Audio device for HDMI
AssigneeDolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
InventorsChristian Wolff, David Matthew Fischer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus, method and system for connecting High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) devices. A loopback device connects between a first source device and a sink device on a first connection; a second source device connects to the sink device on a second connection. The loopback device manages the first connection, passes transition-minimized differential signaling (TMDS) or fixed-rate link (FRL) signals through to the sink device, and outputs audio received from the sink device on the audio return channel (ARC) or enhanced audio return channel (eARC). In this manner, audio that originates from any source device may be output without requiring a direct connection to the loopback device.
Claims20
An apparatus including a loopback device for connecting High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) devices, the loopback device comprising:
- a first HDMI interface that is configured to connect to a first HDMI source device;
- a second HDMI interface that is configured to connect to an HDMI sink device;
- and
- a processor,
- wherein the processor is configured to control the loopback device to pass a first HDMI signal through from the first HDMI source device to the HDMI sink device via a first HDMI connection,
- wherein the HDMI sink device is configured to select a selected HDMI signal, wherein the selected HDMI signal is one of the first HDMI signal from the first HDMI source device via the first HDMI connection, and a second HDMI signal from a second HDMI source device via a second HDMI connection, wherein the second HDMI connection does not connect to the, loopback device,
- wherein the processor is configured to control the loopback device to receive, via the second HDMI interface from the HDMI sink device, a selected audio signal associated with the selected HDMI signal, and
- wherein the processor is configured to control the loopback device to output the selected audio signal to a speaker.
A method of connecting High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) devices, the method comprising:
- passing through, by a loopback device, a first HDMI signal from a first HDMI source device to an HDMI sink device via a first HDMI connection;
- selecting, by the HDMI sink device, a selected HDMI signal, wherein the selected HDMI signal is one of the first HDMI signal from the first HDMI source device via the first HDMI connection and a second HDMI signal from a second HDMI source device via a second HDMI connection, wherein the second HDMI connection does not connect to the;
- loopback device;
- receiving, by the loopback device from the HDMI sink device via loopback, a selected audio signal associated with the selected HDMI signal;
- and
- outputting, by the loopback device, the selected audio signal to a speaker.
A system for connecting High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) devices, the system comprising:
- a first HDMI source device;
- a second HDMI source device;
- an HDMI sink device;
- a speaker;
- and
- a loopback device, wherein the loopback device includes:
- a first HDMI interface that is configured to connect to the first HDMI source device;
- a second HDMI interface that is configured to connect to the HDMI sink device;
- and
- a processor,
- wherein the processor is configured to control the loopback device to pass a first HDMI signal through from the first HDMI source device to the HDMI sink device via a first HDMI connection,
- wherein the HDMI sink device is configured to select a selected HDMI signal, wherein the selected HDMI signal is one of the first HDMI signal from the first HDMI source device via the first HDMI connection and a second HDMI signal from a second HDMI source device via a second HDMI connection, wherein the second HDMI connection does not connect to the loopback device,
- wherein the processor is configured to control the loopback device to receive, via the second HDMI interface from the HDMI sink device, a selected audio signal associated with the selected audio and video signal, wherein the selected audio signal corresponds to the selected HDMI signal, as selected by the HDMI sink device, and
- wherein the processor is configured to control the loopback device to output the selected audio signal to a speaker.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.