Interface expansion device and electronic equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses an interface expansion device and electronic equipment, and a plurality of HDMI connectors are arranged in the interface expansion device, so that the interface expansion device can realize the access of a plurality of HDMI equipment at the same time. Meanwhile, the first selection instruction is transmitted to the first switching module through the first end of the first connector and the second end of the first connector, so that data transmission channels between the second ends of different HDMI connectors and the first switching module can be selectively conducted; therefore, HDMI signals received by different HDMI connectors are transmitted to the first conversion module, and compared with a docking station only comprising a single-path HDMI connector, the expansibility of the interface expansion device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, specifically to an interface expansion device and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Most docking stations on the market can only connect a single HDMI device. When users need to switch between different HDMI devices, they need to unplug the HDMI device connected to the docking station and then plug the required HDMI device into the docking station. The docking station has poor expandability and is inconvenient for users to operate. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application discloses an interface expansion device and an electronic device, which improves the expandability of the interface expansion device and enhances the convenience of user operation.

[0004] This application discloses an interface expansion device, including a first connector, a second connector, a first switching module, a control module, a first conversion module, and at least two high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connectors.

[0005] Each of the HDMI connectors is configured to receive an HDMI signal through a first end of the HDMI connector;

[0006] The first connector is configured to receive a first selection command through a first end of the first connector and to output a first selection command through a second end of the first connector;

[0007] The second connector, wherein a first end of the second connector is connected to a second end of the first connector, and the second connector is configured to receive interface data through the second end of the second connector;

[0008] The first switching module is connected to the first conversion module and the second end of at least two of the HDMI connectors;

[0009] The control module is connected to the first switching module and the second end of the first connector, respectively. It is configured to control the second connector to stop receiving the interface data when the first connector receives the first selection instruction, and to control the first switching module to selectively open the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module according to the first selection instruction; wherein the target HDMI connector is one of at least two HDMI connectors.

[0010] The first conversion module is connected to the third end of the first connector. The first conversion module is configured to convert the format of the first HDMI signal received through the data transmission path to obtain first multimedia data, and send the first multimedia data to the third end of the first connector to output the first multimedia data through the first connector.

[0011] In this embodiment, by providing multiple HDMI connectors in the interface expansion device, the interface expansion device can simultaneously connect multiple HDMI devices. Simultaneously, a first selection command is transmitted to the control module via the first and second ends of the first connector. This allows the first switching module to selectively activate the data transmission channels between the second ends of different HDMI connectors and the first conversion module, thereby enabling the transmission of HDMI signals received by different HDMI connectors to the first conversion module. Compared to a docking station that only includes a single HDMI connector, this improves the expandability of the interface expansion device.

[0012] Secondly, compared to using a mechanical switch, this embodiment employs an electrically controlled first switching module. By multiplexing the second and first ends of the first HDMI connector for interface data output, it receives the first selection command, ensuring that the first multimedia transmission is not affected while minimizing the size of the interface expansion device. Furthermore, switching the signal source does not require the user to plug or unplug the HDMI device, improving user convenience.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first connector includes a Type-C Universal Serial Bus connector;

[0014] The first conversion module is further configured to perform format conversion on the first HDMI signal received through the data transmission path to obtain the first multimedia data corresponding to the Display Interface DP communication protocol.

[0015] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device includes a first conversion module, a first switching module, multiple HDMI connectors, and a Type-C connector. Using the Type-C connector as an output connector (a connector for outputting multimedia data) allows for the output of multiple signal types (interface data and first multimedia data) compared to using the HDMI connector, thus improving the expandability of the interface expansion device. The first conversion module converts the received HDMI data into first multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol. The first multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol supports higher resolution and refresh rate than the multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol, enabling the first multimedia data to display finer image details and smoother picture performance, thereby improving the user experience.

[0016] In some embodiments, the second connector includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, and the first selection command received through the first end of the first connector is a differential signal.

[0017] In this embodiment, the transmission of the first selection command is achieved using the second end of the first connector corresponding to the USB port, ensuring the accuracy of the first selection command received by the first switching module. Furthermore, since the transmission of the first selection command and the first multimedia data utilizes different ends of the first connector, the reliability of the first multimedia data transmission is guaranteed while enabling the first switching module to switch between different HDMI signal sources.

[0018] In some embodiments, the interface extension device further includes a forwarding module;

[0019] The control module is further configured to determine a first time slice in which the first electronic device transmits the first selection instruction and a second time slice in which the second electronic device transmits the interface data when the first connector is connected to the first electronic device and the second connector is connected to the second electronic device;

[0020] The forwarding module is connected to the second end of the first connector, the first end of the second connector, and the control module. The forwarding module is configured to send the first selection instruction to the control module when it receives the first selection instruction sent by the second end of the first connector in the first time slice, and to send the interface data to the second end of the first connector when it receives interface data in the second time slice.

[0021] In this embodiment, a forwarding module is set in the extended interface device. By using time-division multiplexing, the first selection command and interface data can be transmitted using the second end and the first end of the first connector. Compared with using different hardware resources to transmit the first selection command and interface data, the utilization efficiency of the hardware resources of the interface extension device can be improved, the size of the interface extension device can be reduced, and the cost of the interface extension device can be reduced.

[0022] In some embodiments, the control module supports a first serial communication protocol, the first selection instruction corresponds to a second serial communication protocol, and the interface expansion device further includes a second conversion module;

[0023] The second conversion module is connected to the second end of the first connector and the control module respectively. The second conversion module is configured to convert the received first selection instruction into a serial communication signal corresponding to the first serial communication protocol, and send the serial communication signal to the control module.

[0024] In this embodiment, a second conversion module is configured to utilize existing standard protocols (such as Modbus) to achieve communication between the control module and the first electronic device, thereby enabling the control module to control the switching of the first switching module. This design significantly reduces the complexity and risk of software development because using standardized communication protocols reduces the need for customized protocols, thus improving system compatibility and development efficiency. Furthermore, the use of standard protocols simplifies data transmission and device interaction, enhancing system stability and reliability.

[0025] In some embodiments, the third ends of the at least two HDMI connectors are connected to the same control path;

[0026] The first connector is also configured to receive first control information through a first end of the first connector; the first control information encapsulates a first consumer electronics control (CEC) instruction.

[0027] The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is also configured to parse the received first control information to obtain the first CEC instruction encapsulated in the first control information, and send the first CEC instruction to the third end of each of the HDMI connectors through the control path.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first electronic device can directly encapsulate the first CEC command in the first control information, and parse the first CEC command in the first control information through the first conversion module, and directly send the first CEC command to the HDMI connector. The HDMI connector can then directly send the command to an HDMI device that supports the HDMI communication protocol. This interface expansion device can realize CEC command transmission, thus improving the practicality of the interface expansion device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the first connector includes a Type-C interface, and the fourth end of the first connector includes a sideband using an SBU pin.

[0030] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device receives a first selection command through the SBU pin of the first connector, or in other words, the interface expansion device receives an AUX data packet encapsulated with a first CEC command through the SBU pin of the first connector. By designing a proprietary protocol, the Type-C connector can support CEC commands, thereby improving the practicality of the interface expansion device.

[0031] In some embodiments, the third ends of the at least two HDMI connectors are connected to the same control path;

[0032] The HDMI connector is also configured to receive a second CEC command through a first end of the HDMI connector;

[0033] The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is also configured to receive a second CEC command output from the third end of any HDMI connector through the control path, encapsulate the second CEC command to generate second control information, and output the second control information through the first connector.

[0034] In this embodiment, the first conversion module can encapsulate the second CEC command to generate second control information corresponding to the first communication protocol, enabling the first electronic device to receive and recognize the second control information and execute the second control operation corresponding to the second CEC command. By controlling the HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device, the first electronic device connected to the first connector can be controlled, reducing the complexity of manual operation and improving the user experience.

[0035] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device further includes a first register;

[0036] The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is also configured to receive the first extended display identification data EDID information sent by the first electronic device through the first connector when the first connector is connected to the first electronic device and receives power provided by the first electronic device, and store the first EDID information in the first register.

[0037] The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first switching module selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module, obtain the first EDID information in the first register and send the first EDID information to the fourth end of the target HDMI connector, so that the target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector sends a first HDMI signal to the target HDMI connector based on the first EDID information.

[0038] In this embodiment, since the first conversion module stores the first EDID information corresponding to the first electronic device in the first register upon receiving power from the first electronic device, when the first switching module selectively activates the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module, the first conversion module can directly send the first EDID information stored in the first register to the target HDMI device without communicating with the first electronic device. This reduces the acquisition time of the first EDID information, thereby reducing the time for the target HDMI device to output the first HDMI signal, and consequently reducing the black screen duration caused by switching signal sources, thus improving the user experience. Furthermore, since the first EDID information is obtained from the first electronic device, meaning the first EDID information matches the first electronic device, the display effect of the first electronic device displaying the first multimedia data can be guaranteed.

[0039] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device further includes non-volatile memory and a first register;

[0040] The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first conversion module is powered on, acquire the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory, and store the second EDID information in the first register;

[0041] The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first switching module selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module, obtain the second EDID information in the first register and send the second EDID information to the fourth end of the target HDMI connector, so that the target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector sends a first HDMI signal to the target HDMI connector based on the second EDID information.

[0042] In this embodiment, by storing the second EDID information in non-volatile memory, the first conversion module can store the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory into the first register upon power-up. When the first switching module selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module, the interface expansion device can directly send the second EDID information stored in the first register to the target HDMI device without communicating with the first electronic device. This reduces the acquisition time of the second EDID information, thereby reducing the time the target HDMI device provides the first HDMI signal, and consequently reducing the black screen duration caused by switching signal sources, thus improving the user experience. Furthermore, since the second EDID information is stored in non-volatile memory, the EDID acquisition time can be significantly shortened.

[0043] In some embodiments,

[0044] The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first conversion module is powered on, if the at least two HDMI connectors are connected to an HDMI device for the first time, detect the link integrity corresponding to the data transmission path between the first connected HDMI device and the first electronic device connected to the first connector according to the first detection rule.

[0045] The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first switching module connects the HDMI connector of another HDMI device to the first conversion module, detect the link integrity corresponding to the data transmission path between the other HDMI device and the first electronic device according to the second detection rule; the other HDMI device is different from the HDMI device that was first connected.

[0046] The detection complexity of the first detection rule is higher than that of the second detection rule.

[0047] In this embodiment, when multiple HDMI connectors are not connected to an HDMI device for the first time, a simplified second detection rule can be used to detect the link integrity of the data transmission path between the other HDMI devices and the first electronic device when other HDMI devices are connected. Compared with using a fixed detection rule, the hardware link detection time can be shortened, thereby shortening the black screen time of the first electronic device during the signal source switching process and improving the user experience.

[0048] In some embodiments, the first multimedia data corresponds to a first data communication protocol, and the interface expansion device further includes a second switching module and a third connector;

[0049] The third connector is configured to receive second multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol through the first end of the third connector;

[0050] The first connector is also configured to receive a second selection command or a third selection command through a first end of the first connector;

[0051] The second switching module is connected to the first conversion module, the second end of the third connector, and the third end of the first connector, respectively.

[0052] The control module is also connected to the second switching module, and the control module is further configured to control the second switching module to conduct a data transmission path between the first switching module and the third end of the first connector according to the second selection instruction transmitted from the second end of the first connector; and / or, the control module is further configured to control the second switching module to conduct a data transmission path between the third end of the first connector and the second end of the third connector according to the third selection instruction transmitted from the second end of the first connector.

[0053] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device can receive the first HDMI signal corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol, convert the format of the first HDMI signal to obtain the first multimedia data corresponding to the first communication protocol, and output it through the first connector. The interface expansion device can also receive the second multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol and output it directly through the first connector. Compared with the ability to receive multimedia data corresponding to only one communication protocol, the interface expansion device provided in this embodiment is highly practical.

[0054] This application discloses an electronic device, including:

[0055] A fourth connector is configured to connect via a cable to a first connector of any of the interface expansion devices provided in the embodiments of this application, wherein the fourth connector is configured to receive interface data output from a first end of the first connector via a first end of the fourth connector;

[0056] A processor, connected to the second end of the fourth connector, is configured to process the interface data;

[0057] The display screen is configured to display a signal source selection interface, the signal source selection interface including at least two HDMI connectors of the interface expansion device;

[0058] The processor is further configured to generate a first selection instruction in response to a first interface switching operation for the signal source selection interface, and send the first selection instruction to a second end of the fourth connector to send the first selection instruction to the first connector via the fourth connector, wherein the first interface switching operation is used to instruct the selection of a target HDMI device of the target HDMI connector as the signal source.

[0059] In this embodiment, the display screen shows a signal source selection interface, allowing the user to switch the signal source by performing a first interface switching operation. The processor, in response to the first interface switching operation on the signal source selection interface, generates a first selection command and transmits it to the first connector of the interface expansion device via the fourth connector. The interface expansion device receives the first selection command through the first connector, enabling data transmission between the first conversion module and the target HDMI connector without the need for a physical button or mechanical switch. This achieves the signal source switching function while keeping the interface expansion device compact. Furthermore, the user can directly perform the first interface switching operation on the first electronic device to achieve signal source switching, improving user convenience.

[0060] In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to receive a remote control selection signal sent to the processor by the remote control corresponding to the electronic device, and generate the first selection instruction based on the remote control selection signal; wherein the remote control selection signal is generated by the remote control in response to the first interface switching operation.

[0061] In this embodiment, the remote control selection signal is processed by the first electronic device to generate a first selection command that the interface expansion device can recognize and process. This allows the control module of the interface expansion device to control the first switching module to selectively connect the data transmission path between the target HDMI connector and the first connector based on the first selection command. In this embodiment, the user can switch the signal source using the remote control corresponding to the first electronic device without needing to be near the device. This makes switching the signal source as convenient as switching the received electromagnetic wave frequency, making the interface expansion device and the first electronic device function as a single unit, thus improving user convenience.

[0062] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector;

[0063] The processor is also configured to generate a first selection instruction corresponding to the USB communication protocol in response to the first interface switching operation.

[0064] In this embodiment, by using the Type-C connector as the fourth connector and employing the USB communication protocol to transmit the first selection command, the accuracy of the first selection command received by the first switching module can be guaranteed. Furthermore, since the transmission of the first selection command and the first multimedia data utilizes different ends of the first and fourth connectors, reliable transmission of the first multimedia data by the first electronic device can be ensured while simultaneously controlling the first switching module to switch between different HDMI signal sources. Additionally, transmitting interface data and the first switching command through the first and second ends of the fourth connector reduces the hardware resource requirements of the first electronic device, thereby lowering its cost.

[0065] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device further includes a second register;

[0066] The processor is also configured to acquire interface status data in the second register corresponding to at least one of the HDMI connectors in the interface expansion device;

[0067] The processor is also configured to control the display screen to display the connection status of at least one of the HDMI connectors based on the interface status data corresponding to at least one of the HDMI connectors.

[0068] In this embodiment, the first electronic device can acquire interface status data corresponding to multiple HDMI connectors and display the connection status of at least one HDMI connector on a display screen, so that the user can know which HDMI connectors are connected to the HDMI device, thereby improving the user experience.

[0069] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector;

[0070] The processor is further configured to generate first control information in response to a first trigger operation that triggers the electronic device to perform a first control operation, and to send the first control information to the first connector through the AUX channel of the fourth connector; the first control information encapsulates a first CEC instruction corresponding to the first control operation.

[0071] In this embodiment, the processor, in response to the first trigger operation, generates first control information, processes it through the first conversion module of the interface expansion device to obtain a first control command corresponding to the first data communication protocol, and sends the first control command to each HDMI connector through the control path, so that the HDMI device executes the first control operation according to the first control command. By controlling the first electronic device, the user can control the HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device, reducing the complexity of manual operation and improving the user experience.

[0072] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector;

[0073] The processor is further configured to receive second control information via the AUX channel of the fourth connector; the second control information encapsulates a second CEC instruction, which is generated by any HDMI device connected to the HDMI connector in response to a second trigger operation corresponding to the second CEC instruction;

[0074] The processor is further configured to parse the second control information to obtain the second CEC instruction encapsulated in the second control information, and to execute the second control operation based on the second CEC instruction.

[0075] In this embodiment, the second CEC command sent by the HDMI device is encapsulated by the first conversion module to generate second control information corresponding to the first communication protocol. The processor receives the second control information, parses it, and obtains the second CEC command encapsulated within the second control information to execute the second control operation corresponding to the second CEC command. By controlling the HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device, the user can control the first electronic device, reducing the complexity of manual operation and improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0076] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0077] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display system disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0078] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another display system disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0079] Figure 3 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of an interface expansion device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0080] Figure 4 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of an interface expansion device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0081] Figure 5 This is the third of the structural schematic diagrams of an interface expansion device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0082] Figure 6 This is the fourth of several schematic diagrams of an interface expansion device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0083] Figure 7 This is the fifth of several schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of an interface expansion device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0084] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an EDID selection interface disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0085] Figure 9 This is the sixth of several schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of an interface expansion device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0086] Figure 10 This is the seventh of several schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of an interface expansion device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0087] Figure 11a This is a schematic diagram of the transmission link structure of a first selection instruction disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0088] Figure 11b This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between a first conversion module, a DP interface, and a second switching module, as disclosed in some embodiments of this application.

[0089] Figure 11c This is a schematic diagram of the connection between a second switching module and a Type-C connector disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0090] Figure 11d This is a schematic diagram of the connection between a USB HUB and a USB interface disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0091] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0092] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a signal source selection interface disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0093] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a process for switching the first interface disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0094] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of a display interface disclosed in some embodiments of this application;

[0095] Figure 16 This is a flowchart illustrating a device identification method disclosed in some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0096] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0097] It should be noted that the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the embodiments and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the steps or units listed, but in some embodiments includes steps or units not listed, or in some embodiments includes other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0098] In the display field, most docking stations are equipped with a Type-C (Universal Serial Bus Type-C) connector and an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connector. The Type-C connector is used to connect the signal source device, which can be understood as a device that provides multimedia data. The HDMI connector is used to connect the receiving device, which acts as the receiving end of the multimedia data. The docking station converts the multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol provided by the signal source device received through the Type-C connector into multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol, and then sends the multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol to the receiving device through the HDMI connector, so that the receiving device can display the multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol.

[0099] Although there are docking stations on the market that can receive multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol, convert it to multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol, and output it to the receiving device, such docking stations are rarely used in the display field. This is because display devices generally use HDMI connectors as input connectors, so it is rare to use a docking station that converts multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol to multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol to connect to the display device.

[0100] Researchers in this application studied commercially available docking stations and found that most docking stations have only one HDMI connector as an input interface, meaning they can only receive HDMI data through one input port. This forces users to unplug the HDMI device connected to the docking station and plug in the desired HDMI device when switching between different HDMI devices. This results in poor flexibility and inconvenience for users. Therefore, there is a lack of docking stations on the market that can simultaneously connect multiple HDMI devices and switch between different HDMI devices as signal sources.

[0101] This application provides an interface expansion device and an electronic device. The interface expansion device has good expandability and improves the convenience of user operation.

[0102] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device includes a first connector, a first switching module, a control module, a first conversion module, a second connector, and at least two HDMI connectors. The first switching module is connected to the second ends of the first conversion module and the at least two HDMI connectors. The first conversion module is connected to the third end of the first connector. The first end of the second connector is connected to the second end of the first connector. The control module is connected to the first switching module and the second end of the first connector. The first connector is configured to receive and output a first selection command through its first end and its second end. The HDMI connector is configured to receive HDMI signals through its first end. The second connector is configured to receive interface data through its second end and send the interface data to the second end of the first connector to output interface data. The control module is configured to control the second connector to stop receiving interface data when the first connector receives the first selection command, and selectively connect the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module according to the first selection command. The first conversion module is configured to convert the format of the first HDMI signal received through the data transmission path to obtain first multimedia data and output the first multimedia data through the first connector. By incorporating multiple HDMI connectors in the interface expansion device, it is possible to simultaneously connect multiple HDMI devices. Furthermore, by transmitting a first selection command to the control module through the first and second ends of the first connector, the data transmission channels between the second ends of different HDMI connectors and the first conversion module can be selectively activated. This allows the transmission of HDMI signals received by different HDMI connectors to the first conversion module, thus improving the expandability of the interface expansion device compared to docking stations that only include a single HDMI connector.

[0103] Secondly, compared to using a mechanical switch, this embodiment employs an electrically controlled first switching module. Furthermore, by multiplexing the second and first ends of the first HDMI connector used for interface data output, it receives the first selection command, ensuring that the first multimedia data transmission is not affected while minimizing the size of the interface expansion device. Moreover, switching the signal source does not require the user to plug or unplug the HDMI device, improving user convenience.

[0104] like Figure 1 As shown, it illustrates a schematic diagram of the structure of a display system provided in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the display system may include a receiving device 110, an interface expansion device 120, a signal source device 130, and a second electronic device 140.

[0105] The receiving device 110 and the interface expansion device 120 can be connected via a cable 150, and the interface expansion device 120 can be connected via a cable ( Figure 1 (Not shown) is connected to each signal source device 130. Signal source device 130 supports a third data communication protocol, receiving device 110 supports a first data communication protocol and a second data communication protocol, and second electronic device 140 supports the second data communication protocol. Signal source device 130 can be configured to output third multimedia data corresponding to the third data communication protocol, interface expansion device 120 can be configured to convert data corresponding to the third data communication protocol into first multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol, second electronic device 140 can be configured to provide interface data, such as USB data, etc., and receiving device 110 can be configured to output a first selection command, process the first multimedia data, and process the interface data, etc.

[0106] In some embodiments, the receiving device 110 includes a Type-C connector, and the interface expansion device 120 includes a Type-C connector. Both the Type-C connectors of the receiving device 110 and the interface expansion device 120 are female. The receiving device 110 and the interface expansion device 120 can be connected via a Type-C cable, where one end of the Type-C cable is a male Type-C connector, and the other end is also a male Type-C connector. In this embodiment, the connection between the receiving device 110 and the interface expansion device 120 can be achieved via a Type-C cable.

[0107] In some embodiments, the signal source device 130 includes an HDMI connector, and the interface expansion device 120 includes an HDMI connector. Both the HDMI connectors of the signal source device 130 and the interface expansion device 120 are female. The interface expansion device 120 can be connected to each signal source device 130 via an HDMI cable, wherein one end of the HDMI cable is a male HDMI connector, and the other end is also a male HDMI connector. In this embodiment, the connection between the signal source device 130 and the interface expansion device 120 can be achieved via an HDMI cable.

[0108] In some embodiments, the signal source device 130 may include, but is not limited to, a television, a game console, a computer, a portable multimedia player, a camera, etc.

[0109] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device 120 may be a docking station.

[0110] In some embodiments, the receiving device 110 may include, but is not limited to, a television, a monitor, an electronic bulletin board, an electronic table, etc.

[0111] In some embodiments, the second electronic device may include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device, and the second electronic device may include, but is not limited to, a keyboard, mouse, printer, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.

[0112] Please refer to Figure 2 This illustrates a schematic diagram of the structure of another display system provided in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the signal source device 210 may include a fifth connector 211, which is configured to transmit data based on a third data communication protocol. The signal source device 210 can be used to provide multimedia data corresponding to the third data communication protocol.

[0113] In some embodiments, a third data communication protocol can be used to transmit audio data and / or video data. The interface expansion device 220 may include multiple sixth connectors 221 for connecting to the signal source device 210 and transmitting data with it based on the third data communication protocol. That is, the interface expansion device 220 can receive multimedia data provided by the signal source device 210 connected to the sixth connector 221. The interface expansion device 220 and the signal source device 210 can reliably receive multimedia data provided by the signal source device 210 based on the third data communication protocol.

[0114] In some embodiments, the third data communication protocol includes, but is not limited to, HDMI communication protocol, DP (DisplayPort) communication protocol, VGA (Video Graphics Array) communication protocol, DVI (Digital Visual Interface) communication protocol, RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol), etc.

[0115] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device 220 includes a number of sixth connectors 221 greater than or equal to 2. In some embodiments, the number of sixth connectors 221 may be 2, 3, 4, or 5, etc. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the number of sixth connectors 221.

[0116] The interface expansion device 220 may further include a first connector 222, which is used to connect to the receiving device 230 and transmit data with the receiving device 230 based on a first data communication protocol and a second data communication protocol. That is, the interface expansion device 220 can provide the receiving device 230 with the first multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol and the interface data corresponding to the second data communication protocol through the first connector 222.

[0117] In some embodiments, the first data communication protocol can be used to transmit multimedia data such as audio data and / or video data, and the second data communication protocol can be used to transmit multimedia data, file content, HID (Human Interface Device) data, etc. The first, second, and third data communication protocols are all different. The receiving device 230 may include a fourth connector 231, which is used to connect to the first connector 222 via a cable and to transmit data with the first connector 222 based on the first and second data communication protocols, to receive first multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol and interface data corresponding to the second data communication protocol, and to send a first selection command.

[0118] In some embodiments, the first data communication protocol may include, but is not limited to, HDMI communication protocol, DP communication protocol, VGA communication protocol, DVI communication protocol, RTP, etc.

[0119] In some embodiments, the second data communication protocol may include the USB communication protocol, etc.

[0120] In some embodiments, the receiving device 230 may further include a display screen, which receives first multimedia data transmitted by the first connector 222 through the fourth connector 231 and displays the first multimedia data through the display screen.

[0121] In some embodiments, the second electronic device 240 includes a seventh connector 241, and the interface expansion device includes a second connector 223. The seventh connector 241 is used to output interface data to the second connector 223 to send interface data to the interface expansion device 220. The second connector 223 can send interface data to the first connector 222.

[0122] Please refer to Figure 3 This illustration shows one of the structural schematic diagrams of an interface expansion device provided in some embodiments of this application. In this embodiment, the fifth connector 211 and the sixth connector 221 are HDMI connectors, and the signal source device is an HDMI device, as an example for illustration. In the following embodiments, the receiving device is referred to as the first electronic device, and the signal source device is referred to as the HDMI device. Here, an HDMI device refers to an electronic device including an HDMI connector, which can transmit HDMI signals through the HDMI connector.

[0123] like Figure 3 As shown, the interface expansion device 300 may include a first connector 310, a first switching module 320, a first conversion module 330, a second connector 340, a control module 360, and at least two HDMI connectors 350. The first switching module 320 is connected to the second ends of both the first conversion module 330 and the at least two HDMI connectors 350. The first conversion module 330 is connected to the third end of the first connector 310. The first end of the second connector 340 is connected to the second end of the first connector 310. The control module is connected to both the first switching module and the second end of the first connector. The interface expansion device 300 may include one or more second connectors 340.

[0124] The first connector 310 is configured to receive a first selection instruction through its first end, transmit the first selection instruction to its second end, output the first selection instruction through its second end, transmit the interface data through the first end of the second connector 340 to the second end of the first connector 310, and output the interface data through the first end of the first connector 310. The first conversion module 330 is configured to convert multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol into multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol. Any HDMI connector 350 is configured to receive HDMI signals through its first end, and the second connector 340 is configured to receive interface data through its second end. The control module is configured to control the second end of the second connector 340 to stop receiving interface data when the first end of the first connector 310 receives a first selection instruction, and according to the first selection instruction, control the first switching module 320 to selectively open the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector 350 and the first conversion module 330. The first conversion module 330 is configured to receive the first HDMI signal through the data transmission path, convert the received first HDMI signal into a format to obtain first multimedia data, and send the first multimedia data to the third end of the first connector 310 so as to output the first multimedia data through the first end of the first connector 310.

[0125] The target HDMI connector is one of the HDMI connectors 350 included in the interface expansion device 300. Understandably, the target HDMI connector 350 should be connected to an HDMI device so that the first connector 310 can receive HDMI signals, so that the first electronic device can display the first multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI data. The first multimedia data corresponds to a first data communication protocol. The first electronic device supports the first data communication protocol and a second data communication protocol. Therefore, the first electronic device connected to the first connector 310 can process the first multimedia data and the interface data.

[0126] It should be noted that the first data communication protocol is different from the HDMI communication protocol. By setting the first conversion module 330, the multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol is converted into the multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol, so that the HDMI device provided by the HDMI device can be processed by the first electronic device.

[0127] In some embodiments, the first selection instruction is generated by the first electronic device in response to a first interface switching operation, which instructs the selection of a target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector as the signal source. For example... Figure 3As shown, the first HDMI connector is the target HDMI connector. The target HDMI connector can be any one of the multiple HDMI connectors 350.

[0128] For example, the first HDMI information may be audio and video data, and the first electronic device may display and output sound based on the first multimedia data so that the user can view and hear the data provided by the target HDMI device. For example, the first electronic device may include a display screen and a speaker, the display screen being used to display the video data of the first multimedia data, and the speaker being used to play the audio data of the first multimedia data.

[0129] For example, the first electronic device may be equipped with a first button, and the first interface switching operation includes triggering the first button. Upon detecting the triggering operation of the first button, the first electronic device generates a first selection command in response to the triggering operation of the first button.

[0130] For example, the triggering operation of the first button includes clicking, double-clicking, or long-pressing the first button. Users can switch signal sources by clicking, double-clicking, or long-pressing the first button on the first electronic device.

[0131] It should be noted that by setting the first conversion module 330, the first HDMI data is converted into first multimedia data corresponding to the first communication protocol, so that the first multimedia data can be sent to the first electronic device through the first connector 310 and be recognized and output by the first electronic device.

[0132] For example, the control module 360 ​​is configured to control the first connector 310 to stop receiving interface data when the second connector 340 receives interface data.

[0133] The developers of this application considered using a mechanical button switch to establish data transmission paths between the first conversion module 330 and the second ends of different HDMI connectors 350. However, this solution requires the user to manually operate the mechanical button switch to switch signal sources. This means the user needs to move to the vicinity of the docking station and manually press the button, which is inconvenient for the user. Furthermore, mechanical buttons are often large, resulting in a larger docking station. In this embodiment, compared to the solution of switching signal sources via a mechanical button switch, the user can perform a first interface switching operation, allowing the interface expansion device 300 to select the HDMI device connected to the desired HDMI connector 350 as the signal source, improving the convenience of switching signal sources. Simultaneously, since an electronically controlled switch does not require manual operation components like buttons, it is often smaller than a mechanical switch, achieving signal source switching while reducing the size of the interface expansion device 300.

[0134] In some embodiments, the control module 360 ​​is configured to selectively control the first switching module 320 to connect the default HDMI connector and the first connector 310 when powered on. The default HDMI connector can be any pre-set HDMI connector 350, such as the first HDMI connector, or it can be the HDMI connector that the first switching module 320 connected before the most recent power failure.

[0135] In this embodiment, by providing multiple HDMI connectors 350 in the interface expansion device 300, the interface expansion device 300 can simultaneously connect multiple HDMI devices. Simultaneously, the first selection command is transmitted to the control module 360 ​​via the first and second ends of the first connector 310. This allows the first switching module 320 to selectively open the data transmission channels between the second ends of different HDMI connectors 350 and the first conversion module 330, thereby enabling the transmission of HDMI signals received by different HDMI connectors 350 to the first conversion module 330. Compared to a docking station that only includes a single HDMI connector 350, this improves the expandability of the interface expansion device 300.

[0136] Secondly, compared to using a mechanical switch, this embodiment employs an electrically controlled first switching module 320, and by multiplexing the second and first ends of the first HDMI connector 350 for interface data output, it receives the first selection command. This ensures that the first multimedia transmission is not affected while keeping the interface expansion device 300 relatively small. Furthermore, switching the signal source can be achieved without the user having to plug or unplug the HDMI device, improving the convenience of user operation.

[0137] In some embodiments, the first connector 310 may include a Type-C connector, and the first conversion module 330 is further configured to convert the format of the first HDMI signal received through the data transmission path to obtain first multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol. It should be noted that the first conversion module 330 can convert data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol into data corresponding to the DP communication protocol, and the interface expansion device 300 can switch between multiple HDMI signal sources. The HDMI communication protocol is a standard interface protocol for transmitting high-definition digital audio and video signals, supporting synchronous transmission of audio and video, and is widely used in home entertainment systems, televisions, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and audio equipment. The DP communication protocol is a digital display interface standard developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), mainly used to connect computers and devices such as monitors and projectors.

[0138] In related technologies, televisions, audio playback devices, and monitors typically use HDMI connectors, while mobile devices use Type-C connectors. Users generally need to send data from their mobile devices to these devices for a better viewing experience. However, because the data encoding and decoding methods for the DP and HDMI communication protocols are different, converting DP data to HDMI data and vice versa involves entirely different logic. A single logic chip cannot simultaneously implement both data conversion methods. Therefore, there are no docking stations on the market that can support both DP and HDMI data conversions. Consequently, in related technologies, especially in the display field, most docking stations primarily convert DP data to HDMI data to meet the needs of most users.

[0139] However, the Type-C connector supports DP ALT (DisplayPort Alternate) mode, adding video signal input functionality to its support for external storage media such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) flash drives. Currently, most electronic devices (such as televisions) use HDMI connectors 350 to receive multimedia data. These devices do not typically include Type-C connectors, and even if they do, they do not support receiving multimedia data via Type-C. In other words, the Type-C functionality supported by these devices is limited to basic functions like supporting external USB drives and charging. With the development of electronic devices, they can now convert data corresponding to the DP communication protocol into displayable data. Based on the above analysis, the developers of this application believe that with the widespread adoption of Type-C connectors and their strong compatibility, electronic devices may adopt Type-C connectors as a standard feature. In this embodiment, the interface expansion device 300 includes multiple HDMI connectors 350 and a Type-C connector, enabling the conversion of data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol into data corresponding to the DP communication protocol, and allowing switching between multiple HDMI signal sources. This interface expansion device 300 is highly practical.

[0140] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may include a fourth connector, a display screen, and a processor. The fourth connector is connected to the first connector 310 of the interface expansion device 300 via a cable. The fourth connector is configured to receive first multimedia data output from the first end of the first connector 310 through a first end of the fourth connector. The processor of the first electronic device can convert the first multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol into data that can be displayed on the display screen; that is, the processor can directly identify and process the data corresponding to the DP communication protocol. Optionally, the processor may include a SoC (System on a Chip).

[0141] In other embodiments, the first electronic device may further include a DP conversion chip connected to a processor. The DP conversion chip is configured to convert the first multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol into data corresponding to a data communication protocol that the processor can recognize, so that the first electronic device can control the display screen to display the first multimedia data.

[0142] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device includes a first conversion module 330, a first switching module 320, multiple HDMI connectors 350, and a Type-C connector. Using the Type-C connector as an output connector (a connector for outputting multimedia data) allows for the output of multiple signal types (interface data and first multimedia data) compared to using the HDMI connector 350 as the output connector, thus improving the expandability of the interface expansion device 300. The first conversion module 330 can convert the received HDMI data into first multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol. The first multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol supports higher resolution and refresh rate than the multimedia data corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol, thereby enabling the first multimedia data to display finer image details and smoother picture performance, improving the user experience.

[0143] Meanwhile, since Type-C cables are smaller than HDMI cables, by setting a Type-C connector on the first electronic device to transmit multimedia data with the interface expansion device 300, the volume required for inserting the cable can be reduced, thus reducing the limitations of the first electronic device's layout, especially for embedded first electronic devices (such as embedding the first electronic device in a wall).

[0144] In some embodiments, the second connector 340 includes a USB connector, and the first selection command received at the first end of the first connector 310 is a differential signal. Exemplarily, the first connector 310 may include a first D+ (Data Positive) pin and a first D- (Data Negative) pin. The first end of the first connector 310 includes the first end of the first D+ pin and the first end of the first D- pin. The control module 360 ​​is connected to the second ends of the first D+ pin and the first D- pin, and the control module 360 ​​is further configured to receive the first selection command output by the first D+ pin and the first D- pin. Exemplarily, the control module 360 ​​is further configured to determine the first selection command based on the voltage difference between the first D+ pin and the first D- pin. It should be noted that the second data communication protocol includes the USB communication protocol. USB is designed to use differential signal transmission to achieve higher anti-interference and more stable transmission. The first D+ pin and the first D- pin form a differential pair to realize the transmission of the first selection command. The control module 360 ​​can detect the voltage difference between the first D+ pin and the first D- pin to obtain a first selection command. Since external noise interference usually affects both D+ and D- simultaneously, while the signal difference remains unaffected, the accuracy of the first selection command received by the control module 360 ​​can be guaranteed. For example, the first end of the first connector 310 includes a first end connected to the first D+ pin and a first end connected to the first D- pin. For example, when the first data transmission protocol is the DP communication protocol, the first end of the first connector 310 also includes a first end of the TX+ (Transmit Positive) pin and a first end of the TX- (Transmit Negative) pin. The third end of the first connector 310 includes a second end of the TX+ pin and a second end of the TX- pin. The TX+ pin and the TX- pin form a differential signal pair for transmitting data.

[0145] In this embodiment, the transmission of the first selection command is achieved using the second end of the first connector 310 corresponding to the USB port, ensuring the accuracy of the first selection command received by the first switching module 320. Furthermore, since the transmission of the first selection command and the first multimedia data utilizes different ends of the first connector 310, the reliability of the first multimedia data transmission is guaranteed while enabling the first switching module 320 to switch between different HDMI signal sources.

[0146] Please refer to Figure 4 This illustrates a second structural schematic diagram of an interface expansion device provided in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 4As shown, the interface expansion device 400 includes multiple HDMI connectors 350, a first connector 310, a first conversion module 330, a first switching module 320, a second connector 340, a control module 360, and a second conversion module 410. The second conversion module 410 is connected to the second end of the first connector 310 and the control module 360, respectively.

[0147] Specifically, the control module 360 ​​supports a first serial communication protocol, and the first selection command corresponds to a second serial communication protocol. The second serial communication protocol differs from the first serial communication protocol. The first connector 310 is configured to receive the first selection command from its first end and send it to the second conversion module 410 through its second end. The second conversion module 410 is configured to convert the received first selection command corresponding to the second serial communication protocol into a serial communication signal corresponding to the first serial communication protocol, and then send this serial communication signal to the control module 360. It should be noted that the first connector 310 also supports the second serial communication protocol and is also used to receive the first selection command based on the second serial communication protocol. For descriptions of the HDMI connector 350, the first connector 310, the first conversion module 330, the second connector 340, the control module 360, and the first switching module 320, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0148] In some embodiments, the first serial communication protocol may include, but is not limited to, I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication protocol, UART (Universal Synchronous / Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter) communication protocol, USB communication protocol, CAN (Controller Area Network) communication protocol, etc.

[0149] In some embodiments, the second serial communication protocol may include, but is not limited to, I2C communication protocol, UART communication protocol, USB communication protocol, CAN communication protocol, etc.

[0150] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may generate a first selection instruction corresponding to the second serial communication protocol in response to the first interface switching operation, and send the first selection instruction corresponding to the second serial communication protocol to the first connector 310 through the fourth connector.

[0151] In some embodiments, the first connector 310 may include a Type-C connector, the first serial communication protocol is the UART communication protocol, and the second serial communication protocol is the USB communication protocol. That is, the second conversion module 410 can convert the data corresponding to the USB communication protocol into the data corresponding to the UART communication protocol.

[0152] In this embodiment, by setting a second conversion module 410, it is enabled to utilize existing standard protocols (such as Modbus) to achieve communication between the control module 360 ​​and the first electronic device, thereby enabling the control module 360 ​​to control the first switching module 320 to perform switching. This design significantly reduces the complexity and risk of software development because using standardized communication protocols reduces the need for customized protocols, thereby improving system compatibility and development efficiency. Furthermore, the use of standard protocols simplifies data transmission and device interaction, improving system stability and reliability.

[0153] In other embodiments, the control module 360 ​​supports a first serial communication protocol, and the first connector 310 is further configured to receive a first selection command based on the first serial communication protocol and transmit the first selection command to the control module 360. That is, the control module 360, the first connector 310, and the first electronic device all support a second serial communication protocol. It should be noted that, relative to... Figure 4 The interface expansion device shown in this embodiment allows the control module 360 ​​to be directly connected to the first connector 310. The control module 360 ​​can directly receive the first selection command through the first connector 310 without data conversion, thus improving the switching speed of the signal source.

[0154] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may generate a first selection instruction corresponding to a first serial communication protocol in response to a first interface switching operation.

[0155] In some embodiments, the first serial communication protocol is the USB communication protocol, and the first connector 310 includes a Type-C connector. It should be noted that the Type-C connector supports the USB communication protocol, and the first switching module 320 also supports the USB communication protocol. Using a Type-C connector as the first connector 310 allows the first selection command to be directly sent to the first switching module 320 via the first connector 310, thereby achieving signal source switching and improving signal source switching efficiency.

