Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding an input digital signal for lossless transmission comprising first calculation means for calculating a checksum of the input digital signal. The apparatus further comprises encoding means for lossless encoding into an encoded packet of digital data, and composition means for adding the associated checksum to the encoded packet to form an encoded signal. Associated are a method and apparatus for decoding the encoded signal, comprising extracting means for receiving the encoded signal and extracting the encoded packet and associated checksum, decoding means for decoding the encoded packet into a decoded packet comprising the input digital signal, second calculation means for calculating a checksum for the decoded packet, and output means for outputting the decoded packet as an output signal if the calculated checksum corresponds with the extracted checksum.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus for reproducing an audio signal from a record carrier having a first digital audio signal (a PCM encoded audio signal) recorded on it in a first format and a second digital audio signal (an MPEG encoded multi channel audio signal) recorded on it in a second format. The apparatus includes a read unit for reading an information signal from the record carrier, a decoding unit for channel decoding the information signal read from the record carrier into a decoded information signal, a keyboard for receiving a selection signal and an output terminal for supplying an output signal which comprises either the first digital audio signal or the second digital audio signal in response to said selection signal. An output circuit is available to add an identification signal (bit b1) into the output signal, indicating that the output signal includes either the first digital audio signal or another audio signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (10) for encoding an input digital signal for lossless transmission comprising first calculation means (12) for calculating a checksum of the input digital signal. The apparatus further comprises encoding means (11) for lossless encoding into an encoded packet of digital data, and composition means (13) for adding the associated checksum to the encoded packet to form an encoded signal. Associated are a method and apparatus (20) for decoding the encoded signal, comprising extracting means (21) for receiving the encoded signal and extracting the encoded packet and associated checksum, decoding means (22) for decoding the encoded packet into a decoded packet comprising the input digital signal, second calculation means (23) for calculating a checksum for the decoded packet, and output means (24, 25) for outputting the decoded packet as an output signal if the calculated checksum corresponds with the extracted checksum.

Abstract: A data transfer system transfers frames with more than two data words from a transmitter 100 to at least one receiver 102 in a time-multiplexed manner. The transmitter 100 and receiver(s) 102 are connected via four signal lines: a clock signal 112, a serial data signal 110, a word-select signal 114 and a frame-begin signal 116. The data is serially transferred via the serial data line 110, in synchronisation with periodic clock pulses of the clock signal 112. The word-select signal 114 triggers selecting a next transmit channel register from which the transmitter 100 transmits the next data word and a next receive channel register into which the receiver 102 stores the data word to be received next. The frame-begin signal 116 triggers selecting a first one of the channel registers. The data transfer system may, for instance, be used for transferring eight digital audio channels in a DVD player between components such as an input/output interface, a filter, a (de-)coder or a digital signal processor.

Abstract: An audio bitstream is read from a digital video disc DVD for transfer, subsequent to parsing thereof, via an IEC 958 protocolled interface, for use in a multi-channel audio reproduction apparatus. For each respective audio channel MPEG audio samples are packaged recurrently in burst payloads, and these burst payloads are packaged as user data in IEC958 format frames. Pause bursts are used for signalling absence of audio for all associated channels with, each pause burst representing such audio absence during a perceptibly acceptable time interval only.

Abstract: In a local communication system comprising a number of devices (14,16) interconnected by a first data bus (20) supporting a first set of communication protocols, and at least one further device (10) connected to a second bus (12) not supporting those protocols, a gateway device (18) is provided linking the first and second data buses enabling communications therebetween. The first set of protocols specifies a maximum time for response by a first device to a request sent by a second device. When a request is sent from a device (14) on the first bus to the further device (10), the gateway (18) times the request and, if no response is received from the further device within the specified maximum response time, the gateway (18) generates and sends a temporary response to the requesting device (14). The system may comprise two or more clusters of devices, each being linked to the further bus (12) by respective gateway devices (18,22).

Abstract: A control system for controlling consumer apparatus. In the system, a command item is generated in one apparatus and supplied to another apparatus via a bus. The command item includes an operation code followed by zero or more operand codes for, in an addressee apparatus, addressing a command table. The latter thereupon outputs appropriate information for the addressee apparatus, without the addressor apparatus needing to specify the latter information.

Abstract: In a communication system comprising different apparatuses which are coupled together by a bus, a control instruction, for example, a remote control command may be passed on by a plurality of apparatuses to the apparatus performing the instruction. In order that the apparatus performs such an instruction only once, the control circuit in the apparatus memorizes from which source the performed instruction has been received. The identical control instructions received from the other apparatuses are ignored for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A system of domestic audio-visual apparatuses (10-18) are connected on a one-to-one basis (20-26) for the exchange of video and audio signals. The apparatuses are also connected to a serial data bus (28,D2B) which allows distributed control messages to be sent and received by the apparatuses (addressable as `devices`) and elements of the apparatuses (subdevices). No apparatus has knowledge of the complete system of connections (20-26). An autonomous process (100, 102, 104, 110') can be initiated whereby a signal path from a source subdevice (64) to a destination subdevice (62) is identified step by step using the local knowledge of each apparatus. The speed of this process can be improved by initiating (101) a concurrent second autonomous process (106') whereby a signal path is identified from a third subdevice (42) to the destination subdevice.

Abstract: The system comprises a number of stations interconnected for the communication of control messages which are multiplexed with digital audio signals. The control channel is divided into eight parallel channels, and each station is allocated one channel to transmit on, while it receives from other stations on the other seven channels. Messages on each channel are segmented into finite message units. When a longer message is to be transmitted, the receiving station implement a locking mechanism such that message units will not be accepted on other channels until all message units of the message have been received. To allow the number of stations to exceed the number of data channels, some of the stations are designated "slave only", and share a single channel for the transmission of control messages. To avoid conflicts, these stations are permitted to transmit only in response to request messages from a station having its own exclusive transmit channel.

