# US 8,544,055 B2 · Communication apparatus, control method, and computer-readable storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,544,055 B2 - Document ID: US8544055B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/970,507 - Filed: 2010-12-16 - Published: 2011-06-23 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-21 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Tatsuya Kimoto; Isao Abe - Inventors: Tatsuya Kimoto; Isao Abe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8544055B2 ## CPC - H04L 25/0272: {Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission} - H04N 5/775: between a recording apparatus and a television receiver - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A communication apparatus includes a transmission unit, a command processing unit, an acquisition unit, a first determination unit, a second determination unit, and a control unit. The second determination unit determines whether a first physical address acquired from the external apparatus by the acquisition unit matches a second physical address included in a second command received by the command processing unit. The control unit controls the command processing unit to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus if it is determined that the first physical address matches the second physical address. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication apparatus comprising: a transmission unit that transmits video data to an external apparatus; a command processing unit that transmits a first command to the external apparatus, wherein the first command includes a command for causing the external apparatus to display video data to be transmitted from the transmission unit to the external apparatus; an acquisition unit that acquires a first physical address from predetermined information of the external apparatus; and a control unit that (a) determines whether or not a third command is received from the external apparatus by the command processing unit, (b) determines whether or not a fourth command is received by the command processing unit after the third command is received from the external apparatus, (c) determines whether or not the first physical address is acquired from the predetermined information if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received, (d) determines whether or not a second physical address is acquired from a second command, received by the command processing unit, if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received, (e) determines whether or not the first physical address matches the second physical address if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received, and (f) controls the command processing unit to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus if the first physical address matches the second physical address, wherein the second command includes a command indicating that the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted to the external apparatus from the transmission unit, the third command includes a command for requesting the first command, the fourth command includes a command indicating that the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted to the external apparatus from a transmission apparatus, and the transmission apparatus is different from the communication apparatus; a first detection unit that performs a process for detecting a first signal indicating a state where the external apparatus allows the communication apparatus to acquire the predetermined information; and a second detection unit that performs a process for detecting a second signal indicating a state where the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted from the transmission unit to the external apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls, based on a detection result of the first detection unit and a detection result of the second detection unit, whether or not to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus if the first physical address does not match the second physical address. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the command processing unit to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus after the first signal and the second signal are detected if the first physical address does not match the second physical address. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the command processing unit not to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus before the first signal is detected if the first physical address does not match the second physical address. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the command processing unit not to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus before the second signal is detected even if the first signal is detected if the first physical address does not match the second physical address. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first command includes an command and the second command includes a command. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus conforms to High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined information includes one of Extended display identification data (EDID) and Enhanced Extended Identification Data (E-EDID). ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit performs a process for acquiring the first physical address from the external apparatus again if the first physical address does not match the second physical address and the first signal is not detected. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a memory that stores the first physical address, wherein the control unit performs a process for deleting the first physical address from the memory if the first physical address does not match the second physical address and the first signal is not detected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first signal is related to a Hot Plug Detect (HPD) signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second signal is related to a signal indicating whether or not a transmission line is connected to a terminal resistor of the external apparatus, and the transmission line is used for transmitting video data to the external apparatus. ### Claim 13 A method for controlling a communication apparatus, wherein the communication apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits video data to an external apparatus, a command processing unit that transmits a first command to the external apparatus, and an acquisition unit that acquires a first physical address from predetermined information of the external apparatus, and wherein the first command includes a command for causing the external apparatus to display video data to be transmitted from the transmission unit to the external apparatus, the method comprising: determining whether or not a third command is received from the external apparatus by the command processing unit, wherein the third command includes a command for requesting the first command; determining whether or not a fourth command is received by the command processing unit after the third command is received from the external apparatus, wherein the fourth command includes a command indicating that the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted to the external apparatus from a transmission apparatus, and the transmission apparatus is different from the communication apparatus; determining whether or not the first physical address is acquired from the predetermined information if the command processing unit does not receives the fourth command after the third command is received; determining whether or not a second physical address is acquired from a second command, received by the command processing unit, if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received, wherein the second command includes a command indicating that the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted to the external apparatus from the transmission unit; determining whether the first physical address matches the second physical address if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received; controlling the command processing unit to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus if the first physical address matches the second physical address; performing a process for detecting a first signal indicating a state where the external apparatus allows the communication apparatus to acquire the predetermined information; and performing a process for detecting a second signal indicating a state where the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted from the transmission unit to the external apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising controlling the command processing unit to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus after the first signal and the second signal are detected if the first physical address does not match the second physical address. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising controlling the command processing unit not to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus before the first signal is detected if the first physical address does not match the second physical address. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising controlling the command processing unit not to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus before the second signal is detected even if the first signal is detected if the first physical address does not match the second physical address. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the first command includes an command and the second command includes a command. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the communication apparatus conforms to High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined information includes one of Extended display identification data (EDID) and Enhanced Extended Identification Data (E-EDID). ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, wherein the program causes a computer to perform a method of controlling a communication apparatus, wherein the communication apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits video data to an external apparatus, a command processing unit that transmits a first command to the external apparatus, and an acquisition unit that acquires a first physical address from predetermined information of the external apparatus, and wherein the first command includes a command for causing the external apparatus to display video data to be transmitted from the transmission unit to the external apparatus, the method comprising: determining whether or not a third command is received from the external apparatus by the command processing unit, wherein the third command includes a command for requesting the first command; determining whether or not a fourth command is received by the command processing unit after the third command is received from the external apparatus, wherein the fourth command includes a command indicating that the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted to the external apparatus from a transmission apparatus, and the transmission apparatus is different from the communication apparatus; determining whether or not the first physical address is acquired from the predetermined information if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received; determining whether or not a second physical address is acquired from a second command, received by the command processing unit, if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received, wherein the second command includes a command indicating that the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted to the external apparatus from the transmission unit; determining whether the first physical address matches the second physical address if the command processing unit does not receive the fourth command after the third command is received; and controlling the command processing unit to transmit the first command including the first physical address to the external apparatus if the first physical address matches the second physical address; performing a process for detecting a first signal indicating a state where the external apparatus allows the communication apparatus to acquire the predetermined information; and performing a process for detecting a second signal indicating a state where the external apparatus displays video data to be transmitted from the transmission unit to the external apparatus.