Digital interconnects of a PC with consumer electronics devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer comprising:
- a housing;
a processor positioned in the housing; and
an external bus adapter configured to allow the processor to access consumer electronics devices positioned outside of the housing using an external bus, and wherein the external bus is an IEEE 1394 bus; and
wherein the processor is configured to;
produce a first digital audio signal,mix the first digital audio signal with a second digital audio signal to produce a unified digital audio signal, andtransmit the unified digital audio signal to a consumer electronics device using the external bus.
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Abstract
A computer includes a housing, a processor positioned in the housing, and an external bus adapter configured to allow the processor to access consumer electronics devices positioned outside of the housing using an external bus. The processor is configured to produce a first digital audio signal, to mix the first digital audio signal with a second digital audio signal to produce a unified digital audio signal, and to transmit the unified digital audio signal to a consumer electronics device using the external bus.
371 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer comprising:
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a housing; a processor positioned in the housing; and an external bus adapter configured to allow the processor to access consumer electronics devices positioned outside of the housing using an external bus, and wherein the external bus is an IEEE 1394 bus; and wherein the processor is configured to; produce a first digital audio signal, mix the first digital audio signal with a second digital audio signal to produce a unified digital audio signal, and transmit the unified digital audio signal to a consumer electronics device using the external bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer system comprising:
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an eternal bus; a computer including; a housing, a processor positioned in the housing, and an external bus adapter connected between the processor and the external bus and configured to allow the processor to access consumer electronics devices positioned outside of the housing using the external bus, and wherein the processor is configured to produce a first digital audio signal in a format suitable for transmission on the external bus, and wherein the first digital audio signal includes multiple channels encoded as a single digital signal, and transmit the first digital audio signal to a consumer electronics device using the external bus; and a converter positioned outside of the housing of the computer and connected between the external bus and the consumer electronics device, and wherein the converter is configured to receive the first digital audio signal from the external bus, convert the first digital audio signal to a second digital audio signal having a format suitable for use by the consumer electronics device, and wherein the second digital audio signal includes a separate distal signal for each of the multiple channels, and provide the second digital audio signal to the consumer electronics device. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A computer system comprising:
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an external bus; a converter connected to the bus and configured to receive a first digital signal from the external bus, to convert the first digital signal to a second digital signal, and to transmit the second digital signal on the external bus, and wherein the first digital audio signal includes multiple channels encoded as a single digital signal, and wherein the second digital audio signal includes a separate digital signal for each of the multiple channels; and a computer including; a housing, a processor positioned in the housing, and an external bus adapter connected between the processor and the external bus and configured to allow the processor to access consumer electronics devices positioned outside of the housing using the external bus. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A computer comprising:
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a housing; a processor positioned in the housing; and an external bus adapter configured to allow the processor to access consumer electronics devices positioned outside of the housing using an external bus and wherein the external bus is an IEEE 1394 bus; and wherein the processor is configured to; produce a digital command signal for changing an operating parameter of a consumer electronics device, and transmit the digital command signal to the consumer electronics device using the external bus. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of obtaining control information for a consumer electronics devices in a system in which a computer accesses consumer electronics devices using an external bus, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing control information for the consumer electronics device in a read only memory of the consumer electronics device, attaching the consumer electronics device to an IEEE 1394 external bus, controlling the computer to query the read only memory of the consumer electronics device, transmitting the control information from the consumer electronics device to the computer using the external bus, and controlling the computer to store the control information upon receipt of the control information from the external bus.
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16. A digitally interconnected entertainment system comprising:
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a plurality of consumer electronics devices; a digital communications bus connected to said plurality of consumer electronics devices, said bus transferring digital audio data to and from said plurality of consumer electronics devices; and a computer system connected to the digital communication bus and adapted to receive digital audio data from at least one of said consumer electronics devices and to send digital audio data to at least one other consumer electronics device, said compeller system comprising; a central processing unit; means for digitally connecting said central processing unit to said digital communications bus; and said central processing unit comprising program means for digitally mixing first and second digital audio signals to produce a unified digital audio signal, and for transmitting the unified digital audio signal to said at least one other consumer electronics device to produce an analog audio stream with negligible degradation of audio quality due to the digital mixing and transmitter to said at least one other consumer electronics device.
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17. A digitally interconnected entertainment system comprising:
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at least one consumer electronics device; a digital communications bus interconnecting said at least one consumer electronics device and a computer system, said bus transferring digital audio data to and from said at least one consumer electronics device; and said computer system being adapted to send digital audio data to said at least one consumer electronics device, said computer system comprising; means for digitally connecting said computer system to said digital communications bus; and program means for digitally mixing first and second digital audio signals to produce a unified digital audio signal, and for transmitting the unified digital audio signal to said at least one consumer electronics device to produce an analog audio stream with negligible degradation of audio quality. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification