Apple Inc.

Matthew Xavier Mora

Niel David Warren

Raymond B Montagne

Ashley Ian Butterworth

Anthony Joseph Guetta

Andrew Yanowitz

Brett D George

Ashley I Butterworth

Girault W Jones, Jr

William P Cornelius

Ronald Nadim Isaac

Rajabali M Koduri

Michael W Murphy

Changki Min

David A Leech

Methods and apparatus for efficiently servicing isochronous streams (such as media data streams) associated with a network. In one embodiment, an Isochronous Cycle Manager (ICM), receives multiple independent streams of packets that include isochronous packets arriving according to different time bases (e.g., where each stream has a different time base). The packets are sorted by the ICM into a buffering mechanism according to their required presentation time. Additionally the ICM calculates a launch time for each packet. The NIC transmits the packets from the queue according to an access scheme, such as a time division multiplexed (TDM) scheme where each of a plurality of cycles is subdivided into time slots. During appropriate time slots, the NIC transmits the packets in chronological order, as read out of the buffering mechanism.

Methods and apparatus for isochronous data delivery within a network

Transportation of audio data is provided between a first network element and a second network element. The first network element divides multichannel audio data by channel into a plurality of individual channels. The first network element packages each of the plurality of individual channels together with a corresponding sampling set of audio data into a single packet. The first network element transmits to the second network element each packet that includes a channel having an active sampling set of audio data.

Transport of audio between devices using a sparse stream

Systems and methods are provided for validating time between a local clock included in the slave node of a network with a master clock included in the master node of the network. The master node determines a propagation delay between the master node and the slave node, sends a synchronization message to the slave node at a first time, determines an expected receipt time of the synchronization message at the slave node based on the first time, the determined propagation delay between the master node and the slave node, and a rate ratio of the master clock to the local clock, and sends a follow up message to the slave node, the follow up message including the first time and the expected receipt time.

Securing time between nodes

Methods and apparatus for processing media signals. In one embodiment, a data processing device processes fixed and variable rate data using a first and second processing unit. The processing comprises real-time processing of audio/video signals by a graphics processing unit (GPU) and/or central processing unit (CPU). The processing units process data efficiently by establishing one processor as always processing variable rate data, and using one or more schemes for determining processor will process fixed rate data. A shared memory enables the processors to communicate with one another in order to determine which will process the fixed rate data. In one scheme for determining which of the processors will process the fixed rate data the second processor need merely be unlocked. In another embodiment, the second processor must be unlocked and immediately available.

Apparatus and methods for processing of media signals

Methods and apparatus for efficiently transporting data through network tunnels. In one embodiment, a tunneled device advertises certain capabilities to peer devices of a network, and discovers capabilities of peer devices of the network. In a second embodiment, each device of a tunneled network derives a network parameter from a transit protocol parameter for use in data networking.

Methods and apparatus for transporting data through network tunnels

Methods and apparatus that enable a community of devices having differing underlying protocols to stream media data such as video or audio data. In one exemplary embodiment, this invention enables IEEE 1394-compliant ('FireWire' enabled) devices to communicate across an Ethernet infrastructure, such as one enabled by the Ethernet AVB Standard(s). This enhances connectivity, and also supports obviating one or more physical ports within the device(s). In another embodiment, or more wireless transports are utilized.

Methods and apparatus for transmitting data streams via a heterogeneous network

A method and apparatus for processing data samples utilizes a channel map populated by device descriptor, or by an application program interface. Packet processing code loops through all of the samples contained in a packet while incrementing through a channel map and steering table without having to look up a table to determine in what audio buffer the sample is to be stored or read. Additionally, the present invention utilizes a stride map, so the audio subsystem knows how many samples to skip in order to reach the next sample frame. The present invention can be used for handling received packets as well as forming packets to send over a bus.

Increased speed of processing of data received over a communications link

Increased speed of processing of audio samples received over a serial communications link by use of channel map and steering table

Methods and apparatus for determining the existence of an external clock over a digital input port on a computer. In one embodiment, the external clock is validated, and a lock is performed when the clock is valid. Whenever a loss of the lock is detected, and, if a re-lock is likely, the apparatus is muted so that audio artifacts that would otherwise be heard are minimized. The methods and apparatus also provide automatic re-locking to the external clock when a sampling rate change is detected.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Matthew Xavier Mora