OPERATING A MULTI DISPLAY NETWORK SUPPORTING HDMI-CEC
Method and devices for operating a network including at least two HDMI-CEC display devices using HDMI-CEC. Some embodiments include creating and displaying a control menu which includes the HDMI-CEC display devices. Other embodiments include creating a unique control menu for each of the HDMI-CEC display devices.
1 . A method for operating a network comprising at least two HDMI-CEC display devices with their associated at least two HDMI-CEC cluster trees that at least partially overlap, comprising: communicating with the various HDMI-CEC cluster trees using HDMI-CEC; creating a control menu which comprises the HDMI-CEC display devices; sending the control menu to at least one of the HDMI-CEC display devices for display; and operating the control menu according to a user's selection.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of operating the control menu by a remote control of a manipulating switch.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of operating the control menu by a multifunctional remote control communicating with a manipulating switch.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: operating the control menu by a remote control of one of the HDMI-CEC display devices; and
forwarding the user's selections from the HDMI-CEC display device to a manipulating switch.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising forwarding the user's selections from the HDMI-CEC display device to the manipulating switch using HDMI-CEC messages.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the HDMI-CEC display device operates a required source device using an HDMI-CEC set-stream-path message.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the control menu comprising the HDMI-CEC display devices enables a user to select which HDMI-CEC source device to associate with which HDMI-CEC display device.
8 . A method for operating a network comprising at least two HDMI-CEC display devices with their associated at least two HDMI-CEC cluster trees that at least partially overlap, comprising: communicating with the various HDMI-CEC cluster trees using HDMI-CEC; creating a control menu for each of the HDMI-CEC display devices; and sending the control menus to the HDMI-CEC display devices for display.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of: operating each control menu by a remote control of the HDMI-CEC display device on which it is displayed; and forwarding the user's selections from the HDMI-CEC display device to a manipulating switch.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising forwarding the user's selections from the HDMI-CEC display device to the manipulating switch using HDMI-CEC messages.
11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of operating the control menu by a remote control of a manipulating switch.
12 . A manipulating switch coupled to at least two HDMI-CEC display devices with their associated at least two HDMI-CEC cluster trees that at least partially overlap; the manipulating switch comprising means for enabling the at least two HDMI-CEC display devices to communicate with their HDMI-CEC cluster trees using HDMI-CEC, and means for creating a control menu comprising at least two of the HDMI-CEC display devices.
13 . The manipulating switch of claim 12 , wherein the control menu comprising the at least two HDMI-CEC display devices enables a user to select which HDMI-CEC source device to associate with which HDMI-CEC display device.
14 . The manipulating switch of claim 12 , further comprising means for sending the control menu to at least one of the HDMI-CEC display devices for display.
15 . The manipulating switch of claim 12 , further comprising means for enabling a user to operate the manipulating switch.
16 . The manipulating switch of claim 12 , wherein a user operates the control menu, created by the manipulating switch, by a remote control of the manipulating switch.
17 . The manipulating switch of claim 12 , wherein a user operates the control menu, created by the manipulating switch, by a multifunctional remote control communicating with the manipulating switch.
18 . The manipulating switch of claim 12 , wherein a user operates the control menu, created by the manipulating switch, by a remote control of one of the HDMI-CEC display devices, and the HDMI-CEC display device forwards the user's selections to the manipulating switch using HDMI-CEC.
19 . A manipulating switch coupled to at least two HDMI-CEC display devices; the manipulating switch also coupled to at least one HDMI-CEC source device; the manipulating switch communicates with the HDMI-CEC display devices and the HDMI-CEC source devices using HDMI-CEC; the manipulating switch operative to enable each of the HDMI-CEC display devices to control the available HDMI-CEC source devices using at least one menu created by the manipulating switch and displayed on at least one of the HDMI-CEC display devices.
20 . The manipulating switch of claim 19 , further comprising a remote control capable of communicating with the manipulating switch, wherein the remote control operates the menu.
21 . The manipulating switch of claim 19 , wherein the menu enables a user to select which HDMI-CEC source device to associate with which HDMI-CEC display device.
22 . The manipulating switch of claim 19 , further comprising means for enabling a user to operate the manipulating switch.
23 . The manipulating switch of claim 19 , wherein a user operates the menu by a remote control of the manipulating switch.
24 . The manipulating switch of claim 19 , wherein a user operates the menu by a remote control of the HDMI-CEC display device, and the HDMI-CEC display device forwards the user's selections to the manipulating switch using HDMI-CEC.