Signaling for transitions between modes of data transmission

• US 8,458,343 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silicon Image, Inc. (Lattice Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Altmann, William Conrad
• Primary Examiner(s): MACILWINEN, JOHN MOORE JAIN
• Application Number:
  US12/512,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to signaling for transitions between modes of data transmission. A embodiment of a method includes transmitting a data stream over a data link from a first device to a second device, the data stream operating in a first mode; determining that the data stream is to be changed from the first mode to a second mode; and transmitting a message from the first device to the receiver over a control link, the message indicating that the first device will change the data stream from the first mode to the second mode, the message being sent prior to the change to the second mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

encrypting an uncompressed data stream for transmission;

transmitting the encrypted data stream over a data link from a first device to a second device, the data stream operating in a first mode, the first mode including transmission of a first type of video data;

determining that the data stream is to be changed from the first mode to a second mode, the second mode including transmission of a second type of video data, wherein data in the first mode is incompatible with data in the second mode; and

while the data stream is being transmitted in the first mode via the data link, transmitting a message from the first device to the second device over a single-wire control link between the first device and the second device, the message indicating that the first device will change the data stream from the first mode to the second mode, the message being sent via the single-wire control link prior to the change to the second mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising waiting for a response message from the second device on the single-wire control line.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

switching transmission of the data stream to the second mode upon receiving an acknowledgement message from the second device via the single-wire control link; and

refraining from transitioning the data stream to the second mode upon receiving a no acknowledgement message from the second device via the single-wire control link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is a bridge device that is to re-encrypt and re-transmit the received uncompressed data stream to a third device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the third device is a sink device to use the data stream.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the third device is a second bridge device.

7. A method comprising:

receiving an encrypted and uncompressed data stream over a data link from a first device at a second device in a first mode, the first mode including a first type of video data;

during the reception of the data stream in the first mode via the data link, receiving a message over a single-wire control link from the first device at the second device, the message indicating that the first device will change the data stream from the first mode to a second mode, the message being received prior to the change to the second mode, the second mode including a second type of video data, wherein the first type of video data and the second type of video data are incompatible;

taking action to prepare for the transition of the data stream from the first mode to the second mode; and

receiving the data stream in the second mode at the second device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending an acknowledgement of the message to the first device over the single-wire control link.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising directing the received data stream in the first mode on a first data path and switching the received data stream to a second data path in response to receipt of the message indicating that the first device will change the data stream from the first mode to a second mode.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the action to prepare for the transition of the data stream from the first mode to the second mode includes muting the data stream until the mode changes, and resuming in the second mode without transmitting an invalid data stream during the transition.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the second device is a bridge device that is to re-transmit the received data stream to a third device, and further comprising re-encrypting the data stream for transmission to the third device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting additional data to maintain synchronization of the data stream for the third device during transition from the first mode to the second mode.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the third device does not support a protocol for the message sent via the single-wire control link.

14. A transmitting device comprising:

a controller to control transmission of video data from the transmitting device;

an encryption engine to encrypt the video data in an uncompressed data stream;

a transmitter to transmit the encrypted data stream to a receiving device;

a data link to the receiving device, the transmitter to transmit the data stream in a plurality of modes on the data link, the plurality of modes including a first mode for transmission of a first type of video data and a second mode for transmission of a second type of video data, the data link including a first data line and a second data line; and

a single-wire control link to the receiving device, the controller to direct a message to the receiving device over the single-wire control link during a transmission of the first type of video data in the first mode to notify the receiving device that the transmitting device will change transmission of the data stream from transmission of the first type of video data in the first mode to transmission of the second type of video data in the second mode, the controller to direct the transmitter to send the second type of video data in the second mode;

wherein the transmitter is to transmit the message to the receiving device prior to the transmitting device switching to the second mode.

15. The transmitting device of claim 14, wherein the controller is to delay transitioning from the first mode to the second mode until an acknowledgement is received from the receiving device on the control signal link or until a certain time period has elapsed without receipt of the acknowledgement, and is to is to refrain from transitioning from the first mode to the second mode upon receipt of a no acknowledgement message from the receiving device on the control link indicating that the receiving device is unable to accept the transition to the second mode.

16. A device comprising:

a controller to control handling of data including video data received from a transmitting device;

a receiver to receive an encrypted, uncompressed data stream including video data from the transmitting device;

a decryption engine (320) to decrypt the data stream received from the transmitting device;

a data link from the transmitting device, the device to receive the data stream in a plurality of modes on the data link, the plurality of modes including a first mode for a first type of video data and a second mode for a second type of video data, wherein the first type of video data and the second type of video data are not compatible, the data link including a first data line and a second data line; and

a single-wire control link with the transmitting device, the device to receive a command signal from the transmitting device over the control link during reception of the data stream in the first mode via the data link to notify the device that the transmitting device will change transmission of the data stream from the first mode to the second mode, the controller to direct action to prepare for data in the second mode;

wherein the transmitter is to transmit the command signal to the receiving device prior to the transmitting device switching to the second mode.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the device is a bridge device to re-transmit the data stream to a third device via a second data link, and further comprising a transmitter to transmit the data and an encryption engine to re-encrypt data prior to re-transmission.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the action to prepare for data in the second mode includes the controller to direct the provision of additional data to maintain synchronization of the data to the third device during the transition to the second mode.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller directs the data stream on a first data path for the first mode and on a second data path for the second mode.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the device provides an acknowledgment of the command signal to the transmitting device via the single-wire control link.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the device is required to provide the acknowledgment of the command within a certain time period.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the device is to provide a no acknowledgement signal of the command signal to the transmitting device via the control signal link upon determining that the device is not able to accept data in the second mode.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller is to transition the device back to a state for receipt of data in the first mode if a transition of the data stream to the second mode is not detected within a certain time period.