Method of controlling connection between nodes in digital interface

• US 7,068,674 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2000
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Jae Yoon, Jang, Chang Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blount, Steve
• Application Number:
  US09/644,301
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.09, 725/121, 725/131, 725/95, 725/116, 370/282, 370/230, 370/443, 370/461, 370/477, 370/468, 370/432
• US Class Current: 370/432
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40058 Isochronous transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40065 Bandwidth and channel allocation home automation networks H04L12/2803; flow control H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections

Abstract

A method of controlling connection between nodes in a digital interface whereby a first node that is a master node determines a second node to be the master and controls a point-to-point connection or a broadcast connection to another node. The first node having the display device determines the second node to be the master in accordance with a user selection, and transmits a connection command of a predetermined format for transmitting a data stream to the second node. The second node determined as the master in accordance with the transmitted connection command of the predetermined format is allocated with a channel and a bandwidth from an isochronous resource manager (IRM), and performs a point-to-point connection between the second node and the first node to transmit the data stream. Thus, the transmission/reception, reproduction, and control of the data stream of the program can be smoothly performed.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a data stream among a plurality of nodes in a digital interface, the method comprising:

determining, at a first node of the plurality of nodes, that a second node is to be a master in accordance with a user selection, the user selection determining a connection for transmitting the data stream;

transmitting from the first node to the second node a connection command having a predetermined format;

allocating, using an isochronous resource manager, a channel for transmitting the data stream via the connection and a bandwidth for transmitting the data stream via the connection; and

transmitting the data stream by one of a point-to-point connection between the first and second nodes and a broadcast connection among the nodes, the point-by-point connection effecting a transmission from the second node to the first node and the broadcast connection effecting a transmission from the second node to at least one of the plurality of the nodes, the transmission occurring after a making of the connection according to the received connection command and before a breaking of the connection according to the received connection command;

wherein the predetermined format of the connection command of the comprises;

a subfunction field for indicating one of the point-to-point connection and the broadcast connection;

a connection field for indicating one of the making of the connection and the breaking of the connection;

a source node identification field for identifying a source node for transmitting the data stream; and

a destination node identification field for identifying a destination node for receiving the data stream.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting from the second node to the first node a response according to the received connection command, the transmitted response having a format corresponding to the received connection command.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transmitted response has a format coinciding with the predetermined format of the received connection command.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the format of the transmitted response comprises:

a bandwidth field for indicating a bandwidth allocation;

a source channel number field for indicating a channel allocation;

an output plug control register number field of the for indicating a source node

a destination channel number field for indicating a destination node channel; and

an input control register number field for indicating a destination node plug.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting from the first node to a third node of the plurality of nodes of a connection command having the predetermined format, and

transmitting the data stream from the second node to the third node according to the connection command received at the third node.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined format of the received connection command further comprises:

a bandwidth field for indicating the bandwidth allocation;

a source channel number field for indicating the channel allocation;

an output plug control register number field for indicating a source node plug;

a destination channel number field for indicating a destination node channel; and

an input plug control register number field for indicating a destination node plug.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first node has a display device for facilitating the user selection.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

setting an input plug control register of the destination node and an output plug control register of a source node.

9. A method of controlling a connection for transmitting a data stream from one of at least one device to a digital television the method comprising:

receiving from the digital television a connection command having a predetermined format;

transmitting to the digital television a response according to the received connection command;

allocating, using an isochronous resource manager, a channel for the connection and a bandwidth for the connection; and

setting an input plug control register of the digital television and an output plug control register of the one of the at least one device,

wherein the predetermined format of the received connection command comprises;

a subfunction field for indicating a first connection condition, the first connection condition being one of the connection as a point-to-point connection and the connection as a broadcast connection;

a connection field for indicating a second connection condition, the second connection condition being pone of making the connection and breaking the connection;

a source node identification field for identifying a source node for transmitting the data stream; and

a destination node identification field for identifying a destination node for receiving the data stream.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined format of the received connection command further comprises:

a bandwidth field for indicating the bandwidth allocation;

a source channel number field for indicating the channel allocation;

an output plug control register number field for indicating a destination node channel;

a destination channel number field for indicating a destination node channel; and

an input plug control register number field for indicating a destination node plug.

11. The method as claimed in of claim 9, wherein the transmitted response has a format corresponding to the received connection command.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transmitted response has a format of the received connection command.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the format of the transmitted response comprises:

a bandwidth field for indicating the bandwidth allocation;

a source channel number field for indicating the channel allocation;

an output plug control register number field for indicating a source node plug;

a destination channel number field for indicating a destination node plug; and

an input plug control register number field for indicating a destination node plug.

14. A method controlling connection for transmitting a data stream between at least two nodes in a digital interface, the method comprising:

receiving from a first node of the at least two nodes a connection command having a predetermined format;

transmitting to the first node of the at least two nodes a response according to the received connection command;

allocating, using an isochronous resource manager, a channel for the connection and bandwidth for the connection; and

setting an input plug control register of the first node of the at least two nodes and as output plug control register of a second node of the at least two nodes;

wherein the received connection command comprises;

a subfunction field for indicating a first connection condition being one of the connection as a point-to-point connection and the connection as a broadcast connection;

a connection field for indicating a second connection condition, the second connection condition being one of making the connection and breaking the connection;

a source node identification field for identifying a source node for transmitting the data stream; and

a destination node identification field for identifying a destination node for receiving the data stream.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the predetermined format of the received connection command further comprises:

a bandwidth field for indicating the bandwidth allocation;

a source channel number field for indicating the channel allocation;

an output plug control register number field for indicating a source node plug;

a destination channel number field for indicating a destination node channel; and

an input plug control register number field for indicating a destination node plug.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transmitted response has a format corresponding to the received connection command.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transmitted response has a format coinciding with the predetermined format of the received connection command.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the format of the transmitted response comprises:

a bandwidth field for indicating the bandwidth allocation;

a source channel number field for indicating the channel allocation;

an output plug control register number field for indicating a source node plug;

a destination channel number field for indicating a destination node channel; and

an input plug control register number field for indicating a destination node plug.