DTV with detachable HDMI inputs

• US 8,860,893 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dastouri, Mehrdad
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON II, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US12/229,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20100050228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/843
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/047 using display data channel standard [DDC] communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/12 Use of DVI or HDMI protocol in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

A television device has a television receiver residing substantially within a television receiver enclosure. A high definition multimedia interface is (HDMI) coupled to the television receiver. A detachable HDMI switch is operatively coupled to the HDMI interface, the HDMI switch and has at least two user-side HDMI buses connected thereto. The detachable HDMI switch resides in an HDMI switch housing that exposes the at least two user-side HDMI connector ports. The detachable HDMI switch housing is detachably connected to the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be either attached to the television receiver enclosure for use at the television receiver enclosure, or to permit the HDMI switch housing to be separated from the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be situated remotely from the television receiver enclosure so that the HDMI connector ports are remotely accessible while being selectable by the television device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A television device, comprising:

a television receiver residing substantially within a television receiver enclosure;

a television processor residing within the television receiver enclosure;

a television memory residing within the television receiver enclosure and in communication with the television processor;

the television memory storing extended display identification (EDID) information;

a television high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) coupled to the television receiver and operating under control of the television processor;

a detachable HDMI switch operatively coupled to the television HDMI interface, the detachable HDMI switch having at least two user-side HDMI buses connected thereto with each having a user side connector port;

the detachable HDMI switch residing in a detachable HDMI switch housing that exposes the at least two user-side HDMI connector ports;

a switch processor residing substantially within the detachable HDMI switch housing;

an switch memory residing substantially within the detachable HDMI switch housing and in communication with the switch processor;

the switch memory storing a simulated EDID information produced by the switch processor in response to display data channel (DDC) signals from the television HDMI interface;

the at least two user-side HDMI buses having a common consumer electronic control (CEC) connection with the television HDMI interface;

where the switch processor oversees operation of the at least two user-side HDMI buses so as to distinguish between the at least two user side HDMI ports;

where the television processor residing within the television receiver oversees operation of the television HDMI interface; and

where the detachable HDMI switch housing is detachably mechanically attached to the television receiver enclosure to permit the detachable HDMI switch housing to be either mechanically attached to the television receiver enclosure for use at the television receiver enclosure, or to permit the HDMI switch housing to be mechanically separated from the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be situated remotely from the television receiver enclosure so that the HDMI connector ports are remotely accessible while being selectable and distinguishable by the television device.

2. The television device according to claim 1, further comprising a cable coupling the detachable HDMI switch to the television receiver enclosure.

3. The television device according to claim 2, wherein the cable comprises an HDMI cable.

4. The television device according to claim 1 further comprising an HDMI switch coupled to the television receiver residing in the television receiver enclosure and having at least one user-side HDMI connector port that operates under control of the television processor and that is accessible from outside the television receiver enclosure.

5. The television receiver device according to claim 4, wherein the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure has a second HDMI port that is coupled to the detachable HDMI switch to permit the detachable HDMI switch to couple to the HDMI interface of the television receiver via the second HDMI port.

6. The television receiver device according to claim 5, wherein the television processor communicates with the switch processor using a common bus connection.

7. The television receiver device according to claim 6, wherein the television processor controls the state of a switch that either passes the DDC signals directly between the HDMI interface coupled to the television receiver and the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure, or passes the processed HDMI DDC signals between the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure and the HDMI switch residing in the HDMI switch housing.

8. The television receiver device according to claim 1, further comprising a non-HDMI connector attached to the detachable HDMI switch housing and exposed for user access thereto, and wherein the non-HDMI connector is operatively coupled to the television receiver via an interface.

9. A television device, comprising:

a television receiver residing substantially within a television receiver enclosure;

a television high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) coupled to the television receiver;

a detachable HDMI switch operatively coupled to the HDMI interface, the HDMI switch having at least two user-side HDMI buses connected thereto with each user-side HDMI bus having a user-side HDMI connector port;

the detachable HDMI switch residing in a detachable HDMI switch housing that exposes the at least two user-side HDMI connector ports;

a switch processor residing substantially within the detachable HDMI switch housing;

an switch memory residing substantially within the detachable HDMI switch housing and in communication with the switch processor;

the switch memory storing a simulated EDID information produced by the switch processor in response to display data channel (DDC) signals from the television HDMI interface;