[0156] In this embodiment, a first connector 310 that supports the same serial communication protocol as the first electronic device is selected. The first selection command corresponding to the first serial communication protocol is received through the first connector 310, so that the first switching module 320 can directly receive the first selection command transmitted by the first connector 310 and parse the first selection command. This allows the interface expansion device to switch HDMI signal sources without having to perform data format conversion processing on the first selection command, thereby improving the signal source switching efficiency of the interface expansion device.

[0157] In some embodiments, the first connector 310 is further configured to receive a first selection instruction through its first end in a first time slot, and the second connector 340 is further configured to receive interface data through its second end in a second time slot. It should be noted that the first selection instruction is transmitted to the control module 360 ​​through the first end and the second end of the first connector 310, and the interface data is output through the second end, the first end, the second end, and the first end of the second connector 340, such as to a first electronic device connected to the first connector 310. Therefore, the first and second ends of the first connector 310 need to transmit the first selection instruction and interface data. By enabling the first connector 310 to transmit the first selection instruction and interface data in different time slots—that is, by enabling the first and second ends of the first connector 310 to transmit the first selection instruction and interface data in different time slots—the occupation of other hardware resources is avoided, resource utilization efficiency is improved, and the reliability of the transmission of the first selection instruction and interface data is ensured.

[0158] In some embodiments, a first electronic device is configured to send a first selection command to a first end of a first connector 310 via a first end of a fourth connector in a first time slot, so that the first connector 310 receives the first selection command via its first end in the first time slot. A second electronic device is configured to send interface data to a second end of a second connector 340 in a second time slot, so that the second connector 340 receives the interface data via its second end in the second time slot. It should be noted that different time slots are allocated alternately to the first electronic device and the second electronic device to enable the first connector 310 to transmit the first selection command and interface data in turn, thereby ensuring that the first connector 310 receives the corresponding data in different time slots.

[0159] Figure 5 This is shown as a third schematic diagram of the structure of an interface expansion device provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 5 The interface expansion device 500 shown is relative to Figure 3 The interface expansion device 300 shown adds a forwarding module 510. The forwarding module 510 is connected to the second end of the first connector 310, the first end of the second connector 340, and the control module 360, respectively.

[0160] Specifically, the control module 360 ​​is further configured to determine a first time slot for the first electronic device to transmit the first selection instruction and a second time slot for the second electronic device to transmit interface data when the first connector 310 is connected to the first electronic device and the second connector 340 is connected to the second electronic device. The forwarding module 510 is configured to send the first selection instruction to the control module 360 ​​when it receives the first selection instruction from the second end of the first connector 310 in the first time slot, and to send the interface data to the second end of the first connector 310 when it receives the interface data in the second time slot. It should be noted that the control module can allocate reasonable time slots for the first and second electronic devices to enable them to transmit in different time slots, achieving time-division multiplexing. It is understood that when the first time slot arrives, the first electronic device may or may not transmit the first selection instruction. If the first electronic device does not need to transmit the first selection instruction, it may not transmit it in that first time slot. Similarly, when the second time slot arrives, the second electronic device may or may not transmit the interface data.

[0161] In some embodiments, the forwarding module 510 is configured to acquire transmission information corresponding to the first electronic device when the first connector 310 is connected to the first electronic device, and to acquire transmission information corresponding to the second electronic device when the second connector 340 is connected to the second electronic device. The control module 360 ​​is further configured to determine a first time slice for the first electronic device to transmit a first selection command and a second time slice for the second electronic device to transmit interface data based on the transmission information corresponding to the first and second electronic devices. It should be noted that the transmission information corresponding to the first electronic device may characterize the transmission requirement of the first electronic device to transmit the first selection command, and the transmission information corresponding to the second electronic device may characterize the transmission requirement of the second electronic device to transmit interface data. The transmission information may include, but is not limited to, the data length and data flow requirements of the transmitted data. The control module 360 ​​may allocate reasonable time slices for the first and second electronic devices based on their transmission requirements. It is understood that the lengths of the first and second time slices may be the same or different.

[0162] In some embodiments, the second connector 340 may include a USB connector, and the forwarding module 510 may include a USB hub. The interface expansion device may include at least one USB connector. The first connector 310 also supports the USB communication protocol, wherein the USB connector can be used to connect USB devices. USB devices may include, but are not limited to, keyboards, mice, printers, USB flash drives, external hard drives, etc. In some embodiments, the USB connector may include USB-A sockets, USB-B sockets, USB-C sockets, etc.

[0163] In this embodiment, the USB HUB enables the control module 360 ​​and each USB connector to be connected to the second end of the first connector 310, allowing the interface expansion device 500 to transmit the first selection command based on the USB communication protocol. At the same time, it enables data interaction with USB devices connected to the USB connector, thus improving the expandability of the interface expansion device 500.

[0164] It should be noted that in related technologies, the USB function does not support the first electronic device sending a first selection command to the interface expansion device 500. In some embodiments, the format of the first selection command is a custom USB data packet format. In this embodiment, the first selection command is implemented between the first electronic device and the control module 360 ​​by setting a private protocol, eliminating the need for a conversion module and reducing the size and circuit design complexity of the interface expansion device 500.

[0165] In this embodiment, a forwarding module 510 is provided in the extended interface device, and different time slices are allocated to the first electronic device and the second electronic device through the first conversion module 330. At the same time, multiple second connectors can also be provided to ensure the reliability of time-division multiplexing and improve the scalability of the interface extension device.

[0166] In this embodiment, a forwarding module 510 is provided in the extended interface device. By using time-division multiplexing, the first selection command and interface data can be transmitted using the second end and the first end of the first connector 310. Compared with using different hardware resources to transmit the first selection command and interface data, the utilization efficiency of the hardware resources of the interface extension device can be improved, the size of the interface extension device can be reduced, and the cost of the interface extension device can be reduced.

[0167] It should be noted that the above embodiments provide a time-division multiplexing method to transmit the first selection command and interface data through the first end and the second end of the first connector 310. However, other methods can also be used to multiplex the first end and the second end of the first connector 310. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0168] In some embodiments, the first electronic device is further configured to output a first interrupt command to the first end of the first connector 310 when a first selection command needs to be output, and the second electronic device is further configured to output a second interrupt command to the second end of the second connector 340 when interface data needs to be output. The control module 360 ​​can control the first electronic device to output the first selection command or the second electronic device to output interface data according to the first interrupt command and the second interrupt command.

[0169] For example, the first electronic device has a higher priority than the second electronic device. Upon receiving a first interrupt command, the control module 360 ​​controls the first electronic device to output a first selection command. Upon receiving a second interrupt command, if the first electronic device does not output the first selection command, the control module 360 ​​controls the second electronic device to output interface data; if the first electronic device outputs the first selection command, the control module 360 ​​controls the second electronic device to output interface data after the first selection command transmission is complete. For example, when the first electronic device generates the first selection command, it outputs a first interrupt command to the first end of the first connector 310. In this embodiment, the transmission of the first selection command is prioritized, improving the switching speed of the HDMI signal source and enhancing the user experience.

[0170] In this embodiment, the control module 360 ​​flexibly controls the first electronic device to output the first selection instruction and the second electronic device to output interface data according to the first interrupt instruction and the second interrupt instruction, thereby optimizing time utilization.

[0171] In some embodiments, the first switching module supports a first serial communication protocol, the first connector is further configured to receive a first selection instruction based on the first data communication protocol, and the first conversion module is further configured to convert the first selection instruction into a serial communication signal corresponding to the first serial communication protocol and send the serial communication signal to the control module.

[0172] For example, the communication protocols supported by the control module and the first electronic device may be different. The communication protocols supported by the first conversion module and the control module may partially overlap, as may also partially overlap. Therefore, the first conversion module converts the first selection command corresponding to the first data communication protocol supported by the first electronic device into a serial communication signal corresponding to the first serial communication protocol supported by the control module. This allows the control module to control the first switching module to connect the first conversion module to the target HDMI connector based on the serial communication signal. The descriptions of the first serial communication protocol and the first data communication protocol can be found in the embodiments described above and will not be repeated here.

[0173] In some embodiments, the first electronic device generates a first selection instruction corresponding to a first data communication protocol in response to a first interface switching operation. For example, the first interface switching operation is used to instruct the selection of a target HDMI device connected to a target HDMI connector as a signal source. In this embodiment, by executing the first interface switching operation, the user can cause the first electronic device to send a first selection instruction to the first connector, thereby selecting the desired first electronic device as a signal source and improving the convenience of switching signal sources for the user.

[0174] In some embodiments, the first connector includes a Type-C connector. The Type-C connector supports the DP communication protocol, and the AUX (Auxiliary) channel is a channel in the DP protocol responsible for transmitting auxiliary information of the first electronic device. This auxiliary information may include EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) information, DP configuration information, etc. For example, the first connector is also configured to receive a first selection command via the AUX channel. In a working cycle, the AUX channel is only occupied for a portion of the time to transmit auxiliary information. When the AUX channel is idle, the first electronic device can occupy the AUX channel to send a first selection command to the first connector. This allows the transmission of the first selection command without affecting the original function of the AUX channel. By reusing the Type-C connector, the size of the docking station can be reduced.

[0175] In this embodiment, the first selection command is received using the AUX channel, which avoids conflicts between the transmission of the first selection command and the transmission of the first multimedia data, thus ensuring the reliability of HDMI signal source switching.

[0176] In this embodiment, the first conversion module is used to convert the first selection instruction corresponding to the first data communication protocol into a serial communication signal corresponding to the first serial communication protocol, so that the control module can parse and determine the target HDMI device selected by the user and connected to the target HDMI connector, and then switch the signal source. At the same time, the data format conversion can be realized by using the first conversion module without the need for an additional data conversion chip, which makes the interface expansion device smaller in size.

[0177] It should be noted that CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) is a feature in the HDMI specification. CEC is designed to enable control and communication between multiple devices through specific pins of the HDMI interface.

[0178] In related technologies, only devices that use HDMI connectors for data transmission can use the CEC function. For interface expansion devices, since it's rare to directly connect HDMI connectors to each other (i.e., using one HDMI connector as an input and the other as an output), there are no interface expansion devices on the market that can implement the CEC function.

[0179] In some embodiments, the third ends of multiple HDMI connectors are connected to the same control path. The first conversion module is also connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first connector is further configured to receive first control information through its first end, wherein the first control information encapsulates a first CEC instruction. The first conversion module is further configured to receive the first control information transmitted from the fourth end of the first connector, parse the received first control information to obtain the first CEC instruction encapsulated in the first control information, and send the first CEC instruction to the third end of each HDMI connector through the control path.

[0180] It should be noted that the first control information is used to instruct the HDMI device connected to the HDMI connector 221 to perform a first control operation in response to a first CEC command. In some embodiments, the first control operation includes, but is not limited to, turning the first electronic device on or off, adjusting the volume of the first electronic device, and controlling the first electronic device to play multimedia data. For example, the third end of the HDMI connector includes a CEC pin of the HDMI connector, which enables the transmission of CEC commands.

[0181] In this embodiment, multiple HDMI connectors are connected to the same control path, so that when the control path receives the first control information, all HDMI devices connected to the HDMI connectors will perform the corresponding first control operation, reducing the complexity of manual operation by the user.

[0182] In some embodiments, the first electronic device is further configured to generate first control information corresponding to a first data communication protocol in response to a first trigger operation corresponding to a first control operation, and send the first control information to the first connector via a fourth connector. It should be noted that the first trigger operation corresponds to the first control operation. For example, when the first electronic device detects a first trigger operation, and the first trigger operation is used to instruct the first electronic device to turn off, the first control information generated by the first electronic device is also used to instruct the HDMI device to turn off. In this embodiment, by controlling the first electronic device, control of the HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device can be achieved, reducing the complexity of manual operation by the user and improving the user experience.

[0183] In some embodiments, the first control information encapsulates a first CEC instruction. The first conversion module is further configured to parse the first control information to obtain the first CEC instruction encapsulated in the first control information, and send the first CEC instruction to the third end of the HDMI connector.

[0184] It should be noted that the first CEC command refers to the CEC command corresponding to the first control operation. The CEC command is a command defined according to the HDMI-CEC standard to ensure that the HDMI device connected to the HDMI connector can correctly receive and respond to the CEC command.

[0185] In some embodiments, the HDMI connector includes a CEC pin, and the CEC pins of multiple HDMI connectors are connected to the same control path, so that multiple HDMI connectors are connected to the same control path, and the first electronic device sends a first control information once when the user performs an operation, thereby controlling multiple first electronic devices connected to the HDMI connector to turn off.

[0186] In this embodiment, the first electronic device can directly encapsulate the first CEC instruction in the first control information, and parse the first CEC instruction in the first control information through the first conversion module, and directly send the first CEC instruction to the HDMI connector. The HDMI connector can then directly send the instruction to an HDMI device that supports the HDMI communication protocol. This interface expansion device can realize CEC instruction transmission, thus improving the practicality of the interface expansion device.

[0187] In some embodiments, the first connector includes a Type-C connector. The fourth end of the first connector includes a second end with a Sideband Used (SBU) pin, and the first end of the first connector includes a first end with an SBU pin, thus enabling the transmission of first control information via the SBU pin. The Type-C connector supports the DP communication protocol. The AUX channel is a channel in the DP communication protocol responsible for transmitting auxiliary information of the first electronic device. This auxiliary information may include EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) information, DP configuration information, etc. For example, the first connector is also used to receive first control information sent by the first electronic device via the AUX channel. In a working cycle, the AUX channel is only occupied for a portion of the time to transmit auxiliary information. When the AUX channel is idle, the first electronic device can occupy the AUX channel to send the first control information to the first connector, enabling the transmission of first control information without affecting the original function of the AUX channel. By reusing the first and fourth ends of the Type-C connector, i.e., the SBU pin, the size of the docking station can be reduced.

[0188] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device receives a first selection command through the SBU pin of the first connector, or in other words, the interface expansion device receives an AUX data packet encapsulated with a first CEC command through the SBU pin of the first connector. By designing a proprietary protocol, the Type-C connector can support CEC commands, thereby improving the practicality of the interface expansion device.

[0189] In some embodiments, the HDMI connector is further configured to receive a second CEC command through a first end of the HDMI connector, and the first conversion module is further configured to receive the second CEC command output from a third end of any HDMI connector through a control path, encapsulate the second CEC command to generate second control information corresponding to a first data communication protocol, and send the second control information to a fourth end of the first connector to output the second control information through the first connector. It should be noted that the second CEC command can be a CEC command output by an HDMI device connected to any HDMI connector, and the second control information can be used to instruct a first electronic device connected to the first connector to perform a second control operation according to the second CEC command. The second control operation corresponds to the second CEC command, allowing the user to control the first electronic device to perform corresponding operations by controlling any HDMI device. For example, if the user controls the HDMI device to turn off, the first electronic device can be turned off simultaneously, reducing the complexity of user operation.

[0190] In some embodiments, the second control operation includes, but is not limited to, turning the first electronic device on / off, adjusting the volume of the first electronic device, and controlling the first electronic device to play multimedia data.

[0191] In some embodiments, the HDMI device may generate a second CEC instruction in response to a second trigger operation corresponding to the second CEC instruction. It should be noted that the second trigger operation corresponds to a second control operation. For example, when the HDMI device detects the second trigger operation, and the second trigger operation is used to instruct the HDMI device to increase the playback volume, the second control information encapsulating the second CEC instruction is also used to instruct the first electronic device to increase the playback volume.

[0192] For example, since each HDMI connector is connected to the same control path, the second CEC command sent by the HDMI device connected to any HDMI connector will also be received by the HDMI device connected to other HDMI connectors, and the HDMI device connected to the other HDMI connectors will respond to the second CEC command and perform a second control operation.

[0193] In some embodiments, the first connector includes a Type-C connector, and the first connector sends second control information to the first electronic device via an AUX channel. In some embodiments, the first conversion module may encapsulate the second CEC instruction into an AUX data packet based on the AUX data format in the DP communication protocol and send it to the fourth end of the first connector.

[0194] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector, through which the controller of the first electronic device can receive the AUX data packet and parse the AUX data packet to obtain the second CEC instruction.

[0195] In this embodiment, the first conversion module can encapsulate the second CEC command to generate second control information corresponding to the first communication protocol, enabling the first electronic device to receive and recognize the second control information and execute the second control operation corresponding to the second CEC command. By controlling the HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device, the first electronic device connected to the first connector can be controlled, reducing the complexity of manual operation and improving the user experience.

[0196] In some embodiments, the first conversion module is further configured to parse the received first control information to obtain the first CEC instruction encapsulated in the first control information, and send the first CEC instruction to the third end of each HDMI connector through a control path. The first conversion module is also configured to receive a second CEC instruction output from the third end of any HDMI connector through a control path, encapsulate the second CEC instruction to generate second control information, and output the second control information through the first connector. In this embodiment, the interface expansion device can implement bidirectional CEC functionality, further improving the practicality of the interface expansion device.

[0197] Please refer to Figure 6 This illustrates the fourth structural schematic diagram of an interface expansion device 600 provided in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 6As shown, the interface expansion device 600 also includes a first register 610. The first conversion module 330 is also connected to the fourth end of the first connector 310. The first conversion module 330 is further configured to receive first EDID information sent by the first electronic device through the fourth end of the first connector 310 when the first connector 310 is connected to the first electronic device and receives power from the first electronic device, and to store the first EDID information in the first register 610. It should be noted that when the HDMI device establishes a communication connection with the first electronic device, the HDMI device needs to determine the EDID information corresponding to the first electronic device in order to output first multimedia data matching the EDID information of the first electronic device. The first EDID information includes information about the corresponding performance of the first electronic device, such as the refresh rate supported by the first electronic device, the supported resolution, and the serial number of the first electronic device.

[0198] For example, when the first conversion module 330 receives electrical energy from the first electronic device, it can send a first EDID request to the first electronic device. In response to the first EDID request, the first electronic device sends a first EDID signal to the first conversion module 330 through the first end and the fourth end of the first connector 310.

[0199] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may include a memory for storing the first EDID information. Upon receiving the first EDID request, the first electronic device reads the first EDID information stored in the memory and sends the first EDID signal to the first conversion module 330 via the first connector 310.

[0200] In some embodiments, the first connector 310 may include a Type-C connector, and the first electronic device may send first EDID information to the first conversion module 330 through the AUX channel of the first connector 310. The fourth end of the first connector 310 includes the second end of the SBU pin. It should be noted that the first connector 310 includes a Type-C connector, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector, and the first conversion module 330 receives power from the first electronic device through the VBUS (Voltage Bus) pin of the first connector 310 and the VBUS pin of the fourth connector.

[0201] In some embodiments, the first EDID stored in the first register 610 disappears after the current is turned off. The first conversion module 330 rereads the first EDID information and writes it back into the first register 610 each time it is powered on.

[0202] In some embodiments, the first conversion module 330 is further configured to, when the first switching module 320 selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module 330, acquire the first EDID information in the first register 610 and send the first EDID information to the fourth end of the target HDMI connector, so that the target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector sends a first HDMI signal to the first end of the target HDMI connector based on the first EDID information. Here, the target HDMI device is an HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector, and the parameters of the first HDMI signal match the first EDID information, enabling the first electronic device to display the format-converted first HDMI signal at its highest resolution, ensuring that the first electronic device can display the first multimedia data with high quality.

[0203] For example, the fourth end of the HDMI connector includes the second end of the DDC (Display Data Channel) pin, and the first end of the HDMI connector includes the first end of the DDC pin, that is, the transmission of the first EDID information is realized through the DDC pin.

[0204] For example, when the first switching module 320 selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module 330, the target HDMI device sends a second EDID request to the first conversion module 330. The first conversion module 330 is configured to retrieve the first EDID information from the first register 610 in response to the second EDID request, and send the first EDID information to the target HDMI device through the fourth end of the target HDMI connector.

[0205] In this embodiment, since the first conversion module 330 stores the first EDID information corresponding to the first electronic device in the first register 610 upon receiving power from the first electronic device, when the first switching module 320 selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module 330, the first conversion module 330 can directly send the first EDID information stored in the first register 610 to the target HDMI device without communicating with the first electronic device. This reduces the acquisition time of the first EDID information, thereby reducing the time for the target HDMI device to output the first HDMI signal, and further reducing the black screen duration caused by switching signal sources, thus improving the user experience. Simultaneously, since the first EDID information is obtained from the first electronic device, meaning the first EDID information matches the first electronic device, the display effect of the first electronic device displaying the first multimedia data can be guaranteed.

[0206] The above embodiments provide a method for the first conversion module 330 to obtain the first EDID stored in the first electronic device when it is powered on, so as to reduce the black screen time during the signal source switching process. The following embodiments will provide another method to reduce the black screen time during the signal source switching process.

[0207] Please refer to Figure 7 This illustrates the fifth structural schematic diagram of an interface expansion device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 As shown, the interface expansion device 700 may further include a non-volatile memory 710 and a first register 720. The first conversion module 330 is also connected to the fourth terminal of the first connector 310. The first conversion module 330 is further configured to, when powered on, acquire the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory 710 and store the second EDID information in the first register 720. It is understood that the non-volatile memory 710 refers to a memory whose stored data will not disappear after the current is turned off, ensuring that the second EDID is reliably stored in the non-volatile memory 710.

[0208] For example, when the first connector is connected to the first electronic device, the first conversion module 330 can receive power from the first electronic device to power on. For example, the first connector 310 includes a Type-C connector, and the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector. The first conversion module 330 receives power from the first electronic device through the VBUS pins of the first connector 310 and the fourth connector to power on.

[0209] In some embodiments, the first conversion module 330 is further configured to, when the first switching module 320 selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module 330, acquire the second EDID information in the first register 720 and send the second EDID information to the fourth end of the target HDMI connector, so as to send the second EDID information to the target HDMI device through the target HDMI connector, so that the target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector sends the first HDMI signal to the first end of the target HDMI connector based on the second EDID information. Exemplarily, the second EDID information is matched with the performance of the first electronic device. In this embodiment, the second EDID stored in the non-volatile memory 710 is matched with the performance of the first electronic device to ensure the display effect of the first electronic device displaying the second multimedia data.

[0210] In this embodiment, by storing the second EDID information in the non-volatile memory 710, the first conversion module 330 can store the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory 710 into the first register 720 upon power-up. When the first switching module 320 selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module 330, the interface expansion device 700 can directly send the second EDID information stored in the first register 720 to the target HDMI device without communicating with the first electronic device. This reduces the acquisition time of the second EDID information, thereby reducing the time the target HDMI device provides the first HDMI signal, and consequently reducing the black screen duration caused by switching signal sources, thus improving the user experience. Furthermore, since the second EDID information is stored in the non-volatile memory 710, the acquisition time of the EDID can be significantly shortened.

[0211] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device 700 may, in response to an EDID selection operation performed by a user, determine the EDID acquisition strategy to be executed when the first connector 310 is connected to the first electronic device and receives power from the first electronic device. The EDID acquisition strategy includes receiving first EDID information sent by the first electronic device through the first connector 310 and storing the first EDID information in the first register 720, and acquiring second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory 710 and storing the second EDID information in the first register 720.

[0212] It should be noted that the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory 710 is fixed. When the first electronic device connected to the expansion interface device does not match the second EDID information, data transmission based on the second EDID information may result in poor display performance of the first electronic device, or even failure to display the first multimedia data. In the case of a mismatch between the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory 710 and the first EDID information stored in the first electronic device, the first conversion module 330 can receive the first EDID information sent by the first electronic device through the first connector 310 and store the first EDID information in the first register 720 to ensure the display performance of the first electronic device. Conversely, when the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory 710 matches the first EDID information stored in the first electronic device, the first conversion module 330 can obtain the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory 710 and store it in the first register 720 to further shorten the EDID information acquisition time and reduce the black screen duration of the first electronic device.

[0213] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may store a plurality of first EDID information, and the number of first EDID information stored by the first electronic device may be greater than or equal to 2. The user may select one of the plurality of first EDID information, and the first electronic device sends the first EDID information selected by the user to the interface expansion device 700, so that the interface expansion device 700 stores the first EDID information selected by the user in the first register 720.

[0214] Please refer to Figure 8 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of an EDID selection interface provided in some embodiments of this application. The EDID selection interface 800 includes multiple first EDID information stored in a first electronic device. Figure 8 As shown, the first electronic device stores three first EDID information, namely EDID information 1, EDID information 2 and EDID information 3.

[0215] In some embodiments, the display screen of the first electronic device may be a touch screen, and the user may click on the location corresponding to the desired first EDID information. The first electronic device sends the first EDID information to the interface expansion device 700, so that the interface expansion device 700 can obtain the first EDID information selected by the user and update the EDID information stored in the first register 720.

[0216] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may receive an auxiliary selection signal sent by a remote controller, determine the first EDID information selected by the user based on the auxiliary selection signal, and send the first EDID information selected by the user to the interface expansion device 700 so that the interface expansion device 700 can obtain the first EDID information selected by the user and update the EDID information stored in the first register 720.

[0217] In some embodiments, when the EDID information stored in the first register 720 is updated, the interface expansion device 700 acquires the first EDID information in the first register and sends the first EDID information to the target HDMI device through the fourth terminal of the target HDMI connector. This enables the HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector to transmit first multimedia data to the target HDMI connector based on the updated first EDID information. In this embodiment, upon acquiring the first EDID information, the interface expansion device 700 updates the EDID information stored in the first register 720, allowing the HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector to provide the first HDMI signal to the target HDMI connector in real time based on the updated first EDID information, thus ensuring the display effect of the first electronic device.

[0218] In this embodiment, by displaying an EDID selection interface on the first electronic device, users can quickly select the required first EDID information, thereby improving the user experience.

[0219] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device 700 provides two EDID information acquisition methods and executes the corresponding EDID acquisition strategy according to the EDID selection operation performed by the user, so as to ensure the display effect of the first electronic device while minimizing the black screen time caused by the first electronic device establishing a connection with the new HDMI device.

[0220] The above embodiments reduce the black screen duration by reducing the time it takes for the target HDMI device to obtain EDID information. The following embodiments will provide a solution to reduce the time for detecting link integrity, thereby reducing the black screen duration.

[0221] It should be noted that during the establishment of a communication connection between two devices, hardware link detection is a crucial step to ensure normal communication between them. Data transmission between the two devices is only possible after the hardware link is confirmed to meet integrity requirements. Therefore, the duration of hardware link detection affects the blackout duration of the first electronic device during signal source switching.

[0222] In some embodiments, the first conversion module is further configured to, when the first conversion module is powered on, if at least two HDMI connectors are connected to an HDMI device for the first time, detect the link integrity corresponding to the data transmission path between the first connected HDMI device and the first electronic device connected to the first connector in accordance with a first detection rule.

[0223] The first HDMI device connected refers to the HDMI device that acts as a signal source for the first time when the interface expansion device is powered on. In cases where multiple HDMI connectors are connected to an HDMI device for the first time, since no link integrity test has been performed after the interface expansion device is powered on, it is necessary to test the link integrity of the data transmission path between the first HDMI device and the first electronic device according to complete testing rules to ensure reliable communication between the first electronic device and the HDMI device.

