Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Peripheral adapting
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-08
2004-06-15
Perveen, Rehana (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Peripheral adapting
C710S005000, C710S008000, C700S257000, C348S734000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06751687
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an equipment control method and a transmission apparatus which are applicable to a case where equipments connected through e.g. a serial communication bus according to IEEE 1394 system are controlled by each other and also relates to a medium in which a program for performing the control between the equipments connected through the serial communication bus is stored.
BACKGROUND ART
AV equipments which are capable of transmitting information to each other through a network using the serial communication bus according to IEEE1394 system have hitherto been developed. In this network, it is possible to control AV equipments connected to the network by transmitting a prescribed command (AV/C Command Transaction Set: hereinafter referred to “AV/C command”). While details of the AV/C command will be described below, it is also described in AV/C Digital Interface Command Set General Specification which was laid open by 1394 Trade Association.
By the way, when a configuration in which a plurality of AV equipments are connected is considered, if e.g. one television receiver and a plurality of video equipments (video deck) are connected with each other, it is then necessary for the side of television receiver that is an input equipment of video signals to select a video equipment forming a signal source. In this connection, various kinds of systems exist which are capable of an operation to automatically receive images at the input equipment by an operation from a signal source equipment (what is called “auto play”), in the case of system configuration e.g. connected through a conventional video cable which transmits analog video signals. In addition, if it is also possible to perform an auto video recording in which a video equipment can select and record video signals that is received on the side of television receiver, it would be convenient to users.
Unfortunately, in the previously proposed AV/C command, because these selection processings of the input and output equipments are basically performed under the control of a center controller on a bus line, the center controller must bear a heavy load and an arbitrary equipment on the bus line cannot process to select the input or output equipment independently without instructions from the center controller, which involves a problem.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to enable linking operations such as the autoplay to be efficiently performed between the equipments connected through the IEEE 1394 system bus and the like.
According to a first invention, in an equipment control method of performing the control between equipments connected through a predetermined bus line,
setting on input selection at a first equipment is instructed from a second equipment through the bus line by a command of a predetermined format.
Arranging in this way, a remote control of the input selection at one equipment linked with an operation of the other equipment is enabled between a plurality of equipments connected through a bus line. Therefore, it is possible to make good control between specific equipments within a network using the format such as AV/C command without the control of the center controller or the like.
According to a second invention, in an equipment control method of the first invention,
the instructions about setting on input selection at the first equipment can previously be registered.
Arranging in this way will enable a simple control using the previously registered instructions.
According to a third invention, in an equipment control method of performing the control between equipments connected through a predetermined bus line,
the status of input selection at a first equipment connected to the bus line is informed to a second equipment connected to the bus line, so that
the second equipment can specify an input signal source of the first equipment.
By arranging in this way, among the plurality of equipments connected through the bus line, the input signal source at one of the equipments can be simply specified by the other equipments.
According to a fourth invention, in an equipment control method of the third invention,
when the second equipment desires to input an output of the first equipment, the second equipment inputs a signal from an input signal source which the second equipment specifies by the informed data.
By arranging in this way, the same data as those handled by the first equipment can also be acquired by the other equipment.
According to a fifth invention, in an equipment control method of performing the control between equipments connected through a predetermined bus line,
when data outputted from a first equipment can be inputted by a second equipment, data on an output route change of that data from the first equipment is transmitted to the second equipment through the bus line.
Arranging in this way will enable the second equipment to cope with a change of output route in transmission through the bus line.
According to a sixth invention, in an equipment control method of the fifth invention,
the output route includes an output route other than the bus line.
By arranging in this way, the second equipment can cope with a change to an output route other than the bus line and also with a change from an output route other than the bus line.
According to a seventh invention, in an equipment control method of the fifth invention,
for the data on the output route change, at least two kinds of requests are prepared, a first request instructing the second equipment about input switching to the changed route and a second request not instructing about the input switching, but causing the second equipment to estimate only the route change.
By arranging in this way, the second equipment can cope with a case where the input switching is instructed following a change of output route and also with a case where the input switching is not instructed.
According to a eighth invention, in an equipment control method of performing the control between equipments connected through a predetermined bus line,
at the request of a first equipment, data transmission from a second equipment to the first equipment is instructed, and
the second equipment which receives the instructions about data transmission transmits to the first equipment data on an output port set for the first equipment.
By arranging in this way, data transmission can be instructed to other equipment connected through the bus line and an equipment which has instructed can estimate by its instructions an output status of the equipment which has been instructed on the data transmission, thus allowing the equipment which has instructed to receive data transmitted to the bus line without fail.
According to a ninth invention, in an equipment control method of performing the control between equipments connected to a predetermined bus line,
the first equipment instructs the second equipment to receive data, and
based on the instructions, the second equipment determines setting on input and transmits data thus set to the first equipment.
By arranging in this way, data reception can be instructed to other equipment connected through the bus line and an equipment which has instructed can estimate by its instructions an input status of the equipment which has been instructed on the data reception, thus allowing the partner equipment to receive data transmitted to the bus line without fail.
According to a tenth invention, there is provided a transmission apparatus capable of data transmission with other equipment connected through a predetermined bus line, comprising
a command producing section for producing a command of a predetermined format to perform setting on input selection at other equipment connected through the bus line, and
a sending section for sending the command produced by the command producing section to the bus line.
Arranging in this way will enable a remote control of setting with respect to the input selection at other equipment connected through the bus line.
According to an eleventh in
Horiguchi Mari
Kageyama Yuichi
Kaibuki Futoshi
Sato Makoto
Sato Naoyuki
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Perveen Rehana
Simon Darren M.
Sony Corporation
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