# US 10,771,840 B2 · Sink device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,771,840 B2
- Document ID: US10771840B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/543,587
- Filed: 2016-02-25
- Published: 2017-12-07
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-25
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yoshihiro Moriie; Akihiro Fuke; Kazuki Adachi; Hiroaki Nakayama; Takuma Adachi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771840B2

## CPC

- H04N 21/43615: {Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805)}
- H04N 21/21825: {involving removable storage units, e.g. tertiary storage such as magnetic tapes or optical disks}
- H04N 21/436: Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home
- H04N 21/43635: {HDMI}
- H04N 21/439: Processing of audio elementary streams
- H04N 21/4516: {involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available}
- H04N 5/775: between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
- H04N 7/163: {by receiver means only}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A sink device is bi-directionally communicably connected to the source device. The sink device includes a first memory, and a controller. Stored in the first memory is a plurality of pieces of audio format information including information representing an audio format that the sink device can process. The controller selects, from among the plurality of pieces of audio format information stored in the first memory, one piece of audio format information corresponding to receiver format information representing an audio format that a receiver device connected to the sink device can process. The controller then outputs the selected audio format information to the source device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sink device bi-directionally communicably connected to a source device, the sink device comprising:
a first memory storing a plurality of pieces of audio format information including information representing an audio format that the sink device can process; and
a controller for selecting, based on a first selection or a second selection, from among the plurality of pieces of audio format information stored in the first memory, one piece of audio format information corresponding to receiver format information representing an audio format that a receiver device connected to the sink device can process, and for outputting the selected audio format information to the source device, wherein:
the controller determines whether or not an audio output destination set beforehand is the receiver device,
when the controller has determined that the audio output destination is not the receiver device, the controller performs the second selection, and
when the controller has determined that the audio output destination is the receiver device, the controller determines whether or not an audio output setting is a predetermined setting,
when the controller has determined that the audio output setting is the predetermined setting, the controller performs either the first selection or the second selection, and
when the controller has determined that the audio output setting is not the predetermined setting, the controller performs the second selection.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sink device according to claim 1, wherein: when the controller has determined the audio output setting is the predetermined setting, the controller
requests the receiver device to send the receiver format information to the sink device, and,
when the receiver format information is obtained from the receiver device, the controller performs the first selection, the first selection referring to an operation for selecting, from among the plurality of pieces of audio format information, audio format information corresponding to the obtained receiver format information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sink device according to claim 2, further comprising:
a display device for displaying a screen, from which a user is able to select one piece of corresponding information from among a plurality of pieces of corresponding information respectively corresponding to the plurality of pieces of audio format information; and
a receptor for accepting an input representing that one piece of corresponding information is selected from among the plurality of pieces of corresponding information displayed on the display device,
wherein the controller performs, when the receiver format information is not obtained from the receiver device, the second selection, the second selection referring to an operation for selecting, from among the plurality of pieces of audio format information, audio format information corresponding to one piece of corresponding information represented by the input.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sink device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a display device for displaying a screen, from which a user is able to select one piece of corresponding information from among a plurality of pieces of corresponding information respectively corresponding to the plurality of pieces of audio format information, and
a receptor for accepting an input representing that one piece of corresponding information is selected from among the plurality of pieces of corresponding information displayed on the display device,
wherein, when the controller has determined the audio output setting is not the predetermined setting, the controller performs the second selection, the second selection referring to an operation for selecting, from among the plurality of pieces of audio format information, audio format information corresponding to one piece of corresponding information represented by the input.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sink device according to claim 1, further comprising a second memory storing the audio format information selected by the controller,
wherein the controller outputs, when a request for obtaining audio format information representing an audio format with which the source device should perform an output is received from the source device, the audio format information stored in the second memory to the source device.