Device and method for switching receiving/recording device in a broadcasting connection/point-to-point connection bus enviroment

• US 6,804,734 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kimura, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Justin
• Application Number:
  US09/789,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20010025327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710/104, 710/105, 710/106, 710/124, 710/8, 710/72, 700/3, 709/203, 709/220, 709/223, 348/559, 382/232, 340/825.22
• US Class Current: 710/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4269 using a handshaking protocol, e.g. Centronics connection

Abstract

An information processing device, method thereof and a recording medium for easily switching input signals. A broadcast connection and a point-to-point connection are established between the receive device and the transmit device. When the user commands the canceling of the P.P. connection established for the receive device or the transmit device, only the broadcast connection remains established. In this state, the user receives signals on a receive device sent from the desired transmit device, and commands the restoring of the P.P. connection with the desired transmit device. The switching of input signals to the receive device is in this way performed by temporarily canceling the P.P. connection.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising:

a plurality of external devices connected to each other via a bus, said bus including a plurality of channels;

wherein said plurality of external devices includes at least one receiving device and at least two transmitting devices;

selection means for allowing a user of said at least one receiving device to select at least one of said two transmitting devices;

first establishing means for establishing concurrently a point-to-point connection and a broadcast connection between said at least said one receiving device and said one of said at least two transmitting devices on at least one of said plurality of channels of said bus; and

switching means for allowing said user of said at least one receiving device to switch to a second of said at least two transmitting devices by canceling the point-to-point connection established by said first establishing means and permitting only said broadcast connection established by said first establishing means in order to perform desired operations when said switch occurs.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said information processing device further comprises a second establishing means for establishing on at least one of said plurality of channels, said point-to-point connection canceled during said switch to said second of said at least two transmitting devices.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein said information processing device further comprises a timer, and after a specified amount of time elapses after signals are received from other external devices of said broadcast connection, a point-to-point connection is automatically established by said second establishing means on said broadcast connection.

4. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein said device for establishing said point-to-point connection by said second establishing means is the device with said point-to-point connection established by said first establishing means, a device that outputs information input when said point-to-point connection was established by said second establishing means, or is a device specified by the user.

5. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein said information processing device further comprises memory means from among at least one of:

information relating to said device with said broadcast connection and said point-to-point connection established by said first establishing means, information relating to a device exchanging data with said broadcast connection established when said point-to-point connection was canceled during said switch to said second of said at least two transmitting devices, and information relating to a device with said point-to-point connection established by said second establishing means.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said information processing device further comprises display means showing a menu for selecting external equipment to establish said broadcast connection and said point-to-point connection by said first establishing means.

7. An information processing method, comprising:

a plurality of external devices connected to each other via a bus, said bus including a plurality of channels;

wherein said plurality of external devices includes at least one receiving device and at least two transmitting devices;

a selecting step for allowing a user of said at least one receiving device to select at least one of said two transmitting devices;

a first establishing step for establishing concurrently a point-to-point connection and a broadcast connection between said at least said one receiving device and said one of said at least two transmitting devices on at least one of said plurality of channels of said bus; and

a switching step for allowing said user of said at least one receiving device to switch to a second of said at least two transmitting devices by canceling the point-to-point connection established by said first establishing step and permitting only said broadcast connection established by said first establishing step in order to perform desired operations when said switch occurs.

8. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein said information processing method further comprises a second establishing step for establishing on at least one of said plurality of channels, said point-to-point connection canceled during said switch to said second of said at least two transmitting devices.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said information processing method further comprises a counting step for counting the time, and after a specified amount of time elapses after signals are received from other external devices of said broadcast connection, a point-to-point connection is automatically established by said second establishing step on said broadcast connection.

10. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said device for establishing said point-to-point connection by said second establishing step is the device with said point-to-point connection established by said first establishing step, a device that outputs the information input when said point-to-point connection was established by said second establishing step, or is a device specified by the user.

11. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein said information processing method further comprises a storage step for storing at least one from among:

information relating to said device with said broadcast connection and said point-to-point connection established by said first establishing step, information relating to a device exchanging data with said broadcast connection established when said point-to-point connection was canceled during said switch to said second of said at least two transmitting devices, and information relating to said device with said point-to-point connection established by said second establishing step.

12. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein said information processing method comprises a display step showing a menu for selecting external equipment for establishing said broadcast connection and said point-to-point connection by said first establishing step.

13. A recording medium recorded with a program capable of being loaded by a computer, wherein said program comprises:

a plurality of external devices connected to each other via a bus, said bus including a plurality of channels;

wherein said plurality of external devices includes at least one receiving device and at least two transmitting devices;

a selecting step for allowing a user of said at least one receiving device to select at least one of said two transmitting devices;

a first establishing step establishes a point-to-point connection and a broadcast connection between at least said device and said one of said at least two transmitting devices on at least one of said plurality of channels of said bus; and

a switching step for allowing said user of said at least one receiving device to switch to a second of said at least two transmitting devices by canceling the point-to-point connection established by said first establishing step and permitting only said broadcast connection established by said first establishing means in order to perform desired operations when said switch occurs.

14. The recording medium according to claim 13, wherein said program further comprises a second establishing step for establishing on at least one of said plurality of channels, said point-to-point connection canceled during said switch to said second of said at least two transmitting devices.