RF Transceiver Emulating Control Signal Acknowledgments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for conveying control signaling between media devices, such as those using the CEC protocol over HDMI, face challenges with acknowledgment timeouts due to wireless data link delays, particularly when media devices are connected over wireless links.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method and system using radio frequency data links between media devices, where transceivers can emulate the receipt of control signal acknowledgments and forward control signals between media sink and source devices, ensuring timely communication and operation of multiple devices with a single user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If control signaling is conveyed over wireless data links between media devices, then device connectivity and flexibility are improved, but acknowledgment timeout errors increase due to transmission delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by sending a preliminary acknowledgment immediately upon receiving the control command, before the actual acknowledgment from the target device is received. This preliminary acknowledgment prevents the source device from timing out and retrying the command, ensuring reliable control signaling over wireless links with variable latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless transceiver acts as an intermediary that manages the acknowledgment timing between devices. It intercepts the control command, sends a preliminary acknowledgment to the source device, forwards the command to the target device, and then handles the actual acknowledgment receipt, thereby mediating the timing discrepancy that causes timeout errors.
2Ease of operation
If multiple media devices are operated through a single user interface using device-to-device control protocols, then ease of operation is improved, but system complexity increases due to control signaling management
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs self-service by automatically managing the acknowledgment timing and command forwarding between devices. The transceiver autonomously sends preliminary acknowledgments, forwards commands to target devices, and handles timing synchronization without requiring user intervention or complex configuration, thereby maintaining ease of operation while managing system complexity internally.
3Speed
If control commands are transmitted with strict timeout limits for acknowledgments, then response time is improved, but wireless transmission reliability deteriorates due to variable transmission delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system sends a preliminary acknowledgment immediately upon receiving the control command, before the actual device acknowledgment is received. This preliminary action satisfies the timeout requirement and prevents retry attempts, while the actual acknowledgment is handled separately, thereby maintaining both fast response times and reliable transmission over wireless links.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method, circuit, device and system for conveying media device control signaling over a radio frequency link. A first control signal generated by a first media device may be conveyed to a second media device over a radio frequency data link, where the data link is formed through a first transceiver connected to the first media device and a second transceiver connected to the second media device. According to further embodiments of the present invention, the first transceiver, or circuits functionally associated with the transceiver, may emulate a receipt of media control signal acknowledgement of the second media device and may provide the acknowledgement to the first media device. According to yet further embodiments of the present invention, the second transceiver, or circuits functionally associated with the transceiver, may receive, reconstruct and forward the first control signal to the second media device. Upon the second transceiver receiving an acknowledgment of receipt of the first control from the second media device, the second transceiver may drop the acknowledgement.