Abstract: A communication command system controls communications between equipment having sub-devices for outputting different types of communications. A bus with different channels is connected to the input/output ports of the equipment to send communications back and forth between the equipment. A switch switches the connection between the sub-devices and the bus channels. A command master commands the switch to switch a particular sub-device to a particular bus channel and, in this manner, communications are set up between sub-devices of different equipment.

Abstract: Methods for realizing advanced graphical user interface (GUI) in panel subunit. The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a button GUI element descriptor that defines a bitmap to be displayed when a button is out of focus and another bitmap to be displayed when the button is in focus. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a table GUI element descriptor that defines a table-like on screen display to be displayed on the contoller device. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a panel GUI element descriptor that includes a focused identifier attribute indicating a pre-determined element of the on-screen display as default focus. In this way, the target device would be able to control the default focus of the controller device when displaying an on-screen display.

Abstract: Data to be transmitted via a serial bus in conformity with the IEEE 1394 protocol are ciphered by a ciphering/deciphering circuit, and headers are attached thereto by a header sync detecting/generating circuit. And after further attachment of CRC code by a CRC detector/generator, the data are packetized into isochronous packets of an isochronous mode by a transmission/reception switching circuit, whereby transmission of the data can be performed with enhanced security. Out of cipher keys employed, a session key invariable in each session of the data is transmitted in each packet of an asynchronous mode, and a time variable updated in each session is transmitted in each packet of an isochronous mode. And the ciphered data obtained by depacketizing the packets of the isochronous mode are deciphered, so that the data transmitted with security can be deciphered exactly, and thus illegal use of the data can be prevented with certainty.

Abstract: A method and system for adjusting the bandwidth allocated for isochronous data traffic on an interconnected data bus is disclosed. The present system uses an isochronous resource manager (IRM) to sense a bandwidth change request from a talker. The IRM instigates a bandwidth adjustment associated with the bandwidth change request to one or more bus bridge portals.

Abstract: A communications system connected via a bus capable of transferring combinations of control signals and AV signals as packets while providing an environment which is the same as an environment where connections are made using analog signal lines. A register decided by an address is taken to be a virtual plug for each item of equipment. The plug enable for the input plug is set to 1 and a synchronous communication packet for the AV signal from the channel set by the channel number is received. The plug enable for the output plug is set to one and the synchronous communication packet for the information signal is sent to the channel set by the channel number at a transmission speed designated by the DR (Data Rate) at the bandwidth expressed by “Bandwidth”.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for capturing and processing Continuous media-based data streams transmitted over an IEEE 1394 serial bus manages the use of both receive buffers and process buffers in order to minimize the amount of captured data that is discarded due to unavailable process buffers. When receiving a stream of continuous data. the data is captured and stored within a current receive buffer. When the current receive buffer is full. the captured data within the receive buffer is then read out, processed and stored within a process buffer, if a process buffer is available on a cached list of process buffers. When Full of processed data, the process buffer is then transferred to an application for utilization or further processing of the processed data. If the process buffer is not completely filled, then the process buffer is added back to the cached list of process buffers.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus and an information processing method are capable of preventing information from being copied illegally.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus and an information processing method are capable of preventing information from being copied illegally.

Abstract: Systems and methods consistent with the present invention include a peripheral device connected to a telecommunications network via a telephone line and connected to a multimedia network via a high-speed serial interface. The peripheral device establishes and maintains multiple logical connections between devices in the multimedia network and devices in the telecommunications network.

Abstract: Digital video tape recorder which provides for the simultaneous recording of digital video signals and transmitting of those digital video signals either as analog or digital output signals, for example, for monitoring. In one mode, a recordable digital video signal is produced from a received digital video signal and recorded simultaneously with the conversion of the received digital video signal to an analog video signal which is supplied as an output. In another mode, an analog video signal is received, converted to a digital video signal for recording, and the converted digital video signal is simultaneously transmitted as an output video signal.

Abstract: A controlling application generates objects and handles to represent units within a network. To generate an object representing a device, subobjects for each subunit within the device are assembled into the object representing the device. When the unit reports its self-identifying information, the controlling application determines which subunits are included within the unit. Subobjects representing these subunits are copied from a subobject library and assembled into the object representing this device. Preferably, a handle includes a pointer value pointing to an address of the corresponding object for the device.