the switch processor having a common bus connection with the HDMI interface;

where the detachable HDMI switch housing is detachably mechanically attached to the television receiver enclosure to permit the detachable HDMI switch housing to be either mechanically attached to the television receiver enclosure for use at the television receiver enclosure, or to permit the HDMI switch housing to be mechanically separated from the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be situated remotely from the television receiver enclosure so that the HDMI connector ports are remotely accessible while being selectable by the television device;

a cable coupling the detachable HDMI switch to the television receiver enclosure when the HDMI switch housing is detached from the television receiver enclosure;

an HDMI switch coupled to the television receiver residing in the television receiver housing and having at least one user-side HDMI connector port that is accessible from outside the television receiver enclosure; and

a television processor residing within the television device enclosure, wherein the television processor controls operation of the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure, the HDMI interface and the switch processor of the detachable HDMI switch, and where the switch processor residing within the HDMI switch housing oversees operation of the at least two user-side HDMI buses.

10. The television device according to claim 9, wherein the cable comprises an HDMI cable.

11. The television receiver device according to claim 9, wherein the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure has a second HDMI port that is coupled to the detachable HDMI switch to permit the detachable HDMI switch to couple to the HDMI interface of the television receiver via the second HDMI port.

12. The television receiver device according to claim 9, wherein the television processor communicates with the switch processor using a common bus connection.

13. The television receiver device according to claim 9, wherein the television processor controls the state of a switch that either passes the DDC signals directly between the HDMI interface coupled to the television receiver and the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure, or passes the processed HDMI DDC signals between the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure and the HDMI switch residing in the HDMI switch housing.

14. The television receiver device according to claim 9, further comprising a non-HDMI connector attached to the detachable HDMI switch housing and exposed for user access thereto, and wherein the non-HDMI connector is operatively coupled to the television receiver via an interface.

15. A television device, comprising:

a television receiver residing substantially within a television receiver enclosure;

a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) coupled to the television receiver;

a detachable HDMI switch operatively coupled to the HDMI interface, the HDMI switch having at least two user-side HDMI buses connected thereto;

the at least two user-side HDMI buses having a common consumer electronic control (CEC) connection with the HDMI interface;

the detachable HDMI switch residing in an HDMI switch housing that exposes the at least two user-side HDMI connector ports;

wherein the detachable HDMI switch housing is detachably mechanically attached to the television receiver enclosure to permit the detachable HDMI switch housing to be either attached to the television receiver enclosure for use at the television receiver enclosure, or to permit the HDMI switch housing to be mechanically separated from the television receiver enclosure to permit the detachable HDMI switch housing to be situated remotely from the television receiver enclosure so that the HDMI connector ports are remotely accessible while being selectable by the television device;

an HDMI cable coupling the detachable HDMI switch to the television receiver enclosure when the detachable HDMI switch housing is detached from the television receiver enclosure and makes a common CEC connection;

an HDMI switch coupled to the television receiver residing in the television receiver housing and having at least one user-side HDMI connector port that is accessible from outside the television receiver enclosure;

wherein the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure has a second HDMI port that is coupled to the detachable HDMI switch to permit the detachable HDMI switch to couple to the HDMI interface of the television receiver via the second HDMI port;

a non-HDMI connector attached to the detachable HDMI switch housing and exposed for user access thereto, and wherein the non-HDMI connector is operatively coupled to the television receiver via an interface;

a television processor residing within the television device enclosure, wherein the television processor controls operation of the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure the HDMI interface, and where the television processor residing within the television receiver oversees operation of the at least two user-side HDMI buses residing within the television receiver enclosure so that the television processor can distinguish between the at least two user-side HDMI buses;

a television memory residing within the television receiver enclosure and in communication with the television processor;

the television memory storing extended display identification (EDID) information;

a switch processor residing substantially within the detachable HDMI switch housing;

an switch memory residing substantially within the detachable HDMI switch housing and in communication with the switch processor;

the switch memory storing a simulated EDID information produced by the switch processor in response to display data channel (DDC) signals from the television HDMI interface; and

wherein the television processor controls the state of a switch that either passes the DDC signals directly between the HDMI interface coupled to the television receiver and the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure, or passes the processed HDMI DDC signals between the HDMI switch residing in the television receiver enclosure and the switch processor residing in the detachable HDMI switch housing.