KR101555566B1 - Electronic device in electronic device system comprising electronic devices circularly connected each other - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic device of an electronic device system comprising a plurality of electronic devices connected in a cyclic manner. An electronic device according to the present invention comprises: a first receiving unit for receiving an uncompressed video signal from a first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A second receiving unit for receiving a data signal from the first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A first transmitter for transmitting the uncompressed video signal received by the first receiver to the second electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A second transmitter for transmitting a data signal received by the second receiver to the second electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; Wherein the control unit determines whether the signal received by each of the first and second receiving units is an operation target, performs an operation corresponding to the signal when it is determined that the signal is the operation target, And a control unit for transmitting the signal through each of the transmission units corresponding thereto.

Thereby, an electronic device having the same effect as transmitting a signal using a bidirectional transmission channel even if a plurality of electronic devices cyclically connected transmit only a unidirectional signal using only a unidirectional transmission channel is provided.

 Circulation, unidirectional

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device including a plurality of electronic devices that are circularly connected to each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus of an electronic apparatus system including a plurality of electronic apparatuses connected in a cyclic manner, and more particularly, even when signals are transmitted using only unidirectional connection channels, To an electronic device having the same effect as that of transmitting an electronic mail.

Conventional electronic devices have one input / output unit capable of receiving and transmitting signals. In this case, when a plurality of electronic devices are to be connected, an Aux data transmission channel is constructed in both directions and connected. In order to configure the data transmission channel in both directions, both a Tx stage for transmitting a signal to one electronic device and an Rx stage for receiving a signal are required.

However, in a case where a plurality of existing electronic devices using bidirectional transmission channels are connected to provide an electronic device system, as the number of electronic devices increases, the number of Tx stages and Rx stages in each electronic device So that the cost of the entire system is significantly increased.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device in which a receiver for receiving a signal and a transmitter for transmitting a signal are separated, so that even if the electronic device is circularly connected, So that the effect of transmitting a signal in both directions is provided.

The above object is achieved by an electronic apparatus of an electronic apparatus system comprising a plurality of electronic apparatuses connected cyclically in accordance with the present invention, comprising: a first receiving section for receiving an uncompressed video signal from the first electronic apparatus among the plurality of electronic apparatuses; ; A second receiving unit for receiving a data signal from the first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A first transmitter for transmitting the uncompressed video signal received by the first receiver to the second electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A second transmitter for transmitting a data signal received by the second receiver to the second electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; Wherein the control unit determines whether the signal received by each of the first and second receiving units is an operation target, performs an operation corresponding to the signal when it is determined that the signal is the operation target, And a control unit for transmitting the signal through each of the transmission units corresponding thereto.

The electronic device may include a TV, a DTV, a set top box, a DVD or BD player, a home theater system, a game device, a notebook PC, a mobile phone, a PDA, and the like.

Here, the channel for connecting each electronic device to transmit an uncompressed video signal may be one or a plurality of channels, and most preferably, a video signal is divided and transmitted to three or more channels. If there are three uncompressed video transmission channels, it is also possible to transmit R, G, B or Y, Cb and Cr signals for each channel, or to mix and transmit the signals.

Here, the channel through which each electronic device is connected to transmit the data signal is an Aux data transmission channel, and may be a single number or a plurality of channels. The Aux data transmission channel includes an audio signal; Various additional signals including Closed Caption, Extended Display Identification data (EDID), Hot Plug detect, and the like; Control signal (CEC, Consumer electronics control); Ethernet data and the like can be transmitted.

Here, the uncompressed video transmission channel and the Aux data transmission channel are unidirectional, and the transmission directions of all the channels are the same.

Wherein the transmission channel is a channel for connecting a Tx (Transmitter) stage, which is a transmitter of the first electronic device, and an Rx (Receiver) stage, which is a receiver of the second electronic device, Signal pair (Differential Signal Pair), and the Rx circuit plays the opposite role. In order to minimize EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference), the connection channel is formed of a twisted pair cable from the Tx end to the Rx end, and the signals are formed in the form of a differential signal pair . In addition, it is preferable that the uncompressed video channel receives the signal itself without a separate clock channel and directly restores the clock using a PLL (Phase-Locked Loop).

