Feature-dependent operating method between two connected equipments and an apparatus for controlling the operating method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for accomplishing a requested operation selectively based upon features of other equipment between equippments connected through a digital interface such as the IEEE 1394. The feature-dependent operating apparatus consists of a connector sending and receiving data through the digital interface; a memory storing feature information of a connected equipment received through the connector; a pickup detecting video and/or audio data from a data storage medium; a controller controlling the pickup to detect data from the data storage medium based on the stored feature information, converting the format of the detected data into a format specified in the stored feature information, and generating an advisory message informing a mismatch between the format of data to offer and the format specified in the feature information; and a data sender transmitting data detected by the pickup or the generated message to the connected equipment through the digital interface. This feature-dependent operating apparatus is able to adjust functions and processing capacity of a equipment to the maximal or universal capacity of the connected equipment automatically, or to inform a viewer of the cause of possible malfunction if the features of the connected equipment are not same, when data by a requested operation are to be transmitted to the connected equipment, thereby improving the convenience of a viewer.

1. A feature-dependent operating method between mutually-connected equipments through a digital interface, comprising the steps of:
 (a) requesting feature information of a connected equipment through the digital interface;    (b) receiving the requested information through the digital interface and storing the received feature information; and    (c) performing a requested operation or not based on the stored feature information.    
     
     
       2. A method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (c) comprises the steps of:
 (c1) judging on whether the data to be reproduced and transmitted are normally presented in the connected equipment based on the stored feature information; and    (c2) performing the requested operation based on the judgement, or transmitting a message informing a result of the judgment.    
     
     
       3. A method set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the message is about the format of the data to be transmitted. 
     
     
       4. A method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the feature information is descriptor information including a system specification of a digital displaying equipment and characteristic information of video and audio data acceptable to the digital displaying equipment. 
     
     
       5. A method set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the system specification includes information on the resolution of the digital displaying equipment. 
     
     
       6. A method set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the characteristic information includes information on data format which is acceptable to the digital displaying equipment. 
     
     
       7. A feature-dependent operating method between mutually-connected equipments through a digital interface, comprising the steps of:
 (a) requesting feature information of a connected equipment through the digital interface;    (b) receiving the requested feature information through the digital interface and storing the received feature information; and    (c) converting the format of data to be offered to the connected equipment by a requested operation based on the stored feature information, and transmitting the format-converted data.    
     
     
       8. A method set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said step (c) comprises the steps of:
 (c1) judging on whether the data to be reproduced and transmitted are normally presented in the connected equipment based on the stored feature information; and    (c2) converting the format of the data into a format which is acceptable to the connected equipment based on the judgement, and transmitting the format-converted data.    
     
     
       9. A method set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said step (c2) further transmits a message informing that data format is converted. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for controlling an operation between mutually-connected equippments through a digital interface, comprising:
 a connecting means sending and receiving data through the digital interface;    a storing means storing feature information of a connected equipment received through said connecting means;    a data acquisition means obtaining video and/or audio data from a data storage medium;    a controlling means controlling said data acquisition means to or not to obtain data from the data storage medium based on the stored feature information; and    a transmitting means transmitting data obtained by said data acquisition means to the connected equipment through the digital interface.    
     
     
       11. An apparatus set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said controlling means judges on whether the data to be obtained and transmitted are normally presented in the connected equipment based on the stored feature information, and performs a requested operation or not based on the judgement. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said controlling means judges on whether the data to be obtained and transmitted are normally presented in the connected equipment based on the stored information, and transmits a message informing a result of the judgement without performing a requested operation. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said controlling means judges on whether the data to be obtained and transmitted are normally presented in the connected equipment based on the stored feature information, changes the format of the data based on the stored feature information, and transmits the format-changed data. 
     
     
       14. A method for providing data between mutually- connected equippments through a digital interface, comprising the steps of:
 (a) requesting feature information of a connected equipment through the digital interface;    (b) checking whether the requested feature information is received or not; and    (c) transmitting the data to be offered according to a requested operation to the connected equipment in a format pre-specified for the connected equipment if the requested feature information is not received.    
     
     
       15. A method set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the connected equipment is a video displaying equipment or an audio equipment which can accept digital data. 
     
     
       16. A method set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the pre-specified format is 2-channel LPCM. 
     
     
       17. A method set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said step (c) transmits data together with a message informing the format of the transmitted data. 
     
     
       18. A method set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of converting the format of the data to be offered into a format specified by an external request. 
     
     
       19. A method set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the pre-specified format is low-grade one applicable to the type of the connected equipment. 
     
