Method and apparatus for controlling connections between devices

• US 6,976,267 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuhiro, Kobayashi, Satoshi, Kimura, Yuji, Sato, Makoto, Takano, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manning, John
• Application Number:
  US09/540,470
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 725/80, 725/82, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153, 375/240.25, 710/104
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• 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 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27

Abstract

A method including integrating information regarding receiving, transmitting and converting capabilities of each device in a network with regard to signal formats, so that a pertinent transmission path can be determined. Such possible transmission paths can be specified in terms of the order of devices involved in the transmission paths and a signal format between these devices involved. One of the possible transmission paths that match the transmitting device and the transmitted signal format is selected as a pertinent transmission path. The method displays the selected transmission path on a monitor. Commands are issued to devices involved in the pertinent path, and the input/output of these devices is controlled according to the commands to establish the selected transmission path automatically. According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a means for storing device capability information. Also included is a memory for storing capability information of other devices. An analog input terminal and a digital input/output terminal are included. A decoder coupled to the digital input/output interface is included. A controller to produce possible transmission paths is included. A monitor for displaying a selected path is included to assist a user in manually selecting the path. The controller includes a command generator for issuing commands to devices involved in the possible selected paths. Also, a selector for selecting the path automatically is included.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

preparing capability information of each of a plurality of devices with regard to signal formats;

designating a device that ultimately receives a signal;

collecting the capability information of every one of the plurality of devices;

producing a plurality of possible transmission paths between the receiving device and other devices, based on the capability information collected;

identifying a device that transmits a signal and a format of the transmitted signal;

selecting one of the plurality of possible transmission paths that matches the transmitting device and the transmitted signal format for a transmission path,

issuing commands to the plurality of devices involved in the selected transmission path upon a change of the transmitted signal format; and

controlling input/output of the plurality of devices according to the issued commands to establish the transmission path for issuing commands to the plurality of devices involved in the possible selected transmission paths upon a change in signal format and selecting one of an output of a decoder and an analog terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the capability information comprises receiving, transmitting and converting information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the possible transmission paths are specified in terms of the order of devices involved in the transmission paths and a signal format between the devices involved.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the producing step comprises:

seeking other devices capable of transmitting a signal in the same formats as the receiving device is capable of receiving.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein

the producing step comprises

seeking other devices that are capable of converting a signal into the formats that the receiving device is capable of receiving;

ordering the converting devices before the receiving device;

seeking other devices that are capable of transmitting a signal in the format that the converting devices are capable of converting from; and

ordering the transmitting devices before the converting devices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

the capability information for each of the plurality of devices is originally possessed in each of the plurality of devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

the plurality of devices communicate with each other to collect the capability information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the selected transmission path on a monitor (305).

9. An apparatus comprising:

a means for storing capability information regarding signal formats for each of a plurality of devices;

an analog input terminal (302);

a memory (306) for storing capability information of other devices coupled to a digital interface (308);

a digital input/output terminal (300) coupled to the memory;

a decoder (303) coupled to the digital interface (308); and

a controller (307) which refers to contents in the information storage means and the memory to produce possible transmission paths based on the capability information stored in the information storage means and the memory (306), wherein the controller (307) comprises a command generator for issuing commands to devices involved in the possible selected transmission paths upon a change in signal format and a selector for selecting one of an output of the decoder (303) and the analog terminal (302).

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the capability information comprises receiving, transmitting and converting information.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the selector is coupled to a switch (304), wherein the switch is removably coupled to one of an output of the decoder (303) and the analog terminal (302).

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein

the controller (307) selects one of the possible transmission paths according to a transmitting device and a transmitted signal format.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein

the switch (304) is automatically controlled by the selector.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the information storage means is a configuration ROM.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

the memory (306) is a random access memory;

and

the capability information of other devices is collected through the digital input/output terminal (300) and stored in the random access memory.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the controller (307) operates according to a series of instructions.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a monitor (305) for displaying the selected transmission path.

18. A method comprising:

preparing capability information of each of a plurality of devices with regard to signal formats;

designating a device that ultimately receives a signal;

collecting the capability information of every one of the plurality of devices;

producing a plurality of possible transmission paths between the receiving device and other devices, based on the capability information collected;

identifying a device that transmits a signal and a format of the transmitted signal;

selecting one of the plurality of possible transmission paths that matches the transmitting device and the transmitted signal format for a transmission path,

issuing commands to the plurality of devices involved in the selected transmission path upon a change in signal format;

controlling input/output of the plurality of devices according to the issued commands to automatically establish the transmission path, and by issuing commands to the plurality of devices involved in the possible selected transmission paths upon a change in signal format and selecting one of an output of a decoder and an analog terminal; and

displaying the selected transmission path on a monitor (305).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the capability information comprises receiving, transmitting and converting information.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the possible transmission paths are specified in terms of the order of devices involved in the transmission paths and a signal format between the devices involved.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the producing step comprises:

seeking other devices capable of transmitting a signal in the same formats as the receiving device is capable of receiving.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein

the producing step comprises

seeking other devices that are capable of converting a signal into the formats that the receiving device is capable of receiving;

ordering the converting devices before the receiving device;

seeking other devices that are capable of transmitting a signal in the format that the converting devices are capable of converting from; and

ordering the transmitting devices before the converting devices.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein

the capability information for each of the plurality of devices is originally possessed in each of the plurality of devices.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein

the plurality of devices communicate with each other to collect the capability information.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a means for storing capability information regarding signal formats for each of a plurality of devices;

an analog input terminal (302);

a memory (306) for storing capability information of other devices coupled to a digital interface (308);

a digital input/output terminal (300) coupled to the memory (306);

a decoder (303) coupled to the digital interface (308);

a monitor (305) coupled to one of an output of the decoder (303) and the analog input terminal (302); and

a controller (307) which refers to contents in the information storage means and the memory (306) to produce possible transmission paths based on the capability information stored in the information storage means and the memory, wherein the controller (307) comprises a command generator for issuing commands upon change in signal format to devices involved in the possible selected transmission paths to automatically control connections of devices and a selector for selecting one of an output of the decoder (303) and the analog terminal (302), wherein the selector is coupled to a switch (304), wherein the switch is removably coupled to one of an output of the decoder (303) and the analog terminal (302).

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the capability information comprises receiving, transmitting and converting information.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein

the controller (307) automatically selects one of the possible transmission paths according to a transmitting device and a transmitted signal format.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the switch (304) is automatically controlled by the selector.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein

the information storage means is a configuration ROM. 32.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein

the memory (306) is a random access memory;

and

the capability information of other devices is collected through the digital input/output terminal (300) and stored in the random access memory.