[0224] For example, the first detection rule includes detecting a first hardware link, detecting a second hardware link, and detecting a third hardware link. The first hardware link includes the hardware link between the HDMI device connected to the HDMI connector and the HDMI connector; the second hardware link includes the hardware link between the HDMI connector and the first connector; and the third hardware link includes the hardware link between the first connector and the first electronic device.

[0225] For example, the first detection rule also includes the number of detections corresponding to the first hardware link, the number of detections corresponding to the second hardware link, and the number of detections corresponding to the third hardware link. It should be noted that performing multiple detections on the hardware links ensures the reliability of the detection results.

[0226] In some embodiments, the first conversion module is further configured to, when the first switching module connects the HDMI connector of another HDMI device to the first conversion module, detect the link integrity corresponding to the data transmission path between the other HDMI device and the first electronic device according to the second detection rule. It should be noted that the other HDMI devices are different from the HDMI devices connected for the first time; the detection complexity of the first detection rule is higher than that of the second detection rule; and / or the detection duration of the first detection rule is longer than that of the second detection rule; and / or the detection steps of the first detection rule are more numerous than those of the second detection rule.

[0227] For example, the number of hardware links to be detected in the second detection rule is less than the number of hardware links to be detected in the first detection rule. It should be noted that the hardware links to be detected in the second detection rule include the first hardware link. Since the second and third hardware links used during data transmission between other HDMI devices and the first electronic device are the same as those used during the data transmission between the first connected HDMI device and the first electronic device, and since the integrity of the link corresponding to the data transmission path between the first connected HDMI device and the first electronic device has already been detected, when the first switching module connects the HDMI connector of other HDMI devices to the first conversion module, only the integrity of the first hardware link needs to be detected, without detecting the integrity of the second and third hardware links. This shortens the black screen time of the first electronic device when switching signal sources.

[0228] In other examples, the number of times the target hardware link in the second detection rule is detected may be less than the number of times the target hardware link in the first detection rule is detected. In some embodiments, the target hardware link may include at least one of a second hardware link and a third hardware link. For example, if the first detection rule specifies that the second hardware link is considered complete if all 10 detection results are complete, then the second detection rule could specify that the second hardware link is considered complete if both of its detection results are complete. Reducing the number of detections for the second hardware link from 10 to 2 can reduce the hardware link detection time, thereby reducing the black screen time during signal source switching.

[0229] In this embodiment, when multiple HDMI connectors are not connected to HDMI devices for the first time, a simplified second detection rule can be used to detect the link integrity of the data transmission path between the other HDMI devices and the first electronic device when other HDMI devices are connected. Compared with using a fixed detection rule, the hardware link detection time can be shortened, thereby shortening the black screen time of the first electronic device during the signal source switching process and improving the user experience.

[0230] Please refer to Figure 9 This illustration shows a sixth structural schematic diagram of an interface expansion device provided in some embodiments of this application. The interface expansion device 900 may further include a second switching module 910 and a third connector 920. The second switching module 910 is connected to the first conversion module 330, the second end of the third connector 920, and the third end of the first connector 310, respectively. The control module 360 ​​is also connected to the second switching module 910. The third connector 920 is configured to receive second multimedia data corresponding to a first data communication protocol through its first end. The first connector 310 is further configured to receive a second selection command or a third selection command through its first end. The control module 360 ​​is configured to control the second switching module 910 to conduct the data transmission path between the first conversion module 330 and the third end of the first connector 310 according to the second selection instruction transmitted from the second end of the first connector 310, and / or, the control module 360 ​​is configured to control the second switching module 910 to conduct the data transmission path between the third end of the first connector 310 and the second end of the third connector 920 according to the third selection instruction transmitted from the second end of the first connector 310.

[0231] For example, the third connector 920 can be connected to a third electronic device. The third connector 920 supports a first data communication protocol, and the third connector 920 interacts with the third electronic device based on the first data communication protocol. It should be noted that the third electronic device may refer to a device that supports the first data communication protocol. In some embodiments, the third electronic device may include, but is not limited to, a computer, a laptop computer, etc.

[0232] For example, the third connector 920 may include a DP connector, and the first data communication protocol may be the DP communication protocol. In this embodiment, the interface expansion device 900 can receive the first HDMI signal corresponding to the HDMI communication protocol provided by the HDMI device, convert the format of the first HDMI signal to obtain the first multimedia data corresponding to the first communication protocol, and transmit it to the first electronic device through the first connector 310. The interface expansion device 900 can also receive the second multimedia data corresponding to the DP communication protocol provided by the third electronic device and transmit it directly to the first electronic device through the first connector 310. That is, the interface expansion device 900 can enable the first electronic device to interact with both the HDMI device and the third electronic device, thereby improving the practicality of the interface expansion device.

[0233] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may generate a second selection instruction in response to a first interface switching operation and transmit it to the control module 360 ​​via the first connector 310. The second selection instruction is generated by the first electronic device in response to the first interface switching operation. It should be noted that the generation and transmission methods of the second selection instruction are similar to those of the first selection instruction, and will not be repeated here.

[0234] It should be noted that the first electronic device generates a first selection command and a second selection command in response to the first interface switching, and sends them to the interface expansion device through the first connector 310. According to the first selection command, the control module 360 ​​controls the first switching module 320 to selectively conduct the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module 330. According to the second selection command transmitted by the first connector 310, the control module 360 ​​controls the second switching module 910 to selectively conduct the data transmission path between the first conversion module 330 and the third end of the first connector 310, so that the first electronic device can receive the second multimedia data.

[0235] In this embodiment, in response to the first interface switching, the first electronic device can generate a first selection instruction and a second selection instruction to make the second end of the target HDMI connector connected to the first conversion module 330, and to make the first conversion module 330 connected to the third end of the first connector 310, so that the first electronic device can display the first HDMI signal provided by the target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector, thereby meeting the user requirements.

[0236] In some embodiments, the third selection instruction is generated by the first electronic device in response to a second interface switching operation, which instructs the selection of a third electronic device as the signal source. It should be noted that the generation and transmission of the third selection instruction can be referenced to the description of the generation and transmission of the first selection instruction, and will not be repeated here.

[0237] It should be noted that by setting the second switching module 910, the multimedia data transmitted by the first connector 310 is the multimedia data transmitted by the third connector 920, so that the first electronic device can also display the multimedia data provided by the third electronic device, thereby improving the practicality of the interface expansion device 900.

[0238] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may generate a fourth selection instruction in response to a second interface switching operation. The control module 360 ​​is also configured to, according to the fourth selection instruction, control the first switching module 320 to prevent the data transmission path between either HDMI connector 350 and the first connector 310 from being activated. It should be noted that the generation and transmission of the fourth selection instruction can be referred to the description of the generation and transmission of the first selection instruction, and will not be repeated here.

[0239] Please refer to Figure 10 This illustrates the seventh schematic diagram of an interface expansion device provided in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the interface expansion device 1000 may also include a CC (Configuration Channel) logic chip 1010, the first connector includes a Type-C connector 1020, and the CC logic chip 1010 is connected to the third end of the third connector 920 and the second switching module 910.

[0240] It should be noted that the CC logic chip 1010 can be used to detect whether the third connector 920 is connected to a third electronic device, and send the detection result to the first electronic device through the CC pin of the Type-C connector 1020, so that the first electronic device can know the connection status of the third connector 920. This connection status may include, but is not limited to, whether a third electronic device is connected, the correct insertion / reverse insertion status of the connected third electronic device, and the serial number of the connected third electronic device. For example, the CC logic chip 1010 can determine whether the third connector 920 is connected to a third electronic device by determining the level signal corresponding to the third terminal of the third connector 920. The level signal includes a high-level signal and a low-level signal.

[0241] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may control the display screen to show connection information of the third electronic device based on the detection results. This connection information indicates whether a third electronic device is connected. It should be noted that the first electronic device can display the connection information of the third electronic device to allow the user to determine whether a third electronic device is connected to the third connector 920. In this embodiment, by providing a CC logic chip 1010 in the interface expansion device 1000, the first electronic device can obtain information about the connection status of the third connector 920.

[0242] In some embodiments, the CC logic chip 1010 is also connected to the second end of the third connector 920, and the CC logic chip 1010 is also used to send the second multimedia data received by the third connector to the second switching module 910, so as to send it to the third end of the Type-C connector 1020 through the second switching module 910.

[0243] In some embodiments, the CC logic chip 1010 may send first access information to the first conversion module 330 upon detecting that the third connector 920 is connected to a third electronic device. It should be noted that the first access information indicates that a third electronic device is connected to the third connector 920.

[0244] In some embodiments, the first conversion module 330 further includes a GPIO (General-purpose input / output) port, which is connected to the CC logic chip 1010 and is used to receive first access information sent by the CC logic chip 1010.

[0245] In some embodiments, the first conversion module 330 may enter a sleep state upon receiving the first access information to reduce the power consumption of the interface expansion device 1000. It should be noted that if it is assumed that the user will not select an HDMI device as the signal source when a third electronic device is connected to the third connector 920, then allowing the first conversion module 330 to enter a sleep state upon receiving the first access information can reduce the power consumption of the interface expansion device 1000.

[0246] In some embodiments, the first conversion module 330 may send second access information to the CC logic chip 1010 in response to a first interrupt signal sent by the control module 360. The first interrupt signal is generated by the control module 360 ​​when it detects that an HDMI connector 350 is connected to an HDMI device.

[0247] In some embodiments, the first conversion module 330 further includes a UART port through which the first conversion module 330 can receive a first interrupt signal sent by the control module 360.

[0248] In some embodiments, the CC logic chip 1010 may enter a sleep state upon receiving the second access information to reduce the power consumption of the interface expansion device 1000. It should be noted that if it is assumed that the user will not select a third electronic device as the signal source when an HDMI device is connected to the HDMI connector 350, the CC logic chip 1010 may enter a sleep state upon receiving the second access information, thereby reducing the power consumption of the interface expansion device 1000.

[0249] In this embodiment, the interface expansion device 1000 can convert multimedia data from different signal sources into multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol, and transmit it to the first electronic device through the first connector 310. Compared with the interface expansion device 1000 that can only receive multimedia data corresponding to a single communication protocol, the interface expansion device 1000 provided in this embodiment is highly practical.

[0250] It should be noted that most docking stations currently transmit data at low speeds, such as 120Hz. However, low-speed transmission results in poor display quality when the primary electronic device displays multimedia data received from the docking station, such as ghosting. The following embodiments will provide an interface expansion device capable of supporting high-speed data transmission.

[0251] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device uses differential transmission technology to transmit the first HDMI signal and the first multimedia data. The signal trace spacing between differential pairs is greater than or equal to 19 mil (milliinches), and the signal trace spacing within the same differential pair is less than or equal to 5 mil. By avoiding vias in the traces, signal interference and parasitic effects can be effectively reduced. This helps to maintain signal integrity and reduce signal quality degradation caused by high speed.

[0252] In some embodiments, the signal trace spacing between differential pairs can be 19 mil, 20 mil, or 21 mil. It should be noted that a larger signal trace spacing between differential pairs can effectively reduce electromagnetic interference and crosstalk between adjacent differential pairs, and reduce signal quality degradation caused by high data rates.

[0253] In some embodiments, the signal trace spacing within the same differential pair is 3 mil, 4 mil, or 5 mil. It should be noted that smaller trace spacing enhances signal coupling, resulting in better mutual cancellation between differential signals, improved immunity to common-mode interference, and thus improved signal integrity, reducing signal quality degradation caused by high data rates.

[0254] For example, the interface expansion device may also include a signal driver chip, which adjusts the signal gain value to ensure that the eye diagram of the adjusted signal conforms to the standard, thereby meeting the requirements of high-frequency transmission.

[0255] For example, by using DSC (Display Stream Compression) technology to compress the first multimedia data converted by the first conversion module or the multimedia data provided by the third connector, the required bandwidth can be reduced, such as reducing the bandwidth from 12.8Gbps to 6.4Gbps or lower. This can effectively reduce the transmission bandwidth requirement while maintaining image quality, thereby reducing signal loss at high speeds.

[0256] It should be noted that by adopting the above solution, the interface expansion device can support HDMI 2.1 12Gbps (gigabits per second) and DP 1.4 8Gbps high-speed signal transmission. HDMI 2.1 is a version of the HDMI interface standard, and DP 1.4 is a version of the DP interface standard.

[0257] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device supports a resolution of up to 4K, which means that the horizontal display pixels reach or approach 4000, typically referring to a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels.

[0258] In some embodiments, the refresh rate of the interface expansion device can reach 165Hz, meaning it can refresh the image 165 times per second. A high refresh rate results in smoother image display and reduces screen tearing and lag.

[0259] In some embodiments, the interface extension device can support a color depth of up to 10-bit. Here, 10-bit color depth means that each color channel in the image uses 10 bits of binary data to represent color information.

[0260] In this embodiment, by optimizing the wiring, adding a driver chip, and using compression technology, the signal quality of the transmission can be maintained without deteriorating while supporting high-speed transmission, thus ensuring the display effect of the first electronic device.

[0261] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device has current limiting protection and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection functions. For example, the interface expansion device includes an overcurrent protection module, which disconnects the power supply path between the interface expansion device and the access device when the detected current of the interface expansion device is greater than or equal to a preset current. The access device may include an HDMI device connected to an HDMI connector, a second electronic device connected to a second connector, and a third electronic device connected to a third connector, etc.

[0262] In some embodiments, when the current of the interface expansion device is detected to be greater than or equal to a preset current, the power supply path between the interface expansion circuit and the access device is disconnected, then the power supply path between the interface expansion device and the access device is turned on and maintained for a second preset duration, then the power supply path between the interface expansion device and the access device is disconnected, then the operation of turning on the power supply path between the interface expansion device and the access device and maintaining for a second preset duration is continued, and then the operation of turning off the power supply path between the interface expansion device and the access device is continued until the operation duration reaches a first preset duration. The current of the interface expansion circuit is detected. If the current of the interface expansion device is greater than or equal to a preset current, the power supply path between the interface expansion circuit and the access device is disconnected. If the current of the interface expansion device is less than a preset current, the power supply path between the interface expansion circuit and the access device is maintained on.

