Abstract: Methods and systems for smooth switching of video sources. One method includes the steps of: Inferring that first and second network paths share a common link that has insufficient bandwidth to carry both the respective first and second incoming high-definition uncompressed videos (HD-UVs) generated by first and second real-time video encoders (RT-VEs). And synchronizing a smooth switching between the first and second incoming HD-UVs by: indicating the first and second RT-VEs to increase their first and second compression ratios to ratios that enable the common link to carry both the first and second compressed videos; indicating a video switcher to perform the smooth switching between the first and second corresponding outgoing HD-UVs; indicating the first RT-VE to stop sending the first compressed video after the smooth switching; and indicating the second RT-VE to decrease the second compression ratio.

Abstract: Systems and methods for low-delay video streaming featuring multiple video compression ratios. One embodiment of the system includes: a real-time video encoder (RT-VE) that receives an incoming high-definition uncompressed video (HD-UV), processes the incoming HD-UV according to first and second compression ratios, and sends the processed video over a resource reservation communication link to a real-time video decoder (RT-VD). The compression delay added by the RT-VE is below the duration of a single video frame, and the RT-VD converts the processed video into an outgoing HD-UV. Wherein on-the-fly switches between the first and second compression ratios, while continuing to receive the incoming HD-UV uninterruptedly, are both visually lossless switches and maintain a total delay between corresponding frames of the incoming HD-UV and the outgoing HD-UV that is below duration of two video frames.

Abstract: Methods and systems to release network bandwidth for a new video stream. One method includes the following steps: receiving, by a first real-time video encoder (RT-VE), a first incoming high-definition uncompressed video (HD-UV), compressing it into a first compressed video using a first low compression ratio, and sending it over a first network path to a first real-time video decoder (RT-VD). Extracting, by the first RT-VD, an outgoing HD-UV from the first compressed video. Inferring that after establishing the first network path, and as a result of insufficient bandwidth on a common link comprised in the first network path, a second RT-VE cannot send a second compressed video to a second RT-VD over a second network path that includes the common link. And Increasing on-the-fly the first compression ratio in proportion to the insufficient bandwidth, in a manner that is visually lossless for a human viewing the outgoing HD-UV.

Abstract: Methods and systems for encoding a frame utilizing at least two line-codes having different minimal Hamming distances. The method includes maintaining over the frame absolute value of running disparity lower than or equal to K, while: encoding a first part of the frame utilizing a first line-code having a binary code word length N? and a minimal Hamming distance D?; and encoding a second part of the frame utilizing a second line-code having a binary code word length N? and a minimal Hamming distance D? lower than D?. Where the value of K is lower than both N?/2 and N?/2.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a data stream over a communication channel, the method comprising: providing symbol sets having different numbers of symbols; modulating data in the data stream that warrant different degrees of protection against noise onto symbols from symbol sets having different numbers of symbols, wherein which symbol set given data in the stream is modulated onto is independent of symbol sets onto which other data in the data stream is modulated onto; and transmitting the symbols.

Abstract: Method and devices for generating a parallel binary representation of an HDBaseT® physical modulation. The method and devices include generating series-consisting-4-binary-symbols, each represents a physical modulation of one HDBaseT compliant symbol. The series-consisting-4-binary-symbols are transmitted over eight binary channels, where each series-consisting-4-binary-symbols is transmitted serially over one of the binary channels using transmission rate that is twice the HDBaseT rate.

Abstract: A packet based switched multimedia network which consolidates networking of high throughput, time sensitive data, and control streams, with Ethernet data networking over home span. The multimedia network may support in parallel, over the same home span cabling infrastructure, high quality networking including time sensitive data streams, such as HDMI, USB, and Ethernet, transparent network attachment for legacy devices, multi stream, and low power modes.

Abstract: Methods and systems for synchronizing USB 2.0 isochronous IN and OUT transfer clocks over a non-USB network. One method for synchronizing isochronous IN transfer clocks includes: receiving, by a USB host adaptor (USBH), packets from a USB host; writing in each packet an indication of the time in which the packet was received by the USBH; sending the packets from the USBH to a USB device adaptor (USBD) over the network; and synchronizing the USBD clock to the USBH clock based on a property related to the received packets.

Abstract: Receivers configured to handle dynamically modulated symbols. One receiver includes a slicer, a physical coding sublayer (PCS), and a decision based filter (DBF). Each of most of the received frames comprising (i) modulation information modulated according to a predetermined modulation order, and (ii) symbols of at least two different modulation orders that are dynamically modulated in accordance with the modulation information. The slicer configured to feed the PCS with essentially the minimal combination of slicing results that essentially covers all the predetermined modulation order. And the PCS configured to identify the modulation information, to use the identified modulation information to determine the modulation of the dynamically modulated symbols, and to provide the slicer with an indication of which slicer function output to use to feed the DBF.

Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a USB extension over a lossy channel. The USB extension includes at least a state machine and packet loss inference mechanism. The state machine includes a first state in which the USB extension receives a USB data packet from a standard USB host, a second state, unsupported by the USB Specification, in which the packet loss inference mechanism may indicate the state machine to switch back to its first state, and a third state in which the USB extension switches the state machine back to its first state.