1 is a diagram for comparing an existing electronic device with the present electronic device. As shown in FIG. 1 (A), a conventional electronic device uses a bidirectional transmission channel for Aux data transmission. In this case, two Since a connection cable is required, each electronic device must have both a Tx stage for transmission and an Rx stage for reception. Therefore, when a plurality of existing electronic devices are connected using a bi-directional transmission channel, the number of Tx stages and Rx stages is greatly increased for each electronic device, which increases cost. However, as shown in FIG. 1 (B), since the Aux data transmission channel of the present invention connects the first electronic device and the second electronic device using a unidirectional connection channel, only one cable is required. Accordingly, when a plurality of electronic devices of the present invention are connected, the number of Tx stages and Rx stages can be reduced for each electronic device, thereby achieving cost reduction.

The uncompressed video signal of the present invention includes a video signal that can be transmitted through an uncompressed video transmission channel; The data signal of the present invention includes an audio signal that can be transmitted through an Aux data transmission channel; Various additional signals including Closed Caption, Extended Display Identification data (EDID), Hot Plug detect, and the like; Control signal (CEC, Consumer electronics control); And Ethernet data.

Further, the video signal and the data signal of the present invention separately include identification information for the electronic device, and the controller determines whether the video signal and the data signal are to be operated based on the identification information for the electronic device. The identification information for the electronic device of the present invention may include an IP address that is an address unique to each electronic device or a unique number assigned between devices in the network.

In addition, the control unit of the present invention can determine whether or not an operation target is to be performed by increasing or decreasing a counter, one by one, through a plurality of cyclically connected electronic apparatuses, that is, a distance to a final electronic apparatus, have.

On the other hand, the control unit of the present invention determines whether the signal received from the first electronic device is an operation target after bypassing the signal received by the receiving unit from the first electronic device to the second electronic device, So as to perform an operation corresponding to the control signal.

The electronic device of the present invention is characterized by being capable of further transmitting power. In the case of an electronic device in which at least one electronic device in an electronic device system including a plurality of circulatingly connected electronic devices of the present invention is not connected to a power source, It can transmit a signal requesting supply. In this case, the electronic device receiving the signal for requesting the power supply transmits the power corresponding to the signal through the data transmission channel such as the uncompressed video transmission channel or the Aux data transmission channel, Device. If a dedicated power supply dedicated channel is provided, power may be supplied through the dedicated power supply channel. In this case, the power supply is preferably a DC power supply. In addition, electronic devices that do not have separate power lines can always receive standby power from a powered electronic device to support minimal functionality such as detecting user power on commands and transferring data to other electronic devices .

The electronic device of the present invention further includes an interface connectable to at least one external network, and the control unit communicates with an external network to receive data from the external network.

The electronic device further includes an additional transmitter for transmitting a signal to an external device and an additional receiver for receiving a signal from the external device. When the electronic device is not connected to the external device, Wherein the control unit bypasses a signal received from the first electronic device to the second electronic device when the electronic device is connected to the external device, And transmits the signal to the external device, and transmits the signal received by the external device through the additional receiving unit to the second electronic device.

Here, the electronic device including the additional transmitting unit and the additional receiving unit may further include a switch device. In this case, the control unit senses whether or not the portable device is connected, and when the portable device is connected to the portable device, 1 transmits a signal received from an electronic device to the portable device through the additional transmission unit and, if not connected to the portable device, bypasses a signal received from the first electronic device to the second electronic device through the transmission unit do.

Here, the electronic device including the additional transmitting unit and the additional receiving unit may not include the control unit. In this case, when not connected to the external device, the signal received from the first electronic device is simply bypassed to the second electronic device. If the signal is received from the first electronic device, To the external device, and receives the signal from the external device through the additional receiving unit and transmits the signal to the second electronic device. A preferred example of an electronic device that does not include a control section including an additional transmission section and an additional reception section is a cradle which is suitable for a portable device in which case the system of the present invention is used for charging the power of the portable device .

The present invention also relates to an electronic device of an electronic device system including a plurality of electronic devices that are cyclically connected, the electronic device comprising: a first receiver for receiving an uncompressed video signal from a first electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices; A second receiving unit for receiving a data signal from the first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A second transmitter for transmitting a data signal received by the second receiver to the second electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A display unit; The video signal received by the first processing unit is processed and displayed to determine whether the signal received by the second receiving unit is an operation target. When it is determined that the signal is the operation target, an operation corresponding to the data signal is performed And a control unit for transmitting the signal through the second transmission unit corresponding to the signal when it is determined that the signal is not an object of the operation. The electronic device does not need to transmit the uncompressed video signal to the second electronic device and therefore does not include the first transmission portion for transmission of the uncompressed video signal. Therefore, unnecessary Tx stages and Rx stages can be manufactured, and the cost reduction effect of the whole system can be obtained.

