Apparatus and method for interpretation and translation of serial digital audio transmission formats

A method for receiving serial audio digital data and reformatting the audio digital data to a uniform format, comprising:

• receiving input audio digital data from at least one input line;
• identifying channel status information within said input audio digital data;
• separating said channel status information from said input audio digital data;
• modifying the separated channel status information to generate modified channel status information conforming to said uniform format;
• and
• transmitting said modified channel status information to an external device.

An electronic system for processing serial audio digital data, comprising:

• an input device for receiving serial audio digital data in a data link layer format;
• a translator for remapping said received serial audio data into a uniform level format that comprises a superset of said serial audio digital data;
• and
• an output device for outputting said serial audio data which has been converted to said higher level layer format.

An interface circuit for outputting a stream of digital audio data, comprising:

• an input circuit for receiving input audio digital data from at least one input line;
• a control circuit providing at least one control register containing status information therein, wherein the contents of said control register can be interrogated by transmitting an interrogation message to said register;
• and
• an output circuit for receiving said input audio digital data and said status information from said control register, for combining said input audio digital data with said status information to produce output data, and for transmitting said output data to an external device.

An interface circuit for outputting a stream of digital audio data, comprising:

• an input circuit for receiving input audio digital data from at least one input line;
• a control circuit providing at least one control register containing status information therein, wherein the contents of said control register can be set by transmitting a write command to said register;
• and
• an output circuit for receiving said input audio digital data and said status information from said control register, for combining said input audio digital data with said status information to produce output data, and for transmitting said output data to an external device.

An interface circuit for outputting a stream of digital audio data, comprising:

• an input circuit for receiving input audio digital data from at least one input line;
• a control circuit for providing at least one control register containing status information therein, wherein said control register contains control fields, and wherein a same set and organization of control fields supplies status information for plural output format protocols;
• and
• an output circuit for receiving said input audio digital data and said status information from said control register, for combining said input audio digital data with said status information to produce output data, and for transmitting said output data to an external device.

A method for outputting a stream of digital audio data, comprising the steps of:

• receiving input audio digital data from at least one input line;
• accessing at least one control register containing status information therein;
• interrogating the contents of said control register by transmitting an interrogating command to said register;
• receiving said input audio digital data and said status information from said control register;
• combining said input audio digital data with said status information to produce output data, and
• transmitting said output data to an external device.

A method for outputting a stream of digital audio data, comprising the steps of:

• receiving input audio digital data from at least one input line;
• accessing at least one control register containing status information therein;
• setting the contents of said register by transmitting a write command to said control register;
• receiving said input audio digital data and said status information from said control register;
• combining said input audio digital data with said status information to produce output data;
• and
• transmitting said output data to an external device.

A method for outputting a stream of digital audio data, comprising the steps of:

• receiving input audio digital data from at least one input line;
• accessing at least one control register containing status information therein, wherein said control register contains control fields, and wherein a same set and organization of control fields supplies status information for plural output format protocols;
• receiving said input audio digital data and said status information from said control register;
• combining said input audio digital data with said status information to produce output data;
• and
• transmitting said output data to an external device.