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 feature 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 judgement.   
     
     
       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 feature 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 communicating method between a device and an external device through an interface, comprising:
 (a) identifying whether or not the external device is connected to the device through the interface for a subsequent communication between the device and the external device;   (b) requesting feature information associated with a system specification of a connected external device through the interface;   (c) receiving the requested feature information through the interface and storing the received feature information; and   (d) performing a requested operation or not based on the stored feature information.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step (d) comprises:
 (d1) judging whether the data to be reproduced and transmitted can be normally presented in the connected external device based on the stored feature information; and   (d2) performing the requested operation based on the judgment, or transmitting a message informing a result of the judgment.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 20, further comprising transmitting an attribute information of the device for informing a system specification of the device. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 20, wherein the system specification includes at least one of first information associated with a data format and second information associated with a system capacity of the external device. 
     
     
       24. An apparatus for communicating with an external device comprising:
 a memory; and   a controller configured to identify whether or not the external device is connected to the apparatus through the interface for a subsequent communication between the apparatus and the external device, to request feature information associated with a system specification of the external device through the interface, to receive the requested feature information through the interface, to store the receiving feature information in the memory and to perform or not a requested operation based on the stored feature information.   
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to judge whether the data to be reproduced and transmitted can be normally presented in the external device based on the stored feature information, and wherein the controller is further configured to perform the requested operation based on the judgment, or transmit a message informing a result of the judgment. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit an attribute information of the apparatus for informing a system specification of the apparatus. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the system specification includes at least one of first information associated with a data format and second information associated with a system capacity of the external device.