Abstract: A local communication bus system including a serial control bus connected to a plurality of user terminal devices and at least one switchbox device, each terminal device being plug connected to at least one of the switchbox devices so as to provide respective signal interconnection paths there-between, each device having at least one plug and containing a readable interconnection table specifying to which plugs of other devices it is connected. A signal path from a terminal device operating as a signal source to a terminal operating as a signal destination is established by control commands generated on the connection bus by a control unit in the source device and which cause the intervening switchboxes to establish the requisite internal connections between their plugs. The system thereby does not require any central control. The interconnection table of a terminal device only needs to identify its own plugs and those of other devices to which it is plug are connected.

Abstract: A data communication system based on a serial bus and a monitor station for use with such system.A data communication system is based on a serial bus. It comprises transmitter stations and receiver stations. Frames have a sequence of start signals, address signals, and further signals, and also include control signals, and support an in-frame dialog between master and slave. A monitor station is also present and, irrespective of the source of a particular bit allows for sampling such bit in that it emulates an uncommitted slave station.

Abstract: Multi-apparatus consumer electronics system provided with multiple channel for control and data signalization including qualifier bus control channel, and initiator apparatus and follower apparatus for use in such system. A consumer electronics system has plural apparatuses interconnected by a multiple channel for control and data signalization including a control channel. The control channel is a qualifier bus that in each apparatus is interfaced to a control element that in an initiator apparatus transmits a message selectively specifying a proprietary signalization interface. A follower apparatus acknowledges the message if the user signalization interfaces match. Thereupon, the system coactivates the matched interfaces in initiator and follower apparatuses. In an extended form, the apparatuses as a prerequisite try to consent about a standard protocol on a further control channel external to said multiple channel.

Abstract: A domestic video system includes a number of interconnected video apparatuses (10,12,14), at least one of the apparatuses including a facility for conversion of the aspect ratio of video signals. The system further includes control signalling (20) operating via a standard serial bus (16) for systematically interrogating each apparatus in a signal path to determine whether aspect ratio conversion is necessary in the signal path and for selectively enabling or disabling any conversion facility in the signal path to effect such necessary conversion. The control means implements a strategy for eliminating unnecessary conversion of aspect ratio in the signal path, and also chooses to effect conversion as late as possible in the signal path when faced with more than one available conversion facility.

Abstract: A multi-station communication bus system allows for the use of several master stations by way of an arbitration organization. A message contains a master address which is subjected to an arbitration operation, a slave address with space for a slave address acknowledge bit, a control signal with space for a control acknowledge bit, and one or more data bytes. Per data byte an indication of the "last" byte is also transmitted and space is reserved for a data acknowledge bit. When a data acknowledge bit is not correctly received, the data byte in question is repeated until at the most the maximum frame length is reached. The remainder of a message is then placed in a next frame. If an address or control acknowledge bit is not correctly received, the relevant frame is terminated. In case of a plurality of bytes in a message, the first frame thereof has a lock control signal that is activated upon communication of at least one data byte.

Abstract: A multi-station communication bus system allows for the use of several master stations by way of an arbitration organization. A message contains a master address which is subjected to an arbitration operation, a slave address with space for a slave address acknowledge bit, a control signal with space for a control acknowledge bit, and one or more data bytes. For each data byte an indication of the "last" byte is also transmitted and space is reserved for a data acknowledge bit. When a data acknowledge bit is not correctly received, the data byte in question is repeated until at the most the maximum frame length is reached. The remainder of a message is then placed in a next frame. If an address or control acknowledge bit is not correctly received, the relevant frame is terminated. In case of a plurality of bytes in a message, the first frame thereof has a lock control signal that is activated upon communication of at least one data byte.

Abstract: In a system comprising a collection of signal processing apparatuses and a switching device, each apparatus is connected, by means of a universal connector which is identical for each apparatus, to an arbitrary connection of the said switching device. The signal path between two or more connected apparatuses is established in that a first apparatus supplies a report command for the switching device in a least one further apparatus, after which the switching device finds out to which connector a further apparatus is connected in that said further apparatus in reaction to the report command has supplies an identification signal as a result of which the switching signal recognises the connector to which said further apparatus is connected. Once it has been found out to which connector the first and the further apparatuses have been connected, the switching signal establishes a signal path herebetween.

Abstract: An improved bus system of a type suitable for connecting various consumer devices in the home. The system eliminates the need for either a central control device or a list of interconnections between the consumer devices. Instead a local interconnection table is stored in each device. The invention also uses an automatic priority system to prevent a user from inadvertently destroying earlier established signal paths.

Abstract: An audio bitstream is read from a digital video disc DVD for transfer, subsequent to parsing thereof, via an IEC 958 protocolled interface, for use in a multi-channel audio reproduction apparatus. For each respective audio channel MPEG audio samples are packaged recurrently in burst payloads, and these burst payloads are packaged as user data in IEC958 format frames. Pause bursts are used for signalling absence of audio for all associated channels with, each pause burst representing such audio absence during a perceptibly acceptable time interval only.

Abstract: An audio bitstream is read from a digital video disc DVD for transfer, subsequent to parsing thereof, via an IEC 958 protocolled interface, for use in a multi-channel audio reproduction apparatus. For each respective audio channel MPEG audio samples are packaged recurrently in burst payloads, and these burst payloads are packaged as user data in IEC958 format frames. Pause bursts are used for signalling absence of audio for all associated channels with, each pause burst representing such audio absence during a perceptibly acceptable time interval only.