Apparatus and method of transmitting / receiving multimedia playback enhancement information, VBI data, or auxiliary data through digital transmission means specified for multimedia data transmission

A data transmission interface apparatus, communicating with another data transmission interface apparatus through a digital transmission means for transmitting multimedia data, the data transmission interface apparatus comprising:

• a processor, for processing multimedia data;
• and
• a data converting circuit, coupled to the processor, for converting a plurality of first multimedia data sets generated from the processor into a plurality of second multimedia data sets;
• and for converting a plurality of first auxiliary data sets into a plurality of second auxiliary data sets;
• wherein the digital transmission means complies with a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) specification, the second auxiliary data sets are transmitted through a display data channel via an undefined packet having a packet type that is not defined in the HDMI specification, and each of the first auxiliary data sets and the second auxiliary data sets comprises at least one of video playback enhancement information, audio playback enhancement information, vertical blanking interval (VBI) data, and video information.

A data transmission interface apparatus, communicating with another data transmission interface apparatus through a digital transmission means for transmitting multimedia data, the data transmission interface apparatus comprising:

• a processor, for processing multimedia data;
• and
• a data converting circuit, coupled to the processor, for converting a plurality of first multimedia data sets generated from the processor into a plurality of second multimedia data sets;
• and for converting a plurality of first auxiliary data sets into a plurality of second auxiliary data sets;
• wherein the digital transmission means complies with a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) specification, the second auxiliary data sets are transmitted through a consumer electronics control channel via an undefined packet having a packet type that is not defined in the HDMI specification, and each of the first auxiliary data sets and the second auxiliary data sets comprises at least one of video playback enhancement information, audio playback enhancement information, vertical blanking interval (VBI) data, and video information.

A transmitter, comprising:

• a video processor, for selectively combining a plurality of multimedia data sets and a plurality of auxiliary data sets to generate a plurality of resultant video data sets, wherein the multimedia data sets correspond to a main video signal or a sub-picture video signal, and the auxiliary data sets correspond to accessory video display data;
• and
• a data converting circuit, coupled to the video processor, for converting the resultant video data sets into a plurality of converted multimedia data sets;
• wherein the converted multimedia data sets are outputted through a digital transmission means specified for multimedia data transmission, the digital transmission means complies with a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) specification and comprises transmission minimized differential signaling (TMDS) channels, and the auxiliary data sets are transmitted through the TMDS channels via an undefined packet having a packet type that is not defined in the HDMI specification.

A method for transmitting multimedia data, the method comprising the following steps:

• (a) receiving video data sets and auxiliary data sets, wherein the auxiliary data sets comprise accessory video display data;
• (b) selectively combining accessory video display data with the video data sets so as to generate resultant video data sets;
• (c) converting the resultant video data sets into converted multimedia data sets;
• (d) converting the auxiliary data sets not combined with the video data sets in step (b) into converted auxiliary data sets;
• and
• (e) transmitting the converted multimedia data sets and the converted auxiliary data sets according to a digital transmission means, wherein the digital transmission means complies with a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) specification and is selected from a group consisting of transmission minimized differential signaling (TMDS) channels, a display data channel, and a consumer electronics control channel, and wherein the converted auxiliary data sets are transmitted through the TMDS channels via an undefined packet having a packet type that is not defined in the HDMI specification.