Abstract: Methods and systems for indicating an end of an idle sequence residing between first and second frames, while maintaining bounded running disparity, including: encoding the first frame; encoding a basic idle sequence utilizing a first line-code; producing an idle sequence by replacing M code words of the basic idle sequence with M alternative code words; encoding the second frame; transmitting the first frame, the idle sequence, and the second frame; and receiving the second frame by a second communication node. Each one of the M alternative code words is equal to a code word of the basic idle sequence. And the second communication node is unable to determine a starting point of the second frame based only on the idle sequence and the second frame, but is able to determine the starting point of the second frame based on difference between the basic idle sequence and the idle sequence.

Abstract: Methods and systems for encoding frames while maintaining bounded running disparity, including: encoding the headers of the frames utilizing a first line-code; selecting the first line-code and a second line code for encoding first and second payloads of first and second frames, respectively, based on first and second data types of first and second data comprised in the first and second payloads, respectively; encoding the first and second payloads utilizing the first and second line-codes, respectively; and transmitting the first and second frames over a communication channel characterized by first and second channel conditions, respectively. The second line-code has a minimal Hamming distance lower than that of the first line-code, and the differences between the first and second channel conditions are not enough for selecting the second line-code instead of the first line-code for encoding the second payload.

Abstract: Methods and systems for indicating an end of an idle sequence, including: encoding a first frame, encoding a basic idle sequence including code words, producing an idle sequence by replacing certain M code words of the idle sequence with M alternative code words, and encoding a second frame. Each one of the M alternative code words appears in the basic idle sequence. And a second communication node, which is unable to determine a starting point of the second frame based only on a received idle sequence, is able to determine a start of the second frame based on a difference between the received idle sequence and the basic idle sequence.

Abstract: Method and devices for generating a parallel binary representation of an HDBaseT® physical modulation. The method and devices include generating series-consisting-4-binary-symbols, each represents a physical modulation of one HDBaseT compliant symbol. The series-consisting-4-binary-symbols are transmitted over eight binary channels, where each series-consisting-4-binary-symbols is transmitted serially over one of the binary channels using transmission rate that is twice the HDBaseT rate.

Abstract: Connecting USB devices with USB hosts over distinct network data plane connections, including the following steps: USB hosts are connected with respective USB host adaptors (USBHs) according to USB specification timings. USB devices are connected with respective USB device adaptors (USBDs). Enabling the USBDs and the USBHs to communicate over a network that can connect each USBD with each USBH, wherein the network includes network control plane and network data plane. Initiating first, second, and third USB-over-network-data-plane connections from the USB hosts to the USB devices. And operating the at least two USB-over-network-data-plane connections essentially simultaneously and without any common network node.

Abstract: A communication device configured to transmit and receive simultaneously, over the same wire, unidirectional high definition video and bidirectional data. The communication device includes a hybrid circuit coupled to a cable made of wires, and a transceiver. The transceiver is configured to transmit, over one of the cable's wires, Transition Minimized Differential Signaling (TMDS) data and source-to-sink direction of bidirectional data. The transceiver is further configured to receive the opposite direction of the bidirectional data over the same wire and simultaneously with the transmitting.

Abstract: Seamless addition of high bandwidth lanes, including the steps of: sending, by a master, an idle sequence using 7b/10b code words over new high bandwidth lanes in parallel to sending and receiving 8b/10b data with a fixed delay over master-to-slave (m2s) and slave-to-master (s2m) active high bandwidth lanes; sending in parallel a synchronization sequence and a known non-idle sequence during an inter packet gap; utilizing, by the slave, the known non-idle sequence for deskewing the new high bandwidth lanes; and sending, by the master, a transition sequence over both the m2s active high bandwidth lane and the new high bandwidth lanes, and immediately thereafter the master is ready to transmit high bandwidth data using 8b/10b code words over both the m2s active high bandwidth lane and the new high bandwidth lanes.

Abstract: Receivers designed to reduce decision based filter error propagation by feedback from PCS to slicer. One embodiment includes a slicer, a physical coding sublayer (PCS), and a decision based filter (DBF). The frames include symbols of at least two different modulation orders. The slicer has slicing functions suitable for the different modulations and feeds the PCS with the slicing results. The PCS identifies frame boundaries and modulation information, which are modulated according to a predetermined modulation order, uses the identified modulation information to determine the modulation of a nonempty set of dynamically modulated symbols in each frame, and provides the slicer with an indication of which slicer function output to use to feed the DBF.

Abstract: Methods and systems for calculating latency variations in a distributed manner, including the steps of: calculating, by first and second switches, first and second local latency variations, of first and second streaming sessions, at first and second output ports of the first and second switches, respectively. Receiving, by the third switch, the first and second local latency variations; wherein a first and second paths of the first and second streaming sessions, respectively, are passing through a third output port of the third switch after passing through the first and second output ports, respectively. And calculating, by the third switch, a third local latency variation of the first streaming session at the third output port, based on the first and second local latency variations.

Abstract: Methods and systems for admitting new streaming sessions while preventing latency variations of existing sessions from exceeding their respective limits, including the steps of: receiving a request to establish a new streaming session over a new path, in presence of an existing streaming session that is established over an existing path. Estimating, before the new streaming session is established, an estimated end-to-end latency variation of the existing streaming session, supposing the new streaming session is established over the new path. Determining, by comparing the estimated end-to-end latency variation with the limit, a determination that the estimated end-to-end latency variation exceeds the limit. And rejecting the request, based on the determination.