Method, apparatus and machine-readable medium for apportioning video processing between a video source device and a video sink device

• US 8,866,971 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Glen, David I. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Rong
• Application Number:
  US11/957,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,500 Days
• US Class Current: 348/571
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2350/00 Solving problems of bandwidth in display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/047 using display data channel standard [DDC] communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/10 Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• 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 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/14 Picture signal circuitry for video frequency region cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/21 Circuitry for suppressing or minimising disturbance, e.g. moiré or halo

Abstract

To apportion desired video processing between a video source device and a video sink device, at one of the devices, and based upon an indication of video processing algorithms of which the other device is capable and an indication of video processing algorithms of which the one device is capable, a set of video processing algorithms for achieving desired video processing is identified. The identified set of video processing algorithms is classified into a first subset of algorithms for performance by the other device and a second subset of algorithms for performance by the one device. At least one command for causing the other device to effect the first subset of video processing algorithms is sent. The one device may be configured to effect the second subset of algorithms.

Claims

1. A method of apportioning desired video processing between a video source device and a video sink device, the method comprising:

at said video sink device;

receiving, from said video source device, an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable;

based upon said indication of video processing algorithms of which the video source device is capable and an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video sink device is capable;

identifying a set of video processing algorithms for achieving desired video processing; and

classifying the video processing algorithms of said set into a first subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video source device and a second subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video sink device; and

sending, from the video sink device, at least one command for causing said video source device to effect the first subset of video processing algorithms.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring said video sink device to effect the second subset of video processing algorithms.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said classifying is performed in accordance with one or more video processing apportionment criteria.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

presenting a user interface comprising at least one user interface control for specifying said one or more video processing apportionment criteria.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said video processing apportionment criteria comprise at least one of maximizing the quality of video images and conserving power at either or both of said video source device and video sink device.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said video processing apportionment criteria comprise balancing the load associated with the desired video processing between said video source device and said video sink device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequent to said sending, receiving metadata indicative of whether said video source device has effected the first subset of video processing algorithms.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

if said metadata indicates that any video processing algorithm of the first subset has not been effected by said video source device, configuring said video sink device to perform said video processing algorithm.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

if said metadata indicates that any video processing algorithm of the second subset has been effected by said video source device, configuring said video sink device to refrain from performing said video processing algorithm.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending comprises transmitting said at least one command over an auxiliary channel of an interconnection between the video source device and video sink device, said channel being auxiliary to a primary channel of said interconnection for communicating a video signal from said video source device to said video sink device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said interconnection is a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) interconnection and said auxiliary channel is a Display Data Channel or a Consumer Electronics Command channel.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving an indication comprises receiving the indication over an auxiliary channel of an interconnection between said video source device and said video sink device, said channel being auxiliary to a primary channel of said interconnection for communicating a video signal from said video source device to said video sink device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one command identifies the video processing algorithms of said second subset for deactivation at said video source device.

14. A method of apportioning desired video processing between a video source device and a video sink device, the method comprising, at said video source device:

sending, from the video source device to the video sink device, over a remote device control channel of a digital display interface connection, the remote device control channel being a Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) channel, an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable;

receiving from said video sink device at least one command for causing said video source device to effect at least one of said video processing algorithms; and

effecting said at least one of said video processing algorithms.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the digital display interface connection comprises a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connection.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the digital display interface connection comprises a DisplayPort connection.

17. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a video sink device, cause said video sink device to:

receive, from a video source device, an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable;

based upon said indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable and an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video sink device is capable;

identify a set of video processing algorithms for achieving desired video processing; and

classify the video processing algorithms of said set into a first subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video source device and a second subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video sink device; and

send, from the video sink device, at least one command for causing said video source device to effect the first subset of video processing algorithms.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 17 wherein said instructions further configure said video sink device to effect the second subset of video processing algorithms.

19. A video source device comprising a processor and memory interconnected with said processor, said memory storing instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said video source device to:

send, from the video source device to a video sink device, over a remote device control channel of a digital display interface connection, the remote device control channel being a Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) channel, an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable;

receive, from the video sink device, at least one command for causing said video source device to effect at least one of said video processing algorithms; and

in response to the command received from the video sink device, effect said at least one of said video processing algorithms at the video source device.

20. The video source device of claim 19 wherein the digital display interface connection comprises a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connection.

21. The video source device of claim 19 wherein the digital display interface connection comprises a DisplayPort connection.

22. A video sink device comprising a processor and memory interconnected with said processor, said memory storing instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said video sink device to:

receive, from a video source device, an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable;

based upon said indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable and an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video sink device is capable;

identify a set of video processing algorithms for achieving desired video processing; and

classify the video processing algorithms of said set into a first subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video source device and a second subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video sink device; and

send at least one command for causing said video source device to effect the first subset of video processing algorithms.

23. The video sink device of claim 22 wherein said instructions further configure said video sink device to effect the second subset of video processing algorithms.

24. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when processed, cause the creation of a circuit capable of:

receiving, from a video source device, an indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable;

based upon said indication of video processing algorithms of which said video source device is capable and an indication of video processing algorithms of which a video sink device is capable;

identifying a set of video processing algorithms for achieving desired video processing; and

classifying the video processing algorithms of said set into a first subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video source device and a second subset of video processing algorithms for performance by said video sink device; and

sending at least one command for causing said video source device to effect the first subset of video processing algorithms,

wherein said circuit comprises said video sink device.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24 wherein said instructions comprise hardware description language instructions.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 wherein said hardware description language is one of Verilog hardware description language, Verilog-A hardware description language, and Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL).