Signal processing device, housing rack, and connector

• US 7,859,601 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Tetsujiro
• Primary Examiner(s): YENKE, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US10/297,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,182 Days
• Field of Search: 348/552, 348718-721, 348/789, 348/838, 348/839
• US Class Current: 348/789
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 11/24 High-definition television systems
• 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 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/14 Picture signal circuitry for video frequency region cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7908 Suppression of interfering signals at the reproducing side, e.g. noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A signal processing system with multiple electronic apparatus. A controller checks and determines whether or not the electronic apparatus are electrically connected and are compliant for performing a cooperative signal processing. For example, when a TV signal processor is not connected to another apparatus, a signal processing circuit performs normal signal processing. When the TV signal processor is connected to another compliant apparatus, the TV signal processor cooperates with the compliant electronic apparatus as if they were a single apparatus and performs optimal processing of an input signal. In an ID table stored in the controller, processing information concerning processing tasks to be shared with the compliant electronic apparatus is associated with the function ID of the compliant electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. A signal processing apparatus for processing an input signal, comprising:

signal processing means for processing the input signal, the signal processing means having predetermined functions;

determining means for determining whether a second apparatus is connected; and

control means for changing the function of the signal processing means in a first mode when the second apparatus is connected and is compliant to a function in which the signal processing means functions in optimal cooperation with the second apparatus, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing means in a second mode when the second apparatus is connected and non-compliant, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing means in a third mode when the second apparatus is not connected,

wherein compliancy is determined based on whether a returned function ID in response to a compliancy determination is received, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus has an ID table comprising a plurality of function IDs, each of the plurality of function IDs is associated with processing information comprising processing tasks to be shared between the signal processing device and a connected compliant second apparatus,

wherein, when the second apparatus is connected, the signal processing apparatus requests a function ID, and when a function ID is received, the signal processing apparatus refers to the function ID table to retrieve the processing information associated with the received function ID, and

wherein a function of the signal processing apparatus and a function of the second apparatus is changed in accordance with the processing information retrieved, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus changes from performing a plurality of tasks simultaneously to performing less tasks after a connections to the connected compliant apparatus.

2. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the input signal is processed by the signal processing means and the second apparatus.

3. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control means changes the function of the signal processing means to improve the quality of an output signal generated by the signal processing means and the second apparatus in the first mode to be higher than the quality of an output signal generated by independent processing of the signal processing means or the second apparatus.

4. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit changes the function of the signal processing unit to improve the quality of an output signal generated by the signal processing unit and the second apparatus in the first mode to be higher than the quality of an output signal generated by independent processing of the signal processing unit or the second apparatus.

5. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the signal processing means includes:

prediction tap extracting means for extracting, from the input signal, prediction taps for use in computing a predetermined predicted value;

class tap extracting means for extracting, from the input signal, a class tap for use in performing predetermined classification;

classification means for performing the classification on the basis of the class tap;

tap coefficient obtaining means for obtaining tap coefficients corresponding to a class code generated as a result of the classification, the tap coefficients being generated by learning; and

prediction means for computing the predetermined predicted value on the basis on the tap coefficients corresponding to the class code and the prediction taps.

6. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein a plurality of types of tap coefficients is prepared by learning by changing teacher data, which is model data in the learning processing, or student data, which is used in the learning processing to be converted to be much the same as the model data, and

the control means changes the function of the signal processing means by controlling the type of tap coefficients to be used by the signal processing means.

7. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising storage means for storing the plurality of types of tap coefficients.

8. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control means downloads a necessary type of tap coefficients from the outside.

9. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control means changes the function of the signal processing means by controlling the structure of the prediction taps or the class tap to be used by the signal processing means.

10. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a storage unit for storing the plurality of types of tap coefficients.

11. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit downloads a necessary type of tap coefficients from the outside.

12. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit changes the function of the signal processing unit by controlling the structure of the prediction taps or the class tap to be used by the signal processing unit.

13. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein a plurality of types of tap coefficients is prepared by learning by changing teacher data, which is model data in the learning processing, or student data, which is used in the learning processing to be converted to be much the same as the model data, and

the control unit changes the function of the signal processing unit by controlling the type of tap coefficients to be used by the signal processing unit.

14. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control means changes the function of the signal processing means on the basis of a function of the second apparatus.

15. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the control means receives function information indicating the function of the second apparatus from the second apparatus and changes the function of the signal processing means on the basis of the function information.

16. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the control unit receives function information indicating the function of the second apparatus from the second apparatus and changes the function of the signal processing unit on the basis of the function information.

17. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising supplying means for supplying function information indicating the function of the signal processing means to the second apparatus.

18. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the input signal is processed by the signal processing unit and the second apparatus.

19. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the signal processing unit includes:

a prediction tap extracting unit for extracting, from the input signal, prediction taps for use in computing a predetermined predicted value;

a class tap extracting unit for extracting, from the input signal, a class tap for use in performing predetermined classification;

a classification unit for performing the classification on the basis of the class tap;

a tap coefficient obtaining unit for obtaining tap coefficients corresponding to a class code generated as a result of the classification, the tap coefficients being generated by learning; and

a prediction unit for computing the predetermined predicted value on the basis on the tap coefficients corresponding to the class code and the prediction taps.

20. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit changes the function of the signal processing unit on the basis of a function of the second apparatus.

21. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a supplying unit for supplying function information indicating the function of the signal processing unit to the second apparatus.