[0263] In some embodiments, the first preset duration may range from 350ms to 450ms. In some embodiments, the first preset duration may be 350ms, 400ms, or 450ms.

[0264] The second preset duration is shorter than the first preset duration. By reasonably selecting the second preset duration, the capacitor can be charged when the access device has a capacitor. At the same time, in the case of a short circuit in the access device, the short conduction time means that even if the current is large, the energy is small, which can avoid damage to the access device and the interface expansion device.

[0265] In this embodiment, to avoid false protection caused by charging of a large capacitor inside the access device, the interface expansion device cyclically performs the operation of turning on and off the power supply path between the interface expansion circuit and the access device within a first preset time period. After the first preset time period, it re-detects whether the current of the interface expansion device is greater than or equal to a preset current, i.e., whether there is a short circuit in the access device. If no short circuit is detected, the interface expansion circuit supplies power to the access device. This embodiment ensures the safety of both the access device and the interface expansion device while avoiding unnecessary power interruptions (interrupting the power supply to access devices with large capacitors).

[0266] In some embodiments, the first conversion module supports HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) functionality. When the first HDMI signal is HDCP encrypted data, the first conversion module can decrypt the first HDMI signal to obtain a decrypted first HDMI signal, and then convert and encrypt the decrypted first HDMI signal to obtain first multimedia data. This ensures the security of the transmission process between the target HDMI device and the first electronic device, improving transmission reliability.

[0267] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 11a to 11d The interface expansion device may include multiple HDMI connectors 1101, a first switching module 1102, a first conversion module 1103, a USB to serial port module 1104, a USB HUB 1105, a second switching module 1106, a Type-C connector 1107, a DP connector 1108, a CC logic chip 1109, at least one USB connector 1110, and a control module 1111.

[0268] Among them, HDMI connector 1101 is configured to connect to HDMI device, Type-C connector 1107 is configured to connect to first electronic device, DP connector 1108 is configured to connect to third electronic device, and USB to serial port module 1104 is configured to convert data corresponding to USB communication protocol into data corresponding to serial port communication protocol.

[0269] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 11a The control module 1111 includes a first logic control unit, which includes a UART port. The USB to serial port module 1104 is configured to convert data corresponding to the USB communication protocol into data corresponding to the UART communication protocol. The data communication protocol corresponding to the first selection command sent by the first electronic device is the USB data communication protocol.

[0270] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 11a The control module 1111 also includes a timing control and compensation module. After the first HDMI signal passes through the first switching module 1102, its signal quality deteriorates. The timing control and compensation module performs compensation processing on the first HDMI signal so that the compensated first HDMI signal is approximately the same as the first HDMI signal before the input switching unit.

[0271] In some embodiments, the first logic control unit is configured to control the first switching module 1102 to selectively enable the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module 1103 according to a first selection command received by the Type-C connector 1107. For example, the first switching module 1102 may include a multiplexer.

[0272] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 11b The first conversion module 1103 also includes an I2C port, through which the first conversion module 1103 can send the HDID information (first EDID information or second EDID information) in the first register to the HDMI device.

[0273] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 11bThe first conversion module 1103 also includes a TMDS (Transition-Minimized Differential Signaling) signal processing module and an Alignment & De-skew TMDSDecoder & De-scrambler module. HDMI uses TMDS (Transition-Minimized Differential Signaling) as a signal transmission method. The TMDS signal processing module and the Alignment & De-skew TMDSDecoder & De-scrambler module decode the TMDS data stream in the HDMI signal.

[0274] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 11b The first conversion module 1103 also includes a signal conversion protocol module, which is configured to convert the output data of the TMDS signal processing module to obtain the data corresponding to the DP communication protocol, and send it to the first electronic device through the DP physical layer (PHY).

[0275] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 11b to 11c The second switching module 1106 is connected to the first conversion module 1130, the CC logic chip 1109, and the Type-C connector 1107. The second switching module 1106 can transmit multimedia data output from the first conversion module 1130 or the CC logic chip 1109 to the Type-C connector 1107. The CC logic chip 1109 is connected to the DP connector 1108.

[0276] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 11a as well as Figure 11d The USB HUB1105 is connected to each USB connector 1110, USB to serial port module 1104 and Type-C connector 1107 respectively, so that the interface expansion device can support the transmission of the first selection command of USB data format, and support at least one USB connector 1110.

[0277] Please refer to Figure 12 It shows a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in some embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the electronic device 1200 may include a fourth connector 1210, a display screen 1220, and a processor 1230. The processor 1230 is connected to the second end of the fourth connector 1210. For ease of description, the electronic device will be referred to as the first electronic device in the following embodiments.

[0278] In some embodiments, the fourth connector 1210 is configured to connect to the first connector of the interface expansion device via a cable, and the fourth connector 1210 is configured to receive interface data output from the first end of the first connector via the first end of the fourth connector 1210. The display screen 1220 is configured to display a signal source selection interface. The processor 1230 is configured to receive interface data transmitted from the second end of the fourth connector 1210 and process the interface data. The processor 1230 is also configured to generate a first selection instruction in response to a first interface switching operation for the signal source selection interface, and send the first selection instruction to the second end of the fourth connector 1210, so as to transmit the first selection instruction to the first end of the first connector via the first end of the fourth connector 1210. The fourth connector 1210 supports a first data communication protocol and a second data communication protocol, the signal source selection interface includes at least two HDMI connectors of the interface expansion device, and the first interface switching operation is used to indicate the selection of a target HDMI device as the signal source.

[0279] Please refer to Figure 13 This illustrates a signal source selection interface provided in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 13 As shown, the signal source selection interface may include HDMI connectors corresponding to multiple HDMI devices connected to the interface expansion device.

[0280] like Figure 13 As shown, the interface expansion device may include four HDMI connectors: HDMI connector a, HDMI connector b, HDMI connector c, and HDMI connector d. Only HDMI connectors a, b, and c are connected to the first electronic device. Therefore, the signal source selection interface can only display HDMI connectors a, b, and c, allowing users to determine which HDMI connector is connected to the HDMI device and preventing users from selecting HDMI connectors that are not connected to the HDMI device, thus improving the reliability of signal source switching.

[0281] In some embodiments, the target HDMI connector is rendered using a first rendering method so that the user can identify the HDMI connector of the currently connected signal source. Exemplary examples include, but are not limited to, textures, mapping, scaling, rotation, and materials. For example, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the first rendering method is texture mapping.

[0282] For example, the HDMI connector currently selected by the user is rendered using a second rendering method, so that the user can confirm the currently selected HDMI connector. The second rendering method differs from the first rendering method. Optionally, the second rendering method may include, but is not limited to, textures, mapping, scaling, rotation, materials, etc. For example, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the second rendering method is zooming in.

[0283] For example, by clicking the first button, the user can change the currently selected HDMI connector to the next HDMI connector in the signal source selection interface (e.g., ...). Figure 14 As shown, when the HDMI connector changes from HDMI connector b to HDMI connector c), and the currently selected HDMI connector is the target HDMI connector connected to the target HDMI device, the user can double-click the first button. The first electronic device responds to this double-click operation by generating a corresponding first selection command.

[0284] In some embodiments, the display screen is also used to display first multimedia data. It should be noted that the first electronic device can display the first multimedia data on the display screen so that a user can view the first multimedia data and meet the user's needs.

[0285] In some embodiments, the processor may include a SoC (System on a Chip).

[0286] In some embodiments, the fourth connector may include a Type-C connector. In this embodiment, using a Type-C connector as the multimedia data input interface of the first electronic device reduces the space occupied by the input interface on the first electronic device compared to an HDMI interface. At the same time, the first electronic device can supply power to the interface expansion device through the Type-C connector, so that the interface expansion device can work normally without a power supply.

[0287] In this embodiment, the display screen shows a signal source selection interface, allowing the user to switch the signal source by performing a first interface switching operation. The processor, in response to the first interface switching operation on the signal source selection interface, generates a first selection command and transmits it to the first connector of the interface expansion device via the fourth connector. The interface expansion device receives the first selection command through the first connector, enabling data transmission between the first conversion module and the target HDMI connector without the need for a physical button or mechanical switch. This achieves the signal source switching function while keeping the interface expansion device compact. Furthermore, the user can directly perform the first interface switching operation on the first electronic device to achieve signal source switching, improving user convenience.

[0288] In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to receive a remote control selection signal sent to the processor by the remote control corresponding to the first electronic device, and generate a first selection instruction based on the remote control selection signal. The remote control selection signal is generated by the remote control in response to a first interface switching operation. For example, the remote control and the first electronic device are connected wirelessly via infrared, Bluetooth, or other wireless connection methods. For example, the first interface switching operation may include, but is not limited to, a single click, double click, or long press of a button on the remote control. In this embodiment, the user can switch signal sources using the remote control without needing to be near the first electronic device or the docking station, greatly reducing spatial limitations for the user.

[0289] In some embodiments, the data format of the first selection command corresponds to a first data communication protocol. For example, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector, and the data format of the first selection command corresponds to the DP communication protocol. For example, the first electronic device can generate a first selection command in response to a remote control selection signal and send it to the interface expansion device via the AUX channel of the fourth connector.

[0290] In some embodiments, the data format of the first selection instruction corresponds to the second serial communication protocol. For example, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector, and the processor is further configured to generate a first selection instruction corresponding to the USB communication protocol in response to the first interface switching operation.

[0291] For example, the fourth connector includes a second D+ pin and a second D- pin. The data format of the first selection instruction corresponds to the USB communication protocol. The processor is also configured to generate a first selection instruction corresponding to the USB communication protocol in response to the first interface switching operation, and send it to the second end of the second D+ pin and the second end of the second D- pin to send the first selection instruction to the first connector.

[0292] In this embodiment, by using the Type-C connector as the fourth connector and employing the USB communication protocol to transmit the first selection command, the accuracy of the first selection command received by the first switching module can be guaranteed. Furthermore, since the transmission of the first selection command and the first multimedia data utilizes different ends of the first and fourth connectors, reliable transmission of the first multimedia data by the first electronic device can be ensured while simultaneously controlling the first switching module to switch between different HDMI signal sources. Additionally, transmitting interface data and the first switching command through the first and second ends of the fourth connector reduces the hardware resource requirements of the first electronic device, thereby lowering its cost.

[0293] In this embodiment, the remote control selection signal is processed by the first electronic device to generate a first selection command that the interface expansion device can recognize and process. This allows the control module of the interface expansion device to control the first switching module to selectively connect the data transmission path between the target HDMI connector and the first connector based on the first selection command. In this embodiment, the user can switch the signal source using the remote control corresponding to the first electronic device without needing to be near the device. This makes switching the signal source as convenient as switching the received electromagnetic wave frequency, making the interface expansion device and the first electronic device function as a single unit, thus improving user convenience.

[0294] The above embodiments provide a method for switching signal sources using a remote control of a first electronic device. The following embodiments will provide another method for switching signal sources.

[0295] In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to, upon detecting a screen selection signal acting on the display screen, generate a first selection instruction based on the screen selection signal, wherein the screen selection signal is generated based on a first interface switching operation acting on the display screen. It should be noted that a user can touch the display screen to select the desired HDMI connector.

[0296] For example, the first electronic device may include a touch sensor, and the processor determines the user's touch position based on the screen selection signal acquired by the touch sensor, thereby determining the target HDMI connector and generating a first selection command. For example, the touch sensor may include a capacitive sensor, which can be used to convert physical touch into an electrical signal, so that the processor can determine the user's touch position based on the electrical signal output by the capacitive sensor.

[0297] In this embodiment, the processor detects a screen selection signal acting on the display screen and generates a first selection instruction based on the screen selection signal, so that the user can switch the target HDMI connector, that is, switch the signal source, by manually touching the display screen, without having to plug or unplug it, making it convenient for the user to switch the signal source.

[0298] In the above embodiments, users can switch signal sources by pressing and / or touching the remote control. At the same time, the signal source selection interface displayed on the TV will also change. The display screen of the first electronic device can show the changes in the UI (User Interface) to give users intuitive feedback so that users can determine the currently selected signal source.

[0299] It is understood that, in addition to the above-described implementation method for user input, other methods, such as voice, may also be used, and this embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0300] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector. The processor is further configured to, in response to the first interface switching operation, generate a first selection instruction supported by the USB communication protocol, and transmit the first selection instruction to the interface expansion device via the second D+ pin and the second D- pin of the fourth connector. In this embodiment, the first electronic device, in response to the first interface switching operation, generates a first selection instruction corresponding to the USB communication protocol, enabling the first switching module to selectively activate the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module based on the first selection instruction.

[0301] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector. The processor is further configured to generate a first selection command corresponding to the DP communication protocol in response to the first interface switching operation, and send it to the interface expansion device via the AUX channel (SBU pin) of the fourth connector. In this embodiment, the first electronic device generates a first selection command corresponding to the DP communication protocol in response to the HDMI connector switching operation, enabling the first switching module to selectively connect the data transmission path between the target HDMI connector and the first connector based on the first selection command.

[0302] In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to send a first selection instruction to the interface expansion device via the AUX channel of the fourth connector when the AUX channel of the fourth connector is idle. In this embodiment, before transmitting the first selection instruction using the AUX channel of the fourth connector, the first electronic device first determines whether the AUX channel is idle. Only when the AUX channel is determined to be idle will it occupy the AUX channel to send the first selection instruction, ensuring that the original function of the AUX channel is not affected and guaranteeing the effectiveness of the display.

