Digital Video Transmission via Optical Signal Substitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transmitting digital video signals over long distances is challenging due to issues like electrical interference, signal degradation, and skew, particularly with digital video signals requiring higher bandwidth and precise timing, which complicates the use of existing cabling solutions and increases costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The method involves transmitting digital video data for three colors over three twisted wire pairs and separately sending information about the pixel clock signal, allowing the receiver to generate a local pixel clock signal, thereby reducing the number of necessary communication channels and enabling the use of additional channels for auxiliary data or control signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital video signals are transmitted over long distances using traditional cabling methods, then signal reliability deteriorates due to electrical interference and degradation, but increasing signal strength through amplifiers increases device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional electrical signal transmission system with an optical transmission system using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and photodetectors. This substitution eliminates electrical interference and signal degradation issues inherent in electrical cabling, providing reliable long-distance transmission without requiring signal amplifiers or complex electrical shielding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the transmission medium from electrical signals to optical signals, fundamentally altering the physical parameter domain. By using light instead of electricity for data transmission, the system achieves immunity to electrical interference and signal degradation, enabling reliable long-distance communication without additional amplification equipment.
2Reliability
If more twisted wire pairs are used to transmit both video data and clock signals separately, then signal transmission quality improves, but cable thickness and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical signal transmission through multiple twisted wire pairs with optical signal transmission through a single pair of conductors. The transmitter converts digital video data and clock signals into optical signals using LEDs, which are then detected by photodetectors at the receiver end. This substitution allows both data and timing information to be transmitted reliably over long distances using significantly fewer and thinner conductors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the optical transmission system universal by enabling a single conductor pair to carry both video data and clock timing information simultaneously. The optical transmission medium handles multiple functions that traditionally required separate electrical channels, reducing the overall cable complexity and thickness while maintaining transmission quality.
3Length of stationary object
If digital video signals are transmitted over long distances, then transmission distance increases, but signal degradation and interference worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes electrical signal transmission with optical signal transmission to eliminate the harmful effects of electrical interference and signal degradation. By using light-emitting diodes to convert electrical signals to optical signals for transmission, and photodetectors to convert them back at the receiver end, the system achieves immune transmission to electrical interference, enabling reliable long-distance digital video transmission.
4Reliability
If bandwidth is increased to transmit digital video signals reliably, then transmission reliability improves, but the number of communication channels required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces multiple electrical communication channels with a single optical communication channel. By using optical modulation techniques where the LED intensity represents data bits, the system achieves high-bandwidth transmission through a single conductor pair, eliminating the need for multiple separate electrical channels while maintaining transmission reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for supplying a digital video signal from a source to a sink are described. The digital video signal includes digital video data for three different colors and a pixel clock signal, such as DVI and HDMI. The digital video data and the pixel clock signal are received at a transmitter which sends a signal representative of the frequency of the pixel clock signal over a cable connecting the transmitter and a receiver. Digital video data for three different colors is sent over three different twisted wire pairs of the cable to the receiver. A local pixel clock signal is generated at the receiver using the signal representative of the frequency of the pixel clock signal. The local pixel clock signal is used to process the received digital video data and recovered digital video data and the local pixel clock signal are output.