General purpose data container method and apparatus for implementing AV/C descriptors

• US 8,250,100 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Staats, Erik P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Kimberly
• Application Number:
  US12/536,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 707/791, 707/999.1, 715/201
• US Class Current: 707/791
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a data management system for AV/C descriptor data. The system includes a data container hierarchical structure. The system also includes a methodology for compiling data from the containers into a read buffer upon receipt of a request from a requestor. The data presented to the requestor will preferably be in a format that may be understood by other device requestors that mayor may not be utilizing this same container system.

Claims

1. An audio visual apparatus, the apparatus configured to support sequential descriptor access and hierarchical descriptor access, the apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to receive access requests comprising at least a sequential type and a hierarchical type;

a plurality of containers of audio visual control descriptor data; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed;

if the access request comprises the sequential type;

identify one or more initial settings;

present one or more of the plurality of containers of audio visual control descriptor data in a sequential fashion in accordance with the one or more identified initial settings; and

sequentially access the audio visual control descriptor data; and

if the access request comprises the hierarchical type;

present a header identifying a logical hierarchy of containers;

wherein the apparatus is configured so that individual ones of the plurality of containers can be accessed to access a portion of the audio visual control descriptor data without accessing all of the audio visual control descriptor data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a storage memory, the plurality of containers being stored in the storage memory.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a sequential buffer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the presentation of the one or more of the plurality of containers of audio visual control descriptor data comprises writing at least a first portion of the storage memory to the sequential buffer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more initial settings includes a length of access.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sequential access type is configured to return a contiguous portion of audio visual control descriptor information, the contiguous portion having a length that does not exceed the length of access.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the contiguous portion comprises a whole number of containers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive, responsive to receiving the header, a second access request to specify one or more of the containers, the second access request comprising an index value.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is configured to, responsive to receiving the second access request, return the container specified by the index value.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface is further configured to receive access requests comprising a second hierarchical access type, the second hierarchical access type additionally requiring an index value;

and the medium further comprises instructions which when executed, access only the container specified by the index value if the access request comprises the second hierarchical type.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface operates according to a high-speed serialized bus protocol.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the interface provides plug-and-play capability.

13. A media apparatus, the apparatus configured to support a plurality of different descriptor access types, the apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to receive access requests comprising at least a first type and a second type;

a plurality of containers of media control descriptor data; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed;

(i) if the access request comprises the first type, then;

identify one or more initial settings;

present one or more of the plurality of containers of media control descriptor data in a first scheme in accordance with the one or more identified initial settings; and

access the media control descriptor data according to the first scheme; and

(ii) if the access request comprises the second type;

present a header identifying a second scheme associated with the containers;

wherein the apparatus is configured so that individual ones of the plurality of containers can be accessed to access a portion of the media control descriptor data without accessing all of the media control descriptor data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first scheme comprises a sequential access scheme, and the second scheme comprises a substantially hierarchical scheme.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, the apparatus further comprising:

a storage memory, the plurality of containers being stored in the storage memory; and

a sequential buffer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the presentation of the one or more of the plurality of containers of media control descriptor data additionally comprises writing at least a first portion of the storage memory to the sequential buffer.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more initial settings includes a length of access, and the first access type is configured to return a contiguous portion of media control descriptor information, the contiguous portion having a length that does not exceed the length of access.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the contiguous portion comprises a whole number of containers.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive, responsive to receiving the header, a second access request to specify one or more of the containers;

and

where the second access request comprises an index value.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is configured to, responsive to receiving the second access request, return the container specified by the index value.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the interface is further configured to receive access requests comprising a third access type having a third scheme associated therewith, the third access type additionally requiring an index value; and

the medium further comprises instructions which when executed, access only the container specified by the index value if the access request comprises the third type.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second and third schemes each comprise substantially hierarchical schemes.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the interface operates according to a high-speed serialized bus protocol.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the interface provides plug-and-play capability.

25. A media apparatus, the apparatus configured to support a plurality of different descriptor access types, the apparatus comprising:

processing apparatus;

an interface in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to receive access requests comprising at least a first type and a second type;

a storage device in data communication with the processing apparatus and configured to store a plurality of containers of media descriptor data thereon; and

first logic configured to, for access requests of the first type;

identify one or more settings;

present one or more of the plurality of containers of media descriptor data according to a first scheme and the one or more identified settings; and

access the media descriptor data according to the first scheme; and

second logic configured to, for access requests of the second type, present a data structure identifying a second scheme associated with the containers;

wherein the apparatus is configured so that individual ones of the plurality of containers can be accessed to access a portion of the media descriptor data without accessing all of the media descriptor data.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the interface operates according to a high-speed serialized bus protocol.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the interface provides plug-and-play capability.

28. A method for supporting non-blocking access to a plurality of objects by one or more requesting devices, the method comprising:

providing first information corresponding to a plurality of containers, each container comprising one or more objects;

receiving a first access request, the first access request comprising a first index, the first index being configured to address a first container;

receiving a second access request, the second access request comprising a second index, the second index being configured to address a second container;

accessing a first one or more objects from the first container;

accessing a second one or more objects from the second container, the first and second containers not precluding access to one another; and

providing the first and second requested one or more objects to the one or more requesting devices.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the objects comprise one or more audio visual descriptors.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the first information corresponding to the plurality of containers comprises a first number of containers.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first and second index is configured to address one or more containers within the first number of containers.

32. The method of claim 31, where the one or more objects of the containers are hierarchically organized.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a request for a second information corresponding to the first container, providing the second information corresponding to a plurality of objects within the first container.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the second information corresponding to the plurality of objects comprises a second number of objects.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a third access request comprising a third index configured to address a first object, accessing the first object from the first container;

wherein the second, and third access requests do not preclude access to one another.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the third access request is configured to perform concurrently with the first access request.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first and third access requests do not preclude access to one another.

38. Apparatus configured to support non-blocking access to a plurality of objects by one or more requesting devices, the apparatus comprising:

processing apparatus;

a data interface in data communication with the processing apparatus;

storage apparatus in data communication with the processing apparatus, the storage apparatus being configured to store a plurality of containers of data thereon; and

logic in data communication with the processing apparatus, the logic being configured to;

provide first information corresponding to a plurality of containers, each container comprising one or more objects;

receive a first access request, the first access request comprising a first index, the first index being configured to address a first container;

receive a second access request, the second access request comprising a second index, the second index being configured to address a second container;

access a first one or more objects from the first container;

access a second one or more objects from the second container, the first and second containers not precluding access to one another; and

provide the first and second requested one or more objects to the interface for provision to the one or more requesting devices.