line at a transmission apparatus side from the capacitance at predetermined potential,

the bias circuit suspending an operation during a downtime of the transmission of the signal via the first signal line.

8. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first signal line is constituted of a pair of two signal lines, and

the communication unit transmits a differential signal via the first signal line.

9. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

the capacitance.

10. A transmission method, by a transmission apparatus connected to a reception apparatus via a first signal line and a second signal line and AC-coupled to the reception apparatus via the first signal line, comprising:

transmitting a predetermined control signal via the second signal line in a case where a transmission of the signal via the first signal line is restored from a suspended state; and

starting a transmission of a charging signal that charges an AC coupling capacitance serially connected to the first signal line via the first signal line before a timing when the transmission of the control signal is ended.

11. A communication system, comprising:

a transmission apparatus; and

a reception apparatus connected to the transmission apparatus via a first signal line and a second signal line and AC-coupled to the transmission apparatus via the first signal line,

the transmission apparatus including

a communication unit that transmits a signal via a first signal line and a second signal line to the reception apparatus, and

a communication control unit that controls transmission of the signal to the reception apparatus,

the communication control unit controlling such that a first control signal is transmitted via the second signal line in a case where a transmission of the signal via the first signal line is restored from a suspended state, and that a transmission of a charging signal that charges an AC coupling capacitance serially connected to the first signal line via the first signal line is started before a timing when the transmission of the first control signal is ended.