Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Data transfer specifying
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2003-03-04
Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Data transfer specifying
C710S031000, C710S037000, C710S073000, C340S002700, C340S146200, C381S085000, C381S123000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06529969
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a reception apparatus and a reception method by which data transmitted through a data interface in accordance with a predetermined data communication format is received.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a digital audio apparatus, for example, a CD player for reproducing a CD (Compact Disc: trademark) has been spread widely.
While the CD mentioned above is a disc for reproduction only, also a magneto-optical disc onto and from which audio data can be recorded and reproduced like a mini disc (MD, trademark) is being spread widely.
Further, in recent years, a data transmission system has been proposed wherein various electronic apparatus such as digital AV (Audio Visual) apparatus and a personal computer apparatus are connected to each other, for example, by data bus in compliance with an IEEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers) 1394 interface so that data may be communicated between them.
The IEEE 1394 interface is one of interfaces for serial data communication and is suitable for transmission of data for which the real time performance is required such as, for example, audio data or video data.
It is a possible idea to provide an AV system wherein various digital AV apparatus are connected to each other by an IEEE 1394 bus so that dubbing of AV data can be performed between the AV apparatus.
For example, since an IEEE 1394 interface allows communication of data between apparatus which are connected by a chain connection or a branch connection to each other, it is advantageous in that a system can be implemented by interconnecting apparatus suitably by means of a cable without particularly taking flows of signals into consideration within a range of a predetermined connection rule.
If an AV system including AV apparatus such as a CD player and an MD recorder/player is implemented utilizing an IEEE 1394 interface, then recording (dubbing) of audio data in the form of a digital signal reproduced by a certain AV apparatus as it is by means of a recording apparatus such as the MD recorder/player can be realized by an easy technique.
When data are transmitted by an IEEE 1394 interface, isochronous communication wherein data are transmitted periodically is utilized usually. In the isochronous communication, data can be communicated using 64 channels in the maximum.
Where it is intended to utilize this fact to communicate data between AV apparatus in order to effect dubbing of the data, it is a possible idea, as an example, to fixedly determine a channel to be used between the AV apparatus and use the predetermined channel to effect communication of data. This technique is actually adopted by a certain digital video camera system.
Where this technique is adopted, however, if the system is constructed such that, for example, three or more apparatus are interconnected by an IEEE 1394 bus, even if some bus band remains free, while communication is proceeding with the predetermined channel between a pair of apparatus in such a manner as described above, any other apparatus cannot use the bus band.
In particular, for example, while data are being transmitted from a certain apparatus over the fixed channel described above, if transmission of data is started over the same channel from another AV apparatus, from the rules of the IEEE 1394 interface, the channel is occupied by the second AV apparatus in place of the AV apparatus which has been communicating till then. If this actually occurs, then this gives rise to such a disadvantage that, for example, the input source for dubbing is changed over intermediately.
In order to eliminate the problem just described, for example, different channels from one another are allocated to different AV apparatus such that audio data may be transmitted over the different channels from the different AV apparatus while, for example, a recording apparatus is constructed so as to select one of the AV apparatus from which data to be recorded are being transmitted as a target recording source. In other words, the system is preferably constructed so that the recording apparatus can select a channel to be received.
When channel selection is performed by the recording apparatus in response to an operation of a user, it is demanded that such channel selection can be performed by an operation as simple as possible from the point of view of the convenience in use by the user.
As a countermeasure, if a personal computer is included in the AV system such that, for example, an operation depending upon a GUI can be performed using application software of the personal computer, then a simple and efficient operation can be achieved as the selection operation. In this instance, however, the personal computer must be owned by the user and thus imposes a burden upon the user. Further, the AV system is not completed only with AV apparatus and has a large scale.
Accordingly, it is demanded to provide a technique which is simple and convenient to use while an operation for causing a recording apparatus to effect channel selection completes itself with an operation for a recording apparatus itself.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reception apparatus and a reception method by which selection of an audio source through an IEEE 1394 bus can be performed by simple and plain operation.
In order to attain the object described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of input terminals are successively switched in response to an operation of a user and a plurality of apparatus connected by a chain connection to a predetermined one of the terminals are successively searched in response to the operation of the user.
More particularly, according to the present invention, there is provided a reception apparatus, including an analog input terminal to which an analog signal is supplied, an optical input terminal to which a digital signal in the form of an optical signal is inputted, a digital input terminal to which a plurality of electronic apparatus are connected by a chain connection over a transmission line which allows data transmission by synchronous communication and asynchronous communication, operation means for selectively switching among the analog input terminal, the optical input terminal and the digital input terminal, search means for successively searching the plurality of electronic apparatus connected to the transmission line when the digital input terminal is selected by the operation means, discrimination means for discriminating whether or not data supplied from the electronic apparatus searched out by the search means has a form compliant with a format, and control means for controlling so that, when the discrimination means discriminates that the data supplied from the searched out electronic apparatus has a form compliant with the format, demodulation of the data is started, but when the discrimination means discriminates that the data supplied from the searched out electronic apparatus does not have a form compliant with the format, searching for another one of the electronic apparatus may be started by the search means.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements denoted by like reference symbols.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5987126 (1999-11-01), Okuyama et al.
patent: 6052471 (2000-04-01), Van Ryzin
patent: 0 762 684 (1997-03-01), None
patent: WO 97 21310 (1997-06-01), None
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Paskins, A “The IEEE 1394 Bus” The Institute of Electrical Engineers, Database Accession No. 5615497, XP002136108.
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Kessler Gordon
Peyton Tammara
Sony Corporation
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