Therefore, in the case of configuring an electronic device system by circularly connecting a plurality of electronic devices of the present invention as described above, a signal is circulated when a signal is transmitted using a unidirectional channel, and the signal is transmitted in both directions .

As described above, according to the present invention, an electronic apparatus of an electronic device system including a plurality of electronic devices which are circularly connected is provided. In the electronic device of the present invention, the receiving unit for receiving a signal and the transmitting unit for transmitting a signal are separated, and when a plurality of the electronic devices are circularly connected, the signal is circulated even though a signal is transmitted using a unidirectional transmission channel As a result, it has the same effect as the signal is transmitted in both directions. As a result, each electronic device requires a smaller number of Tx stages and Rx stages than the case of using a bidirectional transmission channel, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the entire system.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly illustrate the present invention, parts not related to the description are omitted, and the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for comparing an electronic device of the present invention with a conventional electronic device. As shown in FIG. 1 (B), the electronic device of the present invention has a small number of Tx stages and Rx stages .

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment using the electronic device of the present invention, in which a plurality of electronic devices of the present invention are circularly connected to implement an electronic device system. The electronic devices 100, 200, 300 and 400 of the present invention may include control units 110, 210, 310 and 410, transmitters 120, 220, 320 and 420 and receive units 130, 230, 330 and 430 ).

Each of the transmission units 120, 220, 320 and 420 includes a first transmission unit to which three uncompressed video transmission channels 10, 11, 12 and 13 are connected and one Aux data transmission channel 20, And 23 are connected to each other.

Each of the receiving units 130, 230, 330 and 430 includes a first receiving unit to which three uncompressed video transmission channels 10, 11, 12 and 13 are connected and one Aux data transmitting channel 20, And 23 are connected to each other.

In the signal flow of the electronic device of the present invention, when the signal is transmitted in the electronic device 1 (100) of FIG. 1, the signal is transmitted only in the clockwise direction, and the electronic device 2 (200) N 400 to eventually return to the electronic device 1 100, so that the signal transmitted from the electronic device 1 is circulated.

As an example of an electronic device of the present invention, electronic device 2 200 of FIG. 2 transmits a video signal to electronic device N 400 via an uncompressed video transmission channel 11, 12, an Aux data transmission channel 21 , 22, 23) to the electronic device 1 (100). When the electronic device 3 300 receives the video signal and the audio signal transmitted from the electronic device 2 through the receiving unit 330, the control unit 310 of the electronic device 3 determines that the signal is not an operation target signal of the electronic device 3 The control unit 410 of the electronic device N judges whether the electronic device N is the electronic device N by receiving the signal bypassed by the electronic device 3, The control unit 410 of the electronic device N determines that the signal is not an operation target signal of the electronic device N and transmits the signal to the transmission unit 420 To the electronic device 1 (100). The control unit 110 of the electronic device 1 judges that the audio signal received through the receiving unit 130 of the electronic device 1 is an operation target signal of the electronic device 1 and executes an operation corresponding to the audio signal. In this case, the most preferable embodiment is a case where the electronic device 2 200 is a set top box, the electronic device N 400 is a TV, and the electronic device 1 100 is a home theater system. That is, the set-top box transmits a video signal to a TV and an audio signal to a home theater system.

As another embodiment of the electronic device of the present invention, when electronic device N (400) of FIG. 2 transmits a control signal requesting video signal and audio signal to electronic device 2 (200) And transmits the requested video signal and audio signal to the device N. [ That is, when the electronic device N requests the control signal to the electronic device 2, the control signal transmitted from the electronic device N is received through the receiving unit 130 of the electronic device 1 100, The control unit 210 of the electronic device 200 determines that the electronic device 1 is not an operation target and the control signal is bypassed to the electronic device 200 through the transmission unit 120, And transmits the video signal and the audio signal to the electronic device 300 in order to transmit the video signal and the audio signal to the electronic device N. [ The electronic device 3 300 determines that the video signal and the audio signal received through the receiver 330 are not an operation target signal and bypasses the video signal and the audio signal to the electronic device N through the transmitter 320 Eventually, the electronic device N (400) receives the video signal and the audio signal requested through the receiver (420) and executes the corresponding operation. This embodiment occurs when a control signal for electronic device 2 occurs in another electronic device in a plurality of electronic device systems that are cyclically connected, whereby control signals for each electronic device in the circulatingly connected system are transmitted to one All of them can be generated in the electronic device of the apparatus, and thus universal control becomes possible. The most preferred embodiment is the case where the electronic device N is a TV and the user controls the control of other electronic devices in the system that are cyclically connected using the control OSD menu for the connected electronic device displayed on the TV, Even if there is no remote control, it can be controlled by using only one TV remote control.

