Sony Corporation

Yuko Iijima

Harumi Kawamura

Hisato Shima

Makoto Sato

Hiraku Inoue

Eiji Tadokoro

Kazuo Ishii

Noriyuki Fukushima

Nozomu Ikeda

Seiichi Takamura

Kazuyuki Iijima

Susumu Oikawa

Satoru Kamoto

Jun Hiroi

A communications system connected via a bus capable of transmitting multiplexed packets of control signals and AV signals while providing an environment, which is the same as an environment where connections are made using analog signal lines. A register with a fixed address is taken to be a virtual plug for each of a plurality of equipment. When the plug enable for the input plug is set to 1, an isochronous communication packet for the AV signal on the channel set by the channel number is received. When the plug enable for the output plug is set to one and the isochronous communication packet for the information signal is sent on the channel, then the channel number is set in the channel number field at a transmission speed designated by the DR (Data Rate) field at the bandwidth presented in the bandwidth field.

Communications system

The present invention aims to provide an improved entertainment property. In a robot system where a plurality of robot apparatus act autonomously, each robot apparatus has wireless communication means, and when the robot apparatus make conversation between themselves, the contents of the conversation are transmitted to and received by the robot apparatus as a command and/or a semantics through the wireless communication means of both.

Robot system and robot apparatus control method

When an interruption of a bus reset occurs in accordance with the IEEE1394 standard at the time of turn-on of a power source or the like, whether a loop connection has been made or not is discriminated. If it is determined that the loop connection has been made, 'i.LINK NG' or 'i.LINK LOOP' as a warning display showing that the loop connection has been made is displayed. By displaying such a warning, the user or the like can recognize the fact that the loop connection has been made. A measure for cancelling the loop connection can be performed. If it is determined that the loop connection is not performed, such a warning display is not performed but the ordinary operation according to the IEEE1394 standard is performed.

Electronic device, data communication method and data processing method for electronic device

A communications system connected via a bus capable of transferring combinations of control signals and AV signals as packets while providing an environment which is the same as an environment where connections are made using analog signal lines. A register decided by an address is taken to be a virtual plug for each item of equipment. The plug enable for the input plug is set to 1 and a synchronous communication packet for the AV signal from the channel set by the channel number is received. The plug enable for the output plug is set to one and the synchronous communication packet for the information signal is sent to the channel set by the channel number at a transmission speed designated by the DR (Data Rate) at the bandwidth expressed by &ldquo;Bandwidth&rdquo;.

An electronic device receives data containing content data transmitted through a bus in the form of a packet. The electronic equipment has a receiving portion, a judgment portion and an output controller. The receiving portion receives the data transmitted in the form of a packet through the bus. The judgment portion extracts copyright information from the data supplied from the reception portion, and judges on the basis of the copyright information thus extracted whether the content data contained in the data received are allowed to be copied. The output controller is supplied with the judgment result from the judgment portion to generate notification data corresponding to the judgment result.

Electronic equipment and data processing method therefor

In a network connected with a plurality of electronic devices to , an electronic device as a leader inquires about system resource capacities from electronic devices and which can become controllers, in a step S . The electronic device further inquires about sizes of DCMs from electronic devices , and , respectively, in a step S . The electronic device calculates the memory capacities of the electronic devices and to which DCMs can be assigned, and the size of the DCM of each electronic device, in a step S . Further, the electronic device determines whether or not the DCM of each electronic device can be assigned to the electronic devices and , in a step S , and then assigns DCMs which can be possessed by the devices and , respectively, in a step S

Device operation management method, a manager device, a program supply medium for supplying a device operation management program, an controller device, and an electronic device

In order to secure the resources on a bus positively and execute the data transmission during a time zone set by a timer of a plurality of electronic equipment connected by a serial bus, a reserve operation setting unit inputs reserve operation setting information for setting a predetermined equipment connected to the bus in a predetermined state at a predetermined time. A reserve operation execution unit sets a predetermined equipment connected to the bus in a predetermined state at a predetermined time based on the information input from the reserve operation setting unit or the information stored in a reserve operation storage unit The reserve operation storage unit stores the information for setting a reserve operation input to the reserve operation setting unit A bus resources reservation unit acquires or releases the bus resources based on the input to the reserve operation setting unit or the storage in the reserve operation storage unit A bus resources reservation plan storage unit stores a plan to acquire or release the bus resources based on the reserve information of the equipment connected to the bus.