[0303] In some embodiments, the interface expansion device may further include a second register, and the processor 1230 is further configured to acquire interface status data in the second register corresponding to at least one HDMI connector in the interface expansion device. The processor is also configured to control the display screen 1220 to display the connection status of at least one HDMI connector based on the interface status data corresponding to the at least one HDMI connector.

[0304] It should be noted that when the control module detects that an HDMI device is connected to the HDMI connector or an HDMI device is unplugged from the HDMI connector, it will update the interface status data in the second register corresponding to the multiple HDMI connectors respectively, so that the interface status data stored in the second register can reflect the interface status corresponding to the multiple HDMI connectors respectively.

[0305] In some embodiments, the first electronic device may use a polling method to access the second register to determine the respective interface status data of the plurality of HDMI connectors.

[0306] In other embodiments, when the first electronic device receives a second interrupt signal sent by the control module, the first electronic device reads the interface status data in the second register corresponding to the multiple HDMI connectors of the interface expansion device.

[0307] For example, when the first switching module detects that an HDMI device is connected to the HDMI connector or an HDMI device is unplugged from the HDMI connector, it sends a second interrupt signal to the first electronic device through the first connector.

[0308] For example, the interface status data may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: whether the HDMI connector is connected to an HDMI device, whether the signal of the HDMI connector connected to the HDMI device is valid, the default HDMI connector of the first switching module, and the device serial number corresponding to the first switching module.

[0309] Please refer to Figure 15 This illustrates a schematic diagram of the display interface of a display screen provided in some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 15 As shown, the display interface includes multiple HDMI connectors, and the HDMI connectors connected to HDMI devices are highlighted. Users can determine which HDMI connectors are highlighted based on the display interface, thus identifying the HDMI connectors connected to HDMI devices. Figure 15 As shown, HDMI connector b is connected to an HDMI device, while HDMI connector a is not connected to an HDMI device.

[0310] In some embodiments, HDMI device connection information can be displayed at the bottom of the display interface to show the interface status of multiple HDMI connectors while avoiding affecting the user's viewing of the first multimedia data.

[0311] In related technologies, since it is not possible to connect multiple HDMI devices, meaning users do not need to perform switching operations, there is no display of the connection status of the HDMI connectors on the interface expansion device. In this embodiment, the first electronic device can acquire the interface status data corresponding to multiple HDMI connectors and display the connection status of at least one HDMI connector on a display screen, allowing users to understand which HDMI connectors are connected to HDMI devices, thus improving the user experience.

[0312] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector. The processor is further configured to connect to a third end of the fourth connector and is also configured to generate first control information in response to a first trigger operation that triggers a first electronic device to perform a first control operation. The processor then sends the first control information to the first connector via the AUX channel of the fourth connector. The first control information encapsulates a first CEC instruction corresponding to the first control operation and is used to instruct an HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device to perform the first control operation. The fourth connector includes an SBU pin, through which the first control information is transmitted.

[0313] In this embodiment, the processor, in response to the first trigger operation, generates first control information, processes it through the first conversion module of the interface expansion device to obtain a first control command corresponding to the first data communication protocol, and sends the first control command to each HDMI connector through the control path, so that the HDMI device executes the first control operation according to the first control command. By controlling the first electronic device, the user can control the HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device, reducing the complexity of manual operation and improving the user experience.

[0314] In some embodiments, the fourth connector includes a Type-C connector. The processor is further configured to connect to the third end of the fourth connector and to receive second control information via the AUX channel of the fourth connector. The processor is also configured to parse the second control information to obtain a second CEC instruction encapsulated within the second control information and to execute a second control operation based on the second CEC instruction. The second control information encapsulates the second CEC instruction, which is generated by any HDMI device connected to the HDMI connector in response to a second trigger operation corresponding to the second CEC instruction. The third end of the fourth connector includes an SBU pin.

[0315] In this embodiment, the second CEC command sent by the HDMI device is encapsulated by the first conversion module to generate second control information corresponding to the first communication protocol. The processor receives the second control information, parses it, and obtains the second CEC command encapsulated within the second control information to execute the second control operation corresponding to the second CEC command. By controlling the HDMI device connected to the interface expansion device, the user can control the first electronic device, reducing the complexity of manual operation and improving the user experience.

[0316] Please refer to Figure 16This illustration shows a flowchart of a device identification method according to some embodiments of this application. The method is applied to a display system, which may include an interface expansion device and a first electronic device. The software architecture of the first electronic device, from top to bottom, may include an application layer, a middleware layer, and a driver layer. The application layer responds to user input and requests; the middleware layer is the software layer between the operating system and applications; and the driver layer includes hardware drivers that communicate directly with the hardware, providing the application layer with an interface to access the hardware. For example, the interface expansion device may include a docking station, and the first electronic device may include a television.

[0317] like Figure 16 As shown, the method includes steps 1602 to 1616.

[0318] Step 1602: When the middleware layer detects that an interface expansion device has been connected to the fourth connector, it notifies the application layer.

[0319] For example, if no interface expansion device is connected to the fourth connector, the middleware layer blocks and waits for the interface status device to connect. The middleware layer continuously monitors whether an interface expansion device has been connected to the fourth connector so that it can respond immediately after the interface expansion device is connected. For example, the middleware layer can use a polling mechanism to detect whether an interface expansion device is connected to the fourth connector. When the application receives a notification from the middleware layer, it can determine that an interface expansion device has been connected.

[0320] Step 1604: When the interface expansion device detects that an HDMI device is connected to the HDMI connector, it sends an insertion message to the middleware layer through the first connector.

[0321] Step 1606: The middleware layer sends the insertion message to the application layer.

[0322] In some embodiments, when the first switching module detects that an HDMI device is connected to an HDMI connector, it updates the interface status data corresponding to the multiple HDMI connectors in the second register and sends an insertion message to the middleware layer. The middleware layer then sends the insertion message to the application layer, causing the application layer to update the display interface, such as updating the highlight status of each HDMI connector. The insertion message may include the updated interface status data corresponding to the multiple HDMI connectors in the second register.

[0323] Step 1608: The application layer sends a first selection instruction to the middleware layer.

[0324] Step 1610: The middleware layer sends a first selection command to the interface extension device.

[0325] Step 1612: The interface expansion device connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module.

[0326] It should be noted that when the application layer determines the target HDMI connector selected by the user, it generates a first selection command and sends it to the interface expansion device through the intermediate layer. The first switch of the interface expansion device selectively turns on the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module, so that the first HDMI signal received by the target HDMI connector is transmitted to the first conversion module through the data transmission path, and the first conversion module performs format conversion on the first HDMI signal to obtain first multimedia data. The first multimedia data is then sent to the fourth connector of the first electronic device through the first connector and displayed on the display screen.

[0327] Step 1614: When the docking station detects that an HDMI device has been unplugged from the HDMI connector, it sends a unplugging message to the middleware layer through the first connector.

[0328] Step 1616: The middleware layer sends a pull-out message to the application layer.

[0329] In some embodiments, when the first switching module detects that an HDMI device has unplugged its HDMI connector, it updates the interface status data corresponding to the multiple HDMI connectors in the second register and sends a unplug message to the middleware layer. The middleware layer then sends this unplug message to the application layer to update the application layer's display interface, specifically updating the highlight status of each HDMI connector. This unplug message may include the updated interface status data corresponding to the multiple HDMI connectors in the second register.

[0330] Step 1616: When the middleware layer detects that the interface expansion device has unplugged the fourth connector, it notifies the application layer.

[0331] For example, the middleware layer can use a polling mechanism to detect whether an interface expansion device is connected to the fourth connector. If no interface expansion device is detected connected to the fourth connector, it can be assumed that the interface expansion device has been unplugged from the fourth connector. When the application layer receives a notification from the middleware layer, it can determine that no interface expansion device is currently connected to the fourth connector.

[0332] It should be understood that the phrase "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" throughout the specification means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic related to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Those skilled in the art should also recognize that the embodiments described in the specification are optional embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0333] In the various embodiments of this application, it should be understood that the sequence number of each process does not necessarily imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0334] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; they can be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0335] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0336] If the aforementioned integrated units are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-accessible memory. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a memory and includes several requests to cause a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, specifically a processor in the computer device) to execute some or all of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0337] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), one-time programmable read-only memory (OTPROM), electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, disk storage, magnetic tape storage, or any other computer-readable medium capable of carrying or storing data.

[0338] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of an interface expansion device and electronic device disclosed in some embodiments of this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this application, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. An interface expansion device, characterized in that, It includes a first connector, a second connector, a first switching module, a control module, a first conversion module, and at least two high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connectors; Each of the HDMI connectors is configured to receive an HDMI signal through a first end of the HDMI connector; The first connector is configured to receive a first selection command through a first end of the first connector and to output a first selection command through a second end of the first connector; The second connector, wherein a first end of the second connector is connected to a second end of the first connector, and the second connector is configured to receive interface data through the second end of the second connector; The first switching module is connected to the first conversion module and the second end of at least two of the HDMI connectors; The control module is connected to the first switching module and the second end of the first connector, respectively. It is configured to control the second connector to stop receiving the interface data when the first connector receives the first selection instruction, and to control the first switching module to selectively open the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module according to the first selection instruction; wherein the target HDMI connector is one of at least two HDMI connectors. The first conversion module is connected to the third end of the first connector. The first conversion module is configured to convert the format of the first HDMI signal received through the data transmission path to obtain first multimedia data, and send the first multimedia data to the third end of the first connector to output the first multimedia data through the first connector.

2. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connector includes a Type-C universal serial bus connector; The first conversion module is further configured to perform format conversion on the first HDMI signal received through the data transmission path to obtain the first multimedia data corresponding to the Display Interface DP communication protocol.

3. The interface expansion device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The second connector includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, and the first selection command received through the first end of the first connector is a differential signal.

4. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interface expansion device also includes a forwarding module; The control module is further configured to determine a first time slice in which the first electronic device transmits the first selection instruction and a second time slice in which the second electronic device transmits the interface data when the first connector is connected to the first electronic device and the second connector is connected to the second electronic device; The forwarding module is connected to the second end of the first connector, the first end of the second connector, and the control module. The forwarding module is also configured to send the first selection instruction to the control module when it receives the first selection instruction sent by the second end of the first connector in the first time slice, and to send the interface data to the second end of the first connector when it receives interface data in the second time slice.

5. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module supports a first serial port communication protocol, the first selection instruction corresponds to a second serial port communication protocol, and the interface expansion device further includes a second conversion module. The second conversion module is connected to the second end of the first connector and the control module respectively. The second conversion module is configured to convert the received first selection instruction into a serial communication signal corresponding to the first serial communication protocol, and send the serial communication signal to the control module.

6. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third end of each of the at least two HDMI connectors is connected to the same control path; The first connector is also configured to receive first control information through a first end of the first connector; the first control information encapsulates a first consumer electronics control (CEC) instruction. The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is also configured to parse the received first control information to obtain the first CEC instruction encapsulated in the first control information, and send the first CEC instruction to the third end of each of the HDMI connectors through the control path.

7. The interface expansion device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first connector includes a Type-C interface, and the fourth end of the first connector includes a sideband using an SBU pin.

8. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third end of each of the at least two HDMI connectors is connected to the same control path; The HDMI connector is also configured to receive a second CEC command through a first end of the HDMI connector; The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is also configured to receive a second CEC command output from the third end of any HDMI connector through the control path, encapsulate the second CEC command to generate second control information, and output the second control information through the first connector.

9. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interface expansion device also includes a first register; The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is also configured to receive the first extended display identification data EDID information sent by the first electronic device through the first connector when the first connector is connected to the first electronic device and receives power provided by the first electronic device, and store the first EDID information in the first register. The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first switching module selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module, obtain the first EDID information in the first register and send the first EDID information to the fourth end of the target HDMI connector, so that the target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector sends a first HDMI signal to the target HDMI connector based on the first EDID information.

10. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interface expansion device further includes non-volatile memory and a first register; The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first conversion module is powered on, acquire the second EDID information stored in the non-volatile memory, and store the second EDID information in the first register; The first conversion module is connected to the fourth end of the first connector. The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first switching module selectively connects the data transmission path between the second end of the target HDMI connector and the first conversion module, obtain the second EDID information in the first register and send the second EDID information to the fourth end of the target HDMI connector, so that the target HDMI device connected to the target HDMI connector sends a first HDMI signal to the target HDMI connector based on the second EDID information.

11. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first conversion module is powered on, if the at least two HDMI connectors are connected to an HDMI device for the first time, detect the link integrity corresponding to the data transmission path between the first connected HDMI device and the first electronic device connected to the first connector according to the first detection rule. The first conversion module is further configured to, when the first switching module connects the HDMI connector of another HDMI device to the first conversion module, detect the link integrity corresponding to the data transmission path between the other HDMI device and the first electronic device according to the second detection rule; the other HDMI device is different from the HDMI device that was first connected. The detection complexity of the first detection rule is higher than that of the second detection rule.

12. The interface expansion device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first multimedia data corresponds to a first data communication protocol, and the interface expansion device further includes a second switching module and a third connector; The third connector is configured to receive second multimedia data corresponding to the first data communication protocol through the first end of the third connector; The first connector is also configured to receive a second selection command or a third selection command through a first end of the first connector; The second switching module is connected to the first conversion module, the second end of the third connector, and the third end of the first connector, respectively. The control module is also connected to the second switching module, and the control module is further configured to control the second switching module to conduct a data transmission path between the first switching module and the third end of the first connector according to the second selection instruction transmitted from the second end of the first connector; and / or, the control module is further configured to control the second switching module to conduct a data transmission path between the third end of the first connector and the second end of the third connector according to the third selection instruction transmitted from the second end of the first connector.

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