Although not shown in the drawings of the present application, the electronic device of the present invention further includes a display portion, and an embodiment of an electronic device that does not include the second transmission portion. That is, when the electronic device N 400 of FIG. 2 further includes a display unit and does not include the second transmission unit, it is preferably a video sink device such as a TV or a monitor Device), a simplified system can be constructed. The electronic device N 400 does not include the second transmission unit and therefore can include only the Aux data transmission channel 23 without the video transmission channel 13. [ When the electronic device N transmits a control signal requesting the video signal and the audio signal to the electronic device 2 using the Aux data transmission channel 23, the control signal is transmitted to the electronic device 2 via the electronic device 1 (100) The control unit 210 of the electronic device 2 determines that the signal is an operation target signal, and transmits a video signal and an audio signal corresponding to the control signal to the electronic device N, N is received. In this case, since the final destination of the video signal is electronic device N, and because electronic device N can execute the video signal as a video sink device and does not need to transmit the signal to electronic device 1 100, electronic device N And does not include the video transmission channel 13 in the case of this video sink device.

FIG. 3 shows a case where the electronic device of the present invention further includes an interface connectable to an external network other than the system to which the electronic device is cyclically connected. The electronic device N 400 of FIG. 3 further includes a communication interface 440 connectable to an external Ethernet. When the electronic device 2 200 transmits a control signal requesting data to the outside of the present system to the electronic device N, the electronic device N requests (31) and receives (32) the data requested by the electronic device 2 with the external Ethernet, , And transmits it to the electronic device 2 through the Aux data transmission channels 23 and 20. In the most preferred embodiment, the electronic device 2 is a BD player (Blu ray Disc Player) and the electronic device N is a TV. In this case, the BD player stores additional information about a specific movie on the Blu- When the requesting control signal is transmitted to the electronic device N connected to the external Ethernet, the electronic device N requests data to the external Ethernet through the communication interface 440, receives the requested data, To device 2. The electronic device 2 generates a video signal so that the viewer can see the data received from the electronic device N and transmits the video signal to the electronic device N via the video transmission channel, and the electronic device N displays the video signal, So that the user can view the movie information through the TV.

Fig. 4 shows an example in which, in a system in which a plurality of electronic devices of the present invention are cyclically connected, some electronic devices are supplied separately from other electronic devices in the system without power supplied directly from the power line. When the electronic device 1 100 of Fig. 4 does not have a separate power line, when the user instructs the electronic device 1 to directly turn on the power using the remote control for the electronic device 1, And the electronic device N 400 directly connected to the power line 450 sends a signal requesting power to the electronic device 1 100 through the Aux data transmission channel 23 or the video transmission channel 13, Lt; / RTI > On the other hand, when the user instructs the electronic device N 400 to directly turn on the power of the electronic device 1, the electronic device N transmits the power directly to the electronic device 1.

Figure 5 shows an embodiment in which the electronic device of the present invention further comprises an additional transmitter and an additional receiver. When the electronic device N 400 of FIG. 5 transmits a signal requesting the image content in the portable device 500, the request signal is transmitted to the electronic device 300 through the electronic device 1 100, the electronic device 200, And the request signal is transmitted to the portable device 500 through the additional transmitter 340 of the electronic device 3. When the portable device 500 receives the request signal through the receiver 520, Signal to the electronic device 3 300 through the transmitting unit 510 of the portable device and the additional receiving unit 350 of the electronic device 300 receives the image content and transmits it to the electronic device 3 To the electronic device N (400) through the transmission unit (320). In the most preferred embodiment, the electronic device 300 includes a cradle that does not include the control unit 310, and includes an additional transmitting unit 340 and a further receiving unit 350 that can be connected to the portable device. As described above, when the electronic device 3 is a cradle, it can be used for charging a power source of a portable device. In the present embodiment, only the case of transmitting image content is described, but it is also possible that the portable device 500 is an MP3 player and transmits and receives audio contents.

