Digital visual interface with audio and auxiliary data cross reference to related applications

• US 7,356,051 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Petilli, Stephen, Pasqualino, Christopher, Bauch, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US09/951,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20020136241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,400 Days
• Field of Search: 370/490, 370493-495, 370/509
• US Class Current: 370/490
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 2207/50 All digital phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/085 concerning mainly the frequency- or phase-detection arrangement including the filtering or amplification of its output signal H03L7/10 takes precedence; circuits for comparing the phase or frequency of two mutually-independent oscillations H03D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0991 the oscillator being a digital oscillator, e.g. composed of a fixed oscillator followed by a variable frequency divider H03L7/0995 takes precedence; fixed oscillators with means for selecting among various phases H03L7/0814
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0061 Error detection codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4908 using mBnB codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23602 Multiplexing isochronously with the video sync, e.g. according to bit-parallel or bit-serial interface formats, as SDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4342 Demultiplexing isochronously with video sync, e.g. according to bit-parallel or bit-serial interface formats, as SDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/083 with signal insertion during the vertical and the horizontal blanking interval , e.g. MAC data signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/169 Systems operating in the time domain of the television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/56 Synchronising systems therefor

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention uses an abbreviated blanking period, in comparison to the standard VESA and CEA-EIA blanking periods, in order to send data, including low bandwidth, non-timing information, over one or more channels of the digital video link. By shortening the blanking period, the amount of time available for sending data in each scan line is increased, enabling the system to send more data over each channel. The inactive video portion of a scan line sent during vertical sync may also be used to send additional digital data. Shortening the blanking periods and/or using the inactive video sections of the horizontal scan lines adds to the overall data capacity of the link and may be used to send other digital data, such as multi-channel audio, video, control, timing, closed captioning or other digital data.

Claims

1. A processing system for increasing digital data capacity of a digital video communications link, comprising:

at least one assembly device adapted to assemble a plurality of digital data streams into a single digital data stream;

a multiplexer adapted to multiplex the single digital data stream with a line of video data forming an aggregate digital data stream; and

at least one transmitter adapted to transmit said aggregate digital data stream and low bandwidth information on a single link, said low bandwidth information being transmitted during blanking periods associated with the aggregate digital data stream.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter transmits redundant low bandwidth information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said digital data stream comprises a digital audio data stream.

4. The system of claim 1 where said at least one assembly device comprises a FIFO circuit.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a receiver adapted to receive said aggregate digital data stream and said low bandwidth information.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a de-multiplexer adapted to demultiplex said aggregate digital data stream.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said low bandwidth information comprises non-timing information.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the digital data stream comprises a digital audio data stream and the low bandwidth information comprises audio length information.

9. A system for increasing a digital data capacity of a digital video communications link, said system comprising:

means for accepting video data and audio data and combining said video data and audio data into aggregate data that is compatible with a predetermined video timing standard; and

means for transmitting said aggregate data and low bandwidth information, on a single link.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said low bandwidth information is transmitted during at least one blanking period of said aggregate data.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said low bandwidth information comprises non-timing information.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the low bandwidth information comprises audio length information.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for splitting said aggregate data into said video data and said audio data using said low bandwidth information.

14. The system of claim 9 further comprising means for splitting said aggregate data into said video data and said audio data.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said means for transmitting said low bandwidth information comprises means for transmitting redundant low bandwidth information.

16. A method for increasing the digital data capacity of a digital video communications link, comprising:

decreasing the duration of a blanking interval associated with a line of video data to a duration less than industry standard blanking intervals;

combining a digital data stream with a line of video data; and

transmitting said digital data stream and low bandwidth information on a single link.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the digital data stream comprises an audio data stream.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said low bandwidth information comprises audio length information.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said low bandwidth information comprises non-timing information.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said transmitting occurs using bandwidth free by said decreasing.

21. The method of claim 16, including transmitting redundant low bandwidth information.