     
       20. A feature- dependent operating method, comprising the steps of:    ( a )  receiving feature information from an external equipment, the feature information including a system specification of the external equipment; and      ( b )  transmitting data including audio and/or video content to the external equipment based on the received system specification.      
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step ( b )  comprises the steps of:    ( c 1   )  judging whether data to be transmitted can be normally played in the external equipment based on the received feature information; and      ( c 2   )  transmitting original data or converted data as a result of step  ( c 1   ).    
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step ( b )  transmits digital data acceptable to the external equipment.    
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step ( b )  transmits a message about a format of the data transmitted or to be transmitted instead of data including the audio and/or video content.    
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step ( b )  further transmits a message about a format of the data transmitted or to be transmitted.    
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step ( b )  comprises the steps of:      generating data acceptable to the external equipment based on the received feature information; and        transmitting the generated data to the external equipment.      
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the system specification includes information on a processing capability of the external equipment for processing data.  
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the feature information further includes attribute information of audio and/or video data acceptable to the external equipment.  
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the attribute information includes information on a data format acceptable to the external equipment.  
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
   checking whether the external equipment is connected; and        requesting the feature information from the external equipment if the external equipment is connected as a result of checking step,        wherein the step  ( a )  receives the feature information as a result of requesting step.      
     
     
       30. A feature- dependent operating method for a digital equipment, comprising the steps of:    ( a )  transmitting feature information to an external entity to obtain an acceptable data from the digital equipment, the feature information including a system specification of the digital equipment; and      ( b )  receiving data including audio and/or video content from the external entity based on the transmitted system specification.      
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the feature information has been stored in a memory of the external entity.  
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step ( b )  receives original data or converted data based on the feature information.    
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step ( b )  receives data acceptable to the external entity.    
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step ( b )  receives a message about a format of the data received or to be received instead of data including the audio and/or video content.    
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step ( b )  further receives a message about a format of the data received or to be received.    
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the system specification includes information on a processing capability of the external entity for processing data.  
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the feature information further includes attribute information of audio and/or video data acceptable to the external entity.  
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 37 , wherein the attribute information includes information on a data format acceptable to the digital equipment.  
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the transmitting step ( a )  transmits the feature information to the external entity if the external entity is connected.    
     
     
       40. An apparatus for operating an equipment connected to an external equipment, the apparatus comprising:
   a controller configured to receive feature information from the external equipment, the feature information including a system specification of the external equipment, and to transmit data including audio and/or video content to the external equipment based on the received system specification.      
     
     
       41. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to judge whether data to be transmitted can be normally played in the external equipment based on the received feature information, and to transmit original data or convert data as a result of the judgement.  
     
     
       42. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit digital data acceptable to the external equipment.  
     
     
       43. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a message about a format of the data transmitted or to be transmitted instead of data including the audio and/or video content.  
     
     
       44. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a message about a format of the data transmitted or to be transmitted.  
     
     
       45. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate data acceptable to the external equipment based on the received feature information, and to transmit the generated data to the external equipment.  
     
     
       46. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the system specification includes information on a processing capability of the external equipment for processing data.  
     
     
       47. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the feature information further includes attribute information of audio and/or video data acceptable to the external equipment.  
     
     
       48. The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the attribute information includes information on a data format acceptable to the external equipment.  
     
     
       49. The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to check whether the external equipment is connected, to request the feature information from the external equipment if the external equipment is connected as a result of the check, and to receive the feature information as a result of the request.  
     
     
       50. An apparatus for operating a digital equipment, the apparatus comprising:
   a controller configured to transmit feature information to an external entity to obtain an acceptable data from the digital equipment, the feature information including a system specification of the digital equipment, and to receive data including audio and/or video content from the external entity based on the transmitted system specification.      
     
     
       51. The apparatus of  claim 50 , where the feature information has been stored in a memory of the external entity.  
     
     
       52. The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive original data or converted data based on the feature information.  
     
     
       53. The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the controller is further configure to receive data acceptable to the external entity.  
     
     
       54. The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a message about a format of the data received or to be received instead of data including the audio and/or video content.  
     
     
       55. The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a message about a format of the data received or to be received.  
     
     
       56. The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the system specification includes information on a processing capability of the external entity for processing data.  
     
     
       57. The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the feature information further includes attribute information of audio and/or video data acceptable to the external entity.  
     
     
       58. The apparatus of  claim 57 , wherein the attribute information includes information on data format acceptable to the digital equipment.  
     
     
       59. The apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit the feature information to the external entity if the external entity is connected.