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Programmable HDMI cable and method including external programmer

  • US 9,042,437 B2
  • Filed: 08/30/2013
  • Issued: 05/26/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
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First Claim
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1. A method for improving signal quality in an active HDMI cable connecting a source device that will actually be used with the cable as installed to a sink device that will actually be used with the cable as installed, comprising:

  • a. providing an active HDMI cable, including,i. a positive TMDS D0 conductor,ii. a negative TMDS D0 conductor,iii. positive TMDS D1 conductor,iv. a negative TMDS D1 conductor,v. a positive TMDS D2 conductor,vi. a negative TMDS D2 conductor,vii. a positive TMDS clock conductor,viii. a negative TMDS clock conductor,ix. a source connector,x. a sink connector,b. providing a programmable equalizer in said active HDMI cable proximate said sink connector, said programmable equalizer including,i. a first equalizer on said positive TMDS D0 conductor, said first equalizer including at least a variable gain said gain being set by a programmable parameter;

    ii. a second equalizer on said negative TMDS D0 conductor, said second equalizer including at least a variable gain with said gain being set by a programmable parameter;

    iii. a third equalizer on said positive TMDS D1 conductor, said third equalizer including at least a variable gain with said gain being set by a programmable parameter;

    iv. a fourth equalizer on said negative TMDS D1 conductor, said fourth equalizer including at least a variable gain with said gain being set by a programmable parameter;

    v. a fifth equalizer on said positive TMDS D2 conductor, said fifth equalizer including at least a variable gain with said gain being set by a programmable parameter;

    vi. a sixth equalizer on said negative TMDS D2 conductor, said sixth equalizer including at least a variable gain with said gain being set by a programmable parameter;

    c. providing a measurement unit configured to measure a signal on each of said TMDS conductors proximate said sink connector;

    d. providing a microcontroller connected to said programmable equalizer, said microcontroller having the ability to set said programmable parameters for each of said equalizers, said microcontroller having an associated memory storing a predefined set of performance criteria for each of said TMDS conductors;

    e. connecting said source connector in said active HDMI cable to said source device and said sink connector to said sink device;

    f. activating said source device and said sink device so that signals from said source device are sent through said active HDMI cable and received by said sink device;

    g. while said signal is passing through said active HDMI cable from said source device to said sink device, using said measurement unit to measure a signal on each of said TMDS conductors;

    h. using said microcontroller in said programmable equalizer to vary said set of programmable parameters in order to vary the gain in each of said equalizers while said measurement unit measures an output signal emerging from each of said equalizers in order to determine an optimum configuration for all of said programmable parameters;

    i. using said microcontroller to set said optimum configuration for all of said programmable parameters;

    j. determining a total amount of power available for said equalizers by,i. determining an amount of power available on a 5 volt DC supply line in said active HDMI cable, andii. determining an additional amount of power available as excess power on said TMDS conductors.

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