Method of reserving bandwidth for an isochronous channel on a serial bus network of devices

A communication command system controls communications between equipment having sub-devices for outputting different types of communications. A bus with different channels is connected to the input/output ports of the equipment to send communications back and forth between the equipment. A switch switches the connection between the sub-devices and the bus channels. A command master commands the switch to switch a particular sub-device to a particular bus channel and, in this manner, communications are set up between sub-devices of different equipment.

Communication command system and method

A communication system includes a communication control section which may receive bus use requests of both of a DV camera/recorder (,) which becomes an output machine on a serial bus (,D) and a DV deck (,) which becomes an input machine on the serial bus (,D), may check whether or not the serial bus (,D) which were requested to be used is in use, may open the serial bus (,D) to the DV camera/recorder (,) and the DV deck (,) which issued the use requests, may protect a connection between the DV camera/recorder (,) and the DV deck (,), may open a serial bus (,A) to an IRD receiver (,) and a mini disc (,) which issued use requests and which may protect a connection between the IRD receiver (,) and the mini disc (,). According to this arrangement, even when data used on a communication control bus have different signal formats, a communication control bus of other specific interval in which the use requests are not overlapped can be used simultaneously by other electronic devices, and such communication control bus can be used effectively.

Communication control method, communication system and electronic device used therefor

In a communication system, when data is read/written from/into a memory contained in a recording medium employed in one electronic appliance by another electronic appliance via a communication control bus such as the IEEE-1394 serial bus, the data read/write operations can be assured. At least one electronic appliance manages the below-mentioned items (1) to (5) when at least one electronic appliance receives commands transmitted when another electronic appliance executes data read/write operations to the storage element; (1) a first electronic appliance is brought into an open state by accepting an open command while being under a close condition; (2) a first electronic appliance is maintained in a close state by accepting a close command while being under a close condition; (3) a,first electronic appliance memorizes the identity of a second electronic appliance which has transmitted an open command when in an open condition; (4) when a first electronic appliance accepts a read/write open command from a third electronic appliance other than the memorized second electronic appliance under a read open condition, the first electronic appliance forcibly closes the read open condition; and (5) when a first electronic appliance receives one of a read open command and a read/write open command from a third electronic appliance other than the memorized second electronic appliance under read/write open condition, the first electronic appliance returns a reject response to the third electronic appliance issuing the read/write open command.

Assuring data read/write operation in an electronic appliance

In a system wherein a plurality of electronic apparatuses are connected by a communication control bus for communication between those electronic apparatuses, each of the electronic apparatuses selects an input apparatus by sending an inquiry to all other apparatuses in the system to determine whether they can output data, displays the apparatuses which respond that output is possible as candidate input apparatuses, and selects the input apparatus from among the candidate input apparatuses. For an electronic apparatus which can not output data, the reason for such inability to output data can be displayed at either the apparatus incapable of outputting data or the apparatus which is to select an input apparatus. Input apparatus selection can be also performed using a list made up of still images created from the image data supplied by candidate input apparatuses.

Method of selecting an input apparatus

A method of controlling communication for a communication system for connecting a plurality of electronic apparatuses through a communication control bus and allowing data communication between those electronic apparatuses wherein each of the electronic apparatuses performs connection control through the execution of a connection control command carried out by writing connection control information in a predetermined storage memory of its own or another electronic apparatus. The electronic apparatuses which attempt to write the connection control information transmit the write instructions to a predetermined storage memory. The storage memory which has received the write instructions, in turn executes only the earliest write instruction received and then transmits responses indicating whether the execution of the respective write instructions was successful or not.

Communication system and electronic apparatus

A bus connects a plurality of electronic devices. The address of a prescribed electronic device having a single connection-terminal is assigned based on parent/child considerations. The prescribed device having a single connection terminal is controlled by a designated device so that other devices on the bus cannot directly communicate with the prescribed device other than through the designated device. In one embodiment, the bus is a P1394 audio/visual serial bus, the prescribed device is a camcorder, and the designated device is a VCR.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Yuko Iijima