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US 7,398,344 B2Granted
Plural interfaces in home network with first component having a first host bus width and second component having second bus width
AssigneesSony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
InventorRyuichi Iwamura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Universal network interfaces for a home network connect disparate components to the network, such as relatively complex components (TVs, computers) and relatively simple components (audio boom boxes).
Claims20
A home entertainment network, comprising:
- at least one network path;
- at least a first component having a data bus of a first bus width;
- at least a second component having a data bus of a second bus width, the second bus width being different from the first bus width;
- and
- respective network interfaces connecting each component to the network path, wherein each network interface includes at least one respective data stream port, at least one respective host bus interface communicating with a host bus of the respective component, at least one respective network communication port communicating with a common network backbone, and at least one respective switch selectively connecting the respective network communication port to either the respective host bus interface or the respective at least one data stream port.
2 more elements
First and second interfaces for communicating data in a home network having at least a server, a first component having a first host bus having a first bus width, and a second component having a second host bus having a second bus width, comprising:
- the first interface including a host bus interface configured for communicating data with the first host bus and having the first bus width, the first interface also having at least one data port, a network port connectable to the network, and a switch selectively connecting the network port to either the host bus interface or data port;
- and
- the second interface including a host bus interface configured for communicating data with the second host bus and having the second bus width, the second interface also having at least one data port, a network port connectable to the network, and a switch selectively connecting the network port to either the host bus interface or data port, the interfaces being identical in configuration and operation except for the configuration of the respective host bus interfaces.
A home entertainment system, comprising:
- at least a first component having a first host bus with a first bus width and communicating with a network using a first universal network interface;
- and
- at least a second component having a second host bus with a second bus width and communicating with a network using a second universal network interface, each universal network interface having a respective host bus interface configurable for communicating with a component host bus of the respective component, the universal network interfaces being identical to each other at least prior to configuration of the respective host bus interfaces, wherein each universal network interface includes at least one data stream port at least one network communication port communicating with a common network backbone, and at least one switch selectively connecting the network communication port to either the host bus interface or the at least one data stream port.
A home entertainment system, comprising:
- at least a first component having a first host bus with a first bus width and communicating with a network;
- first universal network interface means for interconnecting the first component with the network;
- at least a second component having a second host bus with a second bus width and communicating with the network, and
- second universal network interface means for interconnecting the second component with the network, wherein each universal network interface includes at least one data stream port, at least one network communication port communicating with a common network backbone, and at least one switch selectively connecting the network communication port to either the host bus interface or the at least one data stream port.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.