Methods and apparatus for enabling and disabling scrambling of control symbols

• US 9,450,790 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Whitby-Strevens, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Lihong
• Application Number:
  US14/168,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20140219368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/06 Handling electromagnetic interferences [EMI], covering emitted as well as received electromagnetic radiation
• 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: H04L 25/03866 using scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/08 Modifications for reducing interference; Modifications for reducing effects due to line faults ; Receiver end arrangements for detecting or overcoming line faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for the selection and/or configuration of scrambling operations to accommodate e.g., both scrambling and non-scrambling connections (such as to e.g., legacy type devices). In one embodiment, media interface devices (such as e.g., HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)) devices may provide enhanced scrambling capabilities; solutions disclosed herein provide, among other things, support for both enhanced scrambling capable devices and legacy devices, and enable a device to determine the scrambling capabilities of a connected device.

Claims

1. A method for intelligent configuration of a scrambling operation, comprising:

establishing a connection to a device;

determining a transmit bit rate threshold;

when a transmit bit rate is greater than the transmit bit rate threshold, enabling a scrambler;

otherwise, when the transmit bit rate is not greater than the transmit bit rate threshold, determining that the device supports a scrambling configuration, and determining at least one scrambling capability; and

based at least on the determination that the device supports the scrambling configuration, and when the determined at least one scrambling capability satisfies one or more criteria, enabling the scrambler.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a data structure over the established connection;

and

wherein the determining that the device supports a scrambling configuration is based at least on one or more portions of the received data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading at least one device register;

wherein the determining that the device supports a scrambling configuration is based at least in part on content stored in the at least one device register.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an approval for scrambling by the device is a condition precedent for the enabling.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the device for information related at least in part to operational capabilities of the device;

and

wherein the determining that the device supports a scrambling configuration is based at least in part on the queried information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving audio and/or video data over the connection;

and

analyzing at least a portion of the received audio and/or video data; and

wherein the determining that the device supports a scrambling configuration is based at least in part on the analyzing.

7. A computerized apparatus comprising:

a processor;

an interface in data communication with the processor; and

a non-transitory computer medium having at least one program stored thereon, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions that are configured to, when executed, cause the computerized apparatus to;

establish a connection to a device;

determine a transmit bit rate threshold;

when a transmit bit rate is greater than the transmit bit rate threshold, enable a scrambler and reduce a clock amplitude;

otherwise, when the transmit bit rate is not greater than the transmit bit rate threshold, determine when the device supports a scrambling configuration; and

based at least on the determination that the device supports the scrambling configuration, enable the scrambler.

8. The computerized apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, cause the computerized apparatus to:

when a scrambling configuration is supported by the device;

determine at least one operational parameter; and

wherein the enablement of the scrambler occurs when the determined at least one operational parameter satisfies one or more criteria.

9. The computerized apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, cause the computerized apparatus to:

receive a data structure over the established connection; and

wherein the determination that the device supports the scrambling configuration is based at least on one or more portions of the received data structure.

10. The computerized apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, cause the computerized apparatus to:

read at least one device register; and

wherein the determination that the device supports the scrambling configuration is based at least in part on content stored in the at least one device register.

11. The computerized apparatus of claim 7, wherein receipt of an approval for scrambling by the device is a condition precedent for the enablement.

12. The computerized apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, cause the computerized apparatus to:

query the device for information related at least in part to operational capabilities of the device; and

wherein the determination that the device supports the scrambling configuration is based at least in part on the queried information.

13. The computerized apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, cause the computerized apparatus to:

receive audio and/or video data over the connection; and

analyze at least a portion of the received audio and/or video data; and

wherein the determination that the device supports the scrambling configuration is based at least in part on the analysis.

14. A computer-readable apparatus for use in a first device, the computer-readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed, cause the first device to:

establish a connection to a second device;

query the second device for information related at least in part to operational capabilities of the second device;

determine a transmit bit rate threshold based at least in part on the queried information;

when a transmit bit rate is greater than the transmit bit rate threshold, enable a scrambler;

otherwise, when the transmit bit rate is not greater than the transmit bit rate threshold, determine that the second device supports a scrambling configuration; and

based at least on the determination that the second device supports the scrambling configuration, enable the scrambler.

15. The computer-readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause the first device to:

determine at least one operational parameter; and

wherein the enablement of the scrambler occurs when both the at least one operational parameter satisfies one or more criteria and the device supports the scrambling configuration.

16. The computer-readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause the first device to:

receive a data structure over the established connection; and

wherein the determination that the second device supports the scrambling configuration is based at least on one or more portions of the received data structure.

17. The computer-readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause the first device to:

read at least one device register; and

wherein the determination that the second device supports the scrambling configuration is based at least in part on content stored in the at least one device register.

18. The computer-readable apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause the first device to:

receive audio and/or video data over the connection; and

analyze at least a portion of the received audio and/or video data; and

wherein the determination that the second device supports the scrambling configuration is based at least in part on the analysis.