Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to determination of physical connectivity status of devices based on electrical measurement. An embodiment of a method includes discovering a connection of a first device with a second device, and performing an electrical measurement of the second device by the first device via the connection between the first device and the second device, where performing the electrical measurement includes sensing by the first device of an element of the second device. The method further includes, if the sensing by the first device fails to detect the element of the second device and a predetermined condition for the electrical measurement is enabled, then determining by the first device that the connection with the second device has been lost.

Abstract: A device converts between electrical duplex and optical signals. In one embodiment, such a device includes an echo cancellation circuit that reduces the echo from an incoming optical signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a source device and sink device communicate with one another via a multimedia link. The multimedia link includes a cable and a plug. The cable includes one or more data lines, power lines, ground lines or control bus lines. The plug includes a plurality of pins each connected to the one or more lines included in the cable. The plug also includes a ground plane and a power plane, wherein a ground pin of the plug connects the ground plane to the ground line of the cable of the multimedia link and a power pin of the plug connects the ground plane to the power line of the cable. In one example, the ground plane and power plane are placed within a threshold distance of one another, such that the power line connected to the power plane via the power pin behaves as a signal return path.

Abstract: A cable with circuitry that enables the cable to communicate data in one of at least two different signal modes of operation is presented. In a first signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the circuitry and either a source device or a sink device. The first signal mode can be used either to communicate properties of the cable itself or of a signal passing through the cable to either the source device or the sink device. In a second signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the source device and the sink device. The second signal mode can be used to communicate data in accordance with a predetermined protocol.

Abstract: A source device communicates multimedia data to a sink device over a multimedia channel of a multimedia link. The source device comprises an interface to a full duplex control channel of the multimedia link. The source device also comprises first arbitration logic to control transfer of control data with the sink device via the full duplex control channel. The first arbitration logic ignores requests to receive inbound control data from the sink device while the source device is transmitting outbound control data to the sink device. The sink device, on the other hand, comprises second arbitration logic to control transfer of control data with the source device via the full duplex control channel. The second arbitration logic stops transmitting outbound control data via the full duplex control channel responsive to receiving a request to receive incoming control data from the source device.

Abstract: A multimedia system for data communications. A source device communicates over a full duplex control channel of a multimedia communication link using time domain multiplexed (TDM) frames having n time slots per frame. The source device allocates a first time slot position to a virtual channel for data transmission by the source device over the full duplex control channel. A sink device communicates over the full duplex control channel of the multimedia communication link. The sink device allocates a second time slot position to the virtual channel for data transmission by the sink device over the full duplex control channel. A timing of the second time slot position is offset from a timing of the first time slot position by substantially n/2 time slots.

Abstract: An apparatus for interfacing with a multimedia communication link comprises a half-duplex translation layer circuit operating in half-duplex and a full-duplex link layer circuit to communicate over a control bus of the multimedia communication link in full duplex. The apparatus further comprises an arbitration circuit communicatively coupled between the half-duplex translation layer circuit and the full-duplex link layer circuit, the arbitration circuit to control data flow between the half-duplex translation layer circuit and the full-duplex link layer circuit. The arbitration circuit provides interface and signaling rules for transmitting packets from the half-duplex translation layer circuit to the full-duplex link layer circuit, receiving packets via the full-duplex link layer circuit at the half-duplex translation layer circuit, and resolving conflict arising due to bidirectional data flow at the arbitration logic.

Abstract: A multimedia system for data communications. A source device communicates data over a full duplex control channel of a multimedia communication link. The source device has a first link layer that retries unsuccessful data communications over the full duplex control channel until a first maximum retry limit of the first link layer is reached. A sink device communicates data over the full duplex control channel of the multimedia communication link. The sink device has a second link layer that retries unsuccessful data communications over the full duplex control channel until a second maximum retry limit of the second link layer is reached, where the second maximum retry limit is different than the first maximum retry limit.

