Plural interfaces in home network with first component having a first host bus width and second component having second bus width

• US 7,171,506 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart; Mark H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US10/779,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 710305-317, 710 58- 64, 710 36- 38, 710/72, 710 8- 19, 709201-203, 725/219, 725/74
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40058 Isochronous transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• 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 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires

Abstract

Universal network interfaces for a home network connect disparate components to the network, such as relatively complex components (TVs, computers) and relatively simple components (audio boom boxes).

Claims

1. A home entertainment network, comprising:

at least one network path;

at least a first component having a data bus of a first bus width;

at least a second component having a data bus of a second bus width, the second bus width being different from the first bus width; and

respective network interfaces connecting each component to the network path, wherein each network interface includes;

at least one data stream port;

at least one host bus interface communicating with a host bus of the respective component;

at feast one network communication port communicating with a common network backbone; and

at least one switch selectively connecting the network communication port to either the host bus interface or the at least one data stream port, wherein each network interface includes at least one packetizing/depacketizing component between the switch and the network communication port and at least one internal bus establishing at least a portion of a communication path between the host bus interface and the network communication port, whereby the host bus interface can communicate data directly to the network communication port, bypassing the packetizing/depacketizing component.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the host bus interface is configured to have a bus width equal to the bus width of the component with which it is associated.

3. The network of claim 1, further comprising a server having a third network interface communicating with the network, wherein the first component is a TV and the second component is an audio client component.

4. The network of claim 2, wherein the component configures the host bus interface.

5. First and second interfaces for communicating data in a home network having at least a server, a first component having a first host bus having a first bus width, and a second component having a second host bus having a second bus width, comprising:

the first interface including a host bus interface configured for communicating data with the first host bus and having the first bus width, the first interface also having at least one data port, a network port connectable to the network, and a switch selectively connecting the network port to either the host bus interface or data port; and

the second interface including a host bus interface configured for communicating data with the second host bus and having the second bus width, the second interface also having at least one data port, a network port connectable to the network, and a switch selectively connecting the network port to either the host bus interface or data port, the interfaces being identical in configuration and operation except for the configuration of the respective host bus interfaces, wherein each interface includes at least one packetizing/depacketizing component between the switch and the network port, wherein each interface includes at least one internal bus establishing at least a portion of a communication path between the host bus interface and the network part, whereby the host bus interface can communicate data directly to the network port, bypassing the packetizing/depacketizing component.

6. The interfaces of claim 5, wherein the host bus interface of each interface is configurable to have a bus width equal to the bus width of the component with which it is associated.

7. The interfaces of claim 5, wherein the first component is a TV and the second component is an audio client component.

8. The interfaces of claim 6, wherein the components configure the host bus interface of their respective interfaces.

9. A home entertainment system, comprising:

at least a first component having a first host bus with a first bus width and communicating with a network using a first universal network interface; and

at least a second component having a second host bus with a second bus width and communicating with a network using a second universal network interface, each universal network interface having a respective host bus interface configurable for communicating with a component host bus of the respective component, the universal network interfaces being identical to each other at least prior to configuration of the respective host bus interfaces, wherein each universal network interface includes at least one data stream port, at least one network communication port communicating with a common network backbone, and at least one switch selectively connecting the network communication port to either the host bus interface or the at least one data stream port, wherein each universal network interface includes at least one packetizing/depacketizing component between the switch and the network communication port, wherein each universal network interface includes at least one internal bus establishing at least a portion of a communication path between the host bus interface and the network communication port, whereby the host bus interface can communicate data directly to the network communication port, bypassing the packetizing/depacketizing component.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each component configures the bus width of the host bus interface of the respective universal network interface.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a server having a third network interface communicating with the network, wherein the first component is a TV and the second component is an audio client component.