6 shows an embodiment in which the electronic device of the present invention further includes an additional receiving unit, an additional transmitting unit, and a switch unit. 6 shows a case where the electronic device 3 in the electronic device system of FIG. 5 further includes a switch unit 360 in addition to the additional receiving unit and the additional transmitting unit. The switch unit 360 includes a switch 361 and an adder 362. At this time, the control unit 310 of the electronic device 300 senses whether or not the portable device 500 is connected to the electronic device 3. When the portable device is connected to the electronic device 3, the control unit 310 senses the connection, The switch 360 is controlled to transmit the signal received from the electronic device 200 through the additional transmitter 340 of the electronic device 3 to the portable device 500. If the portable device is not connected to the electronic device 3, the control unit 310 transmits the signal received from the electronic device 200 to the electronic device N 400 via the transmitting unit 320 of the electronic device 3. Pass.

7 is a flowchart for explaining signal control of the control unit of the electronic device of the present invention. First, when a signal is received from the first electronic device (S110), it is determined whether the received signal is an operation target (S120). If it is determined that the received signal is an operation target, an operation corresponding to the signal is performed If it is determined that the operation target is not the operation target, the signal is transmitted to the second electronic device (S140).

According to the present invention, when an electronic device system is implemented by cyclically connecting a plurality of electronic devices, a signal is circulated even when a signal is transmitted using only a unidirectional transmission channel, so that a signal is transmitted using a bidirectional transmission channel And the number of Tx stages and Rx stages for signal transmission and reception of each electronic device can be greatly reduced, thereby providing a cost-effective electronic device and a signal transmission method thereof.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications may be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention . The scope of the invention will be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1 shows the difference between an electronic device of the present invention and a conventional electronic device,

2 shows an implementation of an electronic device system constituted by cyclically connecting a plurality of electronic devices according to the present invention,

3 shows an embodiment in an electronic device system in which the electronic device of the present invention includes an interface connectable to an external network,

4 shows an embodiment in which the electronic device of the present invention is powered from another electronic device in the system,

5 shows an embodiment in which the electronic device of the present invention includes an additional transmitter and an additional receiver,

6 shows an embodiment in which the electronic device of the present invention further includes an additional transmitting unit, an additional receiving unit and a switch unit,

7 is a flowchart for explaining signal control of a control unit of the electronic device of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

100, 200, 300, 400: electronic device 110, 210, 220, 320:

120, 220, 320, 420: transmitting unit, 130, 230, 330, 430:

10, 11, 12, 13: Uncompressed video transmission channel

20, 21, 22, 23: Aux data transmission channel

Claims (8)

An electronic device of an electronic device system comprising a plurality of electronic devices connected in a cyclic manner, A receiving portion including at least one video signal channel for receiving a video signal from a first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices and at least one data signal channel for receiving a data signal from the first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; ;  At least one video signal channel for transmitting the video signal received by the receiving unit to the second electronic device from the plurality of electronic devices and a video signal received by the receiving unit from the plurality of electronic devices to the second electronic device A transmitting unit including at least one data signal channel; Wherein the control unit determines whether the signal received by the receiving unit is a signal to be processed, processes the signal when it is determined that the received signal is the signal to be processed, and transmits the signal through the transmitting unit And a control unit for controlling the operation of the electronic apparatus. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the video signal and the data signal separately include identification information for the electronic device, and the control unit determines whether or not the signal is a signal to be processed based on the identification information for the electronic device Lt; / RTI > The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises an interface connectable to at least one external network, and wherein the control unit communicates with an external network to receive data from the external network. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device further includes an additional transmitting unit for transmitting a signal to an external device and an additional receiving unit for receiving a signal from the external device, The control unit bypasses a signal received from the first electronic device to the second electronic device if the electronic device is not connected to the external device, When the electronic device is connected to the external device, the control unit transmits a signal received from the first electronic device to the external device through the additional transmitting unit, and transmits the signal received by the external device through the additional receiving unit To the second electronic device. The method of claim 1, wherein the data signal includes at least one of an audio signal, a closed caption, an Extended Display Identification (EDID) data, a Hot Plug detect, a control signal (CEC) ) ≪ / RTI > data. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit and the transmitting unit divide and transmit video signals into three or more video signal channels. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is capable of further transmitting power. An electronic device of an electronic device system comprising a plurality of electronic devices connected in a cyclic manner, A receiving portion including at least one video signal channel for receiving a video signal from a first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices and at least one data signal channel for receiving a data signal from the first electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; ;  A transmitting unit including at least one data signal channel for transmitting a data signal received by the receiving unit to the second electronic device among the plurality of electronic devices; A display unit; Processing the video signal received by the receiving unit and displaying the processed video signal, determining whether the received signal is a signal to be processed by the receiving unit, processing the data signal if it is determined to be the signal to be processed, And a controller for transmitting the signal through the transmitter if it is determined that the signal is not a signal.

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