Abstract: A MPEG video decoder and MPEG audio decoder respectively decode MPEG video data and MPEG audio data separated by a demultiplexer. A digital interface sends and receives MPEG video data, MPEG audio data and supplementary data between the demultiplexer and external devices. The digital interface detects a flag indicating a discontinuity in a program from an input signal, and a microcomputer performs control so as to initialize the buffer memories.

Abstract: Self-describing information is included within a device and contains information relating to a graphical representation of the device, the controls available on the device and the interface required to access those controls. The self-describing information is preferably embedded within a ROM within the device and is read by other devices coupled to the device for presenting a graphical user interface through which the device can be remotely controlled by a user. The self-describing information can also include an address from which additional information about the device and upgrades are automatically obtained. This address is either an internet address or points to a location within a network of devices. The address can also be modifiable. Alternatively, the self-describing information also includes driving software for enhancing the graphical user interface and controlling the operation of the device through another system.

Abstract: Both small frames and large frames of data are transmitted from a producer device to a consumer device over an IEEE 1394 serial data bus. The small frames of data are preferably transmitted to a small frame buffer associated with a plug at the consumer device. Each transfer of a small frame generates an interrupt at the consumer device when the transfer is complete. For the transfer of large frames of data, the consumer device programs an array of page table entries into the plug control register of the producer device, prior to a transfer of a large frame of data. Each of the page table entries includes a starting address of a memory page at the consumer device to which data can be written. Together, these memory pages specified by the page table entries form a large frame buffer at the consumer device for receiving a large frame of data from the producer device. Preferably, the array of page table entries can be updated by the consumer device, as appropriate, between frame transfers.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus and an information processing method are capable of preventing information from being copied illegally.

Abstract: A method and system for selecting and controlling target devices on a digital home network, in particular a network compliant with IEEE 1394. Various aspects of the process for connecting target devices are moved from the controller to the target devices. An input-select button is used to select a device (a source device) to provide an input signal to another device (a sink device) on the home network. An output-select button is used to specify which output plug is to be used by the source device.

Abstract: A CPU controls the storage of isochronous packets into a main memory. The CPU inserts a nullpacket, which will be ignored by a reception apparatus, into isochronous packets so that the isochronous packets have the same size. A 1394 DMA controller controls the transmission of stored isochronous packets, which have the same size due to the inserted nullpacket, over a 1394 bus.

Abstract: A video recording device includes the ability to record a video broadcast or video program while concurrently replaying a previously recorded video broadcast. This previously recorded video broadcast can be the same video broadcast that is recording or a different video broadcast. The record and playback operations are preferably triggered and controlled through a television on which the user can watch the playback of the recorded program. The viewer enters the data and commands for recording and playback preferably using a remote control device. Video programs are preferably recorded on a mass storage device. Preferably, the mass storage device is a hard disk drive coupled to the television through an IEEE 1394 serial bus network. Alternatively, any other appropriately configured memory device can be used to store the video programs.

Abstract: A command pass-through mechanism for allowing a set of pre-defined user command codes to be passed directly to the target device. By using the command pass-through mechanisms of the present invention, cumbersome control and manipulation of the user interface of the panel subunit can be avoided. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, commands that are not represented as control objects on the user interface can be easily communicated to the target device. Furthermore, Command pass-through can be used to communicate the focus navigation commands to the target. In this way, additional control flexibility is provided to the panel subunit. Further, command pass-through is also useful for communicating commands from specialized keys associated with the controller, such as dedicated remote control buttons (e.g., guide key, selection up, selection down, selection right, selection left, etc.).

Abstract: A controlling application utilizes existing handle objects, as appropriate, to reconfigure objects to dynamically enumerate and represent devices coupled to a serial bus network after a bus reset event. Preferably, the serial bus network is an IEEE 1394-1995 serial bus network. During a self-identifying process, after the bus reset, information about the characteristics of the devices within the network is received. From this self-identifying information objects representing the devices are generated. Existing handle objects from a previous bus configuration are then compared to these objects. If a handle matches an object, then a pointer value within the handle is changed to point to an address of the object. Preferably, a handle includes a 64 bit unique identifier value that is compared to the objects to find a match. For devices removed from the network, the handle object is preferably never discarded but is made invalid.