Packet-based digital display interface signal mapping to micro serial interface

• US 10,503,228 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2015
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Alan Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Derose, Volvick
• Application Number:
  US14/944,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20160070325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 713310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4269 using a handshaking protocol, e.g. Centronics connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/00 Individual connecting elements providing two or more spaced connecting locations for conductive members which are, or may be, thereby interconnected, e.g. end pieces for wires or cables supported by the wire or cable and having means for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal, or conductive member, blocks of binding posts
• 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 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A passive cable adaptor for connecting a data source device with a display device is described. The adaptor has a packet-based interface connector at one end, the connector having a positive main link pin, a negative main link pin, a positive auxiliary channel pin, and a negative auxiliary channel pin. At the other end is a micro serial interface connector, wherein multimedia content is transmitted over the cable adaptor and electrical power is supplied over the cable adaptor simultaneously. The cable adaptor has an auxiliary and hot plug detect (HPD) controller utilized to map the auxiliary channel and HPD signals of the packet-based digital display to the micro serial interface ID signal.

Claims

1. A multimedia data source device, comprising:

a memory to store power level information describing operating power levels supported by the multimedia data source device;

power level determination circuitry to negotiate a power level to be received from an external display device into the multimedia data source device to enable operation of the multimedia data source device at a negotiated power level, the power level negotiated based on the stored information;

a multimedia data processor to provide multimedia data and to operate using power at the negotiated power level from the external display device; and

an interface system to couple with the external display device, the interface system including;

a main data link to transmit the multimedia data between the multimedia data source device and the external display device;

a power connector to receive the power at the negotiated power level from the external display device when said external display device is connected with the multimedia data source device; and

an auxiliary channel to transmit sideband data between the external display device and the multimedia data source device, said sideband data including power negotiation messages, wherein the power level determination circuitry enables the multimedia data source device to;

obtain from the external display device power level information concerning power levels supported by the external display device;

compare the power level information obtained from the external display device with the power level information stored in the memory of the multimedia data source device; and

negotiate, based on the compared power level information, a power level for use that is a power level supported by both the external display device and by the multimedia data source device.

2. The multimedia data source device of claim 1, wherein the power level determination circuitry enables the multimedia data source device to:

receive from the display device ranking information that ranks the power levels supported by the external display device according to a priority schemein which a first power level of the power levels supported by the external display device has a higher priority than one or more second power levels of the power levels supported by the external display device, and

select the first power level as the selected power level in response to recognizing that the first power level has a higher priority than the one or more second power levels.

3. The multimedia data source device of claim 1, wherein the interface system includes circuitry to direct performance of an auxiliary channel handshake operation, the auxiliary channel handshake operation to discover whether the external display device is capable of providing varying levels of power.

4. The multimedia data source device of claim 1, wherein the power level determination circuitry is arranged to:

determine current levels supplied by various voltage levels supported by the external display device; and

negotiate a current level to be received by the multimedia data source device such that the negotiated current level is one of;

a current level supported by both the external display device and by the multimedia data source device, and

a current level supplied by a local battery of the multimedia data source device.

5. A method to enable transmission of negotiated power to a multimedia data source device from an external display device connected to the multimedia data source device, the method comprising:

storing, on the multimedia data source device, power level information describing operating power levels supported by the multimedia data source device;

establishing a connection between the multimedia data source device and the external display device, the established connection including a power connection and an auxiliary data connection;

negotiating a power level for power transmission from the external display device to the multimedia data source device to enable operation of the multimedia data source, wherein the negotiating includes;

obtaining from the external display device power level information describing power levels supported by the external display device;

comparing the power level information obtained from the external display device with the power level information stored on the multimedia data source device; and

selecting, based on the compared power level information, a power level for use that is a power level supported by both the external display device and by the multimedia data source device; and

supplying power at the selected power level from the external display device to the source device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the established connection further includes a main link data connection to transport a multimedia data stream, and supplying power at the negotiated power level includes supplying the power through a power connector of a micro serial interface connection while transporting the multimedia data stream through the main link data connection.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the established connection further includes a micro serial interface connection to transport packetized multimedia data, and supplying power at the negotiated power level includes supplying the power through a power connector of a micro serial interface connection while transporting the packetized multimedia data through the main link data connection.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the negotiating includes receiving from the display device ranking information that ranks the power levels supported by the external display device according to a priority in which a first power level of the power levels supported by the external display device has a higher priority than one or more second power levels of the power levels supported by the external display device, and

selecting the selected power level includes selecting the first power level in response to recognizing that the first power level has a higher priority than the one or more second power levels.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the power level information concerning power levels supported by the external display device is stored in at least one memory register of the external display device, and wherein the power level information concerning the power levels supported by the multimedia data source device is stored in at least one memory register of the multimedia data source device.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

performing an auxiliary channel handshake to discover whether the external display device capable of providing varying levels of power is present.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the multimedia data source device is a smartphone having a micro serial interface connector and the external display device is a television having a packet-based digital display interface connector.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose stored contents configure a multimedia data source device that is connected to an external display device to perform a method, the method comprising:

negotiating a level of power that the external display device will supply to the multimedia data source device to enable operation of the multimedia data source, the negotiating including;

obtaining from the external display device power level information describing power levels supported by the external display device;

retrieving stored power level information describing operating power levels supported by the multimedia data source device;

comparing the power level information obtained from the external display device with the power level information stored on the multimedia data source device; and

selecting, based on the compared power level information, a power level for use that is a power level supported by both the external display device and by the multimedia data source device; and

receiving power at the selected level of power from the external display device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the power level support information stored on the multimedia data source device is stored in at least one memory register of the multimedia data source device and the power level information concerning power levels supported by the external display device is stored in at least one memory register of the external display device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the multimedia data source device is a smartphone having a micro serial interface connector and the external display device is a television having a packet-based digital display interface connector.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the comparing of various ones of the one or more of power levels is performed in a prioritized order starting with a default power level.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the negotiating includes receiving from the display device ranking information that ranks the power

selecting the selected power level includes selecting the first power level in response to recognizing that the first power level has a higher priority than the one or more second power levels.