22. A signal processing method for a signal processing apparatus for processing an input signal, comprising:

a signal processing step of processing the input signal, the signal processing step having a predetermined function;

a determining step of determining whether a second apparatus is connected; and

a control step for changing the function of the signal processing step in a first mode when the second apparatus is connected and is compliant to a function in which the signal processing step functions in optimal cooperation with the second apparatus, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing step in a second mode when the second apparatus is connected and non-compliant, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing step in a third mode in which the second apparatus is not connected,

wherein compliancy is determined based on whether a returned function ID in response to a compliancy determination is received, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus has an ID table comprising a plurality of function IDs, each of the plurality of function IDs is associated with processing information comprising processing tasks to be shared between the signal processing device and a connected compliant second apparatus,

wherein, when the second apparatus is connected, the signal processing apparatus requests a function ID, and when a function ID is received, the signal processing apparatus refers to the function ID table to retrieve the processing information associated with the received function ID, and

wherein a function of the signal processing apparatus and a function of the second apparatus is changed in accordance with the processing information retrieved, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus changes from performing a plurality of tasks simultaneously to performing less tasks after a connections to the connected compliant apparatus.

23. A non-transitory recording medium having recorded therein a program for causing a computer to perform signal processing for processing an input signal, the program comprising:

a signal processing step of processing the input signal, the signal processing step having a predetermined function;

a determining step of determining whether a second apparatus is connected; and

a control step for changing the function of the signal processing step in a first mode when the second apparatus is connected and is compliant to a function in which the signal processing step functions in optimal cooperation with the second apparatus, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing step when in a second mode when the second apparatus is connected and non-compliant, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing step in a third mode when the second apparatus is not connected,

wherein compliancy is determined based on whether a returned function ID in response to a compliancy determination is received, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus has an ID table comprising a plurality of function IDs, each of the plurality of function IDs is associated with processing information comprising processing tasks to be shared between the signal processing device and a connected compliant second apparatus,

wherein, when the second apparatus is connected, the signal processing apparatus requests a function ID, and when a function ID is received, the signal processing apparatus refers to the function ID table to retrieve the processing information associated with the received function ID, and

wherein a function of the signal processing apparatus and a function of the second apparatus is changed in accordance with the processing information retrieved, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus changes from performing a plurality of tasks simultaneously to performing less tasks after a connections to the connected compliant apparatus.

24. A signal processing system comprising at least first and second signal processing apparatuses for processing an input signal,

wherein the first and second signal processing apparatuses each include:

signal processing means for processing the input signal, the signal processing means having predetermined functions

determining means for determining whether a third signal processing apparatus is connected; and

control means for changing the function of the signal processing means in a first mode when the third apparatus is connected and is compliant to a function in which the signal processing means functions in optimal cooperation with the third apparatus, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing means in a second mode when the third apparatus is connected and non-compliant, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing means in a third mode when the third apparatus is not connected,

wherein compliancy is determined based on whether a returned function ID in response to a compliancy determination is received, and

wherein the first signal processing apparatus and the second signal processing apparatus have an ID table comprising a plurality of function IDs, each of the plurality of function IDs is associated with processing information comprising processing tasks to be shared between the signal processing device and a connected compliant second apparatus,

wherein, when the second apparatus is connected, the signal processing apparatus requests a function ID, and when a function ID is received, the signal processing apparatus refers to the function ID table to retrieve the processing information associated with the received function ID, and

wherein a function of the signal processing apparatus and a function of the second apparatus is changed in accordance with the processing information retrieved, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus changes from performing a plurality of tasks simultaneously to performing less tasks after a connections to the connected compliant apparatus.

25. The signal processing system according to claim 24, wherein the signal processing means includes:

prediction tap extracting means for extracting, from the input signal, prediction taps for use in computing a predetermined predicted value;

class tap extracting means for extracting, from the input signal, a class tap for use in performing predetermined classification;

classification means for performing the classification on the basis of the class tap;

tap coefficient obtaining means for obtaining tap coefficients corresponding to a class code generated as a result of the classification, the tap coefficients being generated by learning processing; and

prediction means for computing the predetermined predicted value from the tap coefficients corresponding to the class code and the prediction taps.

26. A signal processing apparatus for processing an input signal, comprising:

a signal processing unit for processing the input signal, the signal processing unit having predetermined functions;

a determining unit for determining whether a second apparatus is connected; and

a control unit for changing the function of the signal processing unit in a first mode when the second apparatus is connected and is compliant to a function in which the signal processing unit functions in optimal cooperation with the second apparatus, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing unit in a second mode when the second apparatus is connected and non-compliant, and for maintaining a current function of the signal processing unit in a third mode when the second apparatus is not connected,

wherein compliancy is determined based on whether a returned function ID in response to a compliancy determination is received, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus has an ID table comprising a plurality of function IDs, each of the plurality of function IDs is associated with processing information comprising processing tasks to be shared between the signal processing device and a connected compliant second apparatus,

wherein, when the second apparatus is connected, the signal processing apparatus requests a function ID, and when a function ID is received, the signal processing apparatus refers to the function ID table to retrieve the processing information associated with the received function ID, and

wherein a function of the signal processing apparatus and a function of the second apparatus is changed in accordance with the processing information retrieved, and

wherein the signal processing apparatus changes from performing a plurality of tasks simultaneously to performing less tasks after a connections to the connected compliant apparatus.