Abstract: A cable with circuitry that enables the cable to communicate data in one of at least two different signal modes of operation is presented. In a first signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the circuitry and either a source device or a sink device. The first signal mode can be used either to communicate properties of the cable itself or of a signal passing through the cable to either the source device or the sink device. In a second signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the source device and the sink device. The second signal mode can be used to communicate data in accordance with a predetermined protocol.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to determination of physical connectivity status of devices based on electrical measurement. An embodiment of a method includes discovering a connection of a first device with a second device, and performing an electrical measurement of the second device by the first device via the connection between the first device and the second device, where performing the electrical measurement includes sensing by the first device of an element of the second device. The method further includes, if the sensing by the first device fails to detect the element of the second device and a predetermined condition for the electrical measurement is enabled, then determining by the first device that the connection with the second device has been lost.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to half-duplex bidirectional transmission of data compliant with a first standard (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard) over a physical channel of a multimedia link for transmitting audio/video (“A/V”) data compliant with a second standard (e.g., Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) standard) between a source device and a sink device using time division multiplexing (TDM). The source device sends units of data including A/V data and forward data compliant with the first standard at first times whereas the sink device sends units of data including backward data compliant with the first standard at second times between transmissions from the source device. The first times do not overlap with the second times. Synchronization signals may be added to the first and second units of data to align character symbols embedded in the first and second units of data.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to identifying the orientation of a multimedia link connected between a source device and a sink device. A sink device includes a plurality of pins that are configured to interface with a plurality of pins of the multimedia link. The sink device identifies based on the values of one or more pins of the plurality of pins of the sink device whether the multimedia link is connected to the sink device. Further, the sink device determines an orientation of the multimedia link connected to the sink device. The multimedia link can be in one of two orientations, straight or flipped. The sink device may communicate the orientation of the multimedia link to the source device. The source device may perform lane mapping based on whether the multimedia link is in the straight or flipped orientation.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to compensation for common mode signal swing. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a connector for the transfer of the data, the connector including connections for a first set of one or more conductors; a receiver for the reception of data via the connector, the received data including a first signal and a second signal transmitted via the set of one or more conductors, the second signal being a common mode signal modulating the first signal, the receiver including an amplifier to amplify the received data with a positive gain; and a common mode compensation circuit to compensate for a voltage swing of the common mode signal in the amplified received data. The common mode compensation circuit is to sense the common mode signal, amplify the sensed common mode signal with a negative gain, and feed back the amplified common mode to output nodes of the receiver.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for pre-authenticating ports is disclosed. In one embodiment, an active port facilitating communication of media content between a transmitting device and a receiving device is identified, while the active port are associated with a first High-Definition Content Protection (HDCP) engine. Then, inactive ports that are in idle mode serving as backup ports to the active port are identified, while the inactive ports are associated with a second HDCP engine. Pre-authentication of each of the inactive ports is performed so the pre-authenticated inactive ports can subsequently replace the active port if a port switch is performed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a source device and sink device communicate with one another via a multimedia link. The multimedia link includes a cable and a plug. The cable includes one or more data lines, power lines, ground lines or control bus lines. The plug includes a plurality of pins each connected to the one or more lines included in the cable. The plug also includes a ground plane and a power plane, wherein a ground pin of the plug connects the ground plane to the ground line of the cable of the multimedia link and a power pin of the plug connects the ground plane to the power line of the cable. In one example, the ground plane and power plane are placed within a threshold distance of one another, such that the power line connected to the power plane via the power pin behaves as a signal return path.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a low power standby mode control circuit. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a processor, an interface for a connection with a second apparatus, and an operational circuit, wherein the processor is to disable one or more power connections to the operational circuit in a standby mode. The apparatus further includes a standby mode control circuit, the standby control circuit to operate using a standby power source, wherein the standby mode control circuit is to detect a stimulus signal from the second apparatus and in response to the stimulus signal the standby control circuit is to signal the processor, the processor to enable the one or more power connections of the operational circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to determination of physical connectivity status of devices based on electrical measurement. An embodiment of a method includes discovering a connection of a first device with a second device, and performing an electrical measurement of the second device by the first device via the connection between the first device and the second device, where performing the electrical measurement includes sensing by the first device of an element of the second device. The method further includes, if the sensing by the first device fails to detect the element of the second device and a predetermined condition for the electrical measurement is enabled, then determining by the first device that the connection with the second device has been lost.

Abstract: A cable with circuitry that enables the cable to communicate data in one of at least two different signal modes of operation is presented. In a first signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the circuitry and either a source device or a sink device. The first signal mode can be used either to communicate properties of the cable itself or of a signal passing through the cable to either the source device or the sink device. In a second signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the source device and the sink device. The second signal mode can be used to communicate data in accordance with a predetermined protocol.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for communicating sideband information in a data frame including video data. In an embodiment, a data frame is exchanged between two device via a hardware interconnect which is compatible with physical layer requirements of an interface specification. The interface specification identifies a data frame format comprising a total of X consecutive horizontal lines of vertical blanking data and a total of Y consecutive horizontal lines of data including video data. In another embodiment, vertical blanking data of the data frame includes only (X?N) consecutive horizontal lines of data. Active data of the data frame includes N horizontal lines of data including sideband data, and Y additional horizontal lines of data including video data.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to multiple protocol tunneling using time division operations. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an interface for communication with a second apparatus, the interface including a shared communication link; and a multiplexer to multiplex data of each of multiple protocols into time slots for transmission, the protocols including a first protocol. The time slots are distributed among the protocols, where the distribution of the time slots among the protocols includes assigning one or more time slots to the first protocol to enable the data of the first protocol to meet one or more performance requirements for the first protocol.