HDMI communication over twisted pairs
A method of transmitting a data stream over a communication channel, the method comprising: providing symbol sets having different numbers of symbols; modulating data in the data stream that warrant different degrees of protection against noise onto symbols from symbol sets having different numbers of symbols, wherein which symbol set given data in the stream is modulated onto is independent of symbol sets onto which other data in the data stream is modulated onto; and transmitting the symbols.
1 . A link operative to transfer TMDS data multiplexed with bidirectional data; the link comprises a cable made of wires, and at least one of the wires transfers both the TMDS data in the source-to-sink direction and the bidirectional data in the opposite direction; wherein the link does not add video timing regarding the location of pixels in relation to the video frame.
2 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the link provides better signal protection to the bidirectional data compared to the signal protection provided to the TMDS data.
3 . The link of claim 2 , wherein the bidirectional data is transmitted using a first modulation and the TMDS data is transmitted using a second modulation.
4 . The link of claim 2 , wherein the first and the second modulations are pulse amplitude modulations using at least partially overlapping subsets of the same symbol set.
5 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the TMDS data multiplexed with the bidirectional data comprises at least two data types that are modulated using at least two different modulations providing different levels of protection against noise.
6 . The link of claim 5 , wherein the different modulations are pulse amplitude modulations.
7 . The link of claim 6 , wherein the different modulations use at least partially overlapping subsets of the same symbol set.
8 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the TMDS data comprises video and audio data and the link is further operative to transfer bidirectional HDMI control data.
9 . The link of claim 8 , wherein the HDMI control data comprises one or more of the following: I2C, CEC, HPD, or 5V indication.
10 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the cable is selected from the group of: CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6a, and CAT7.
11 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the link is operative to transfer two or more TMDS streams.
12 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the link is operative to transfer two or more HDMI streams, including their controls.
13 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the bidirectional data comprises one or more of the following: DVI control signal data, HDMI control signal data, I2C, CEC, HPD, 5V indication, or a combination thereof.
14 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the bidirectional data comprises Ethernet data.
15 . A link operative to transfer TMDS clock multiplexed with bidirectional data; the link comprises a cable made of wires, and at least one of the wires transfers both the TMDS clock in the source-to-sink direction and the bidirectional data in the opposite direction; wherein the link further transfers TMDS pixel data with approximately no added video timing regarding the location of pixels in relation to the video frame.
16 . The link of claim 15 , wherein the link provides better signal protection to predefined symbols in the TMDS clock multiplexed with bidirectional data.
17 . The link of claim 16 , wherein the predefined symbols are transmitted using a different modulation.
18 . The link of claim 16 , wherein the first and the second modulations are pulse amplitude modulations using at least partially overlapping subsets of the same symbol set.
19 . The link of claim 15 , wherein the TMDS clock multiplexed with the bidirectional data comprises at least two data types that are modulated using at least two different modulations providing different levels of protection against noise.
20 . The link of claim 19 , wherein the different modulations are pulse amplitude modulations.
21 . The link of claim 20 , wherein the different modulations use at least partially overlapping subsets of the same symbol set.
22 . The link of claim 15 , wherein the link rate is independent of the TMDS clock.
23 . The link of claim 15 , wherein the link rate depends on the TMDS clock.
24 . The link of claim 15 , wherein the link transmits in half duplex mode.
25 . The link of claim 15 , wherein the link transmits in full duplex mode.
26 . A link coupled to at least one TMDS source, at least one TMDS sink, and at least one bidirectional data source; the link comprises at least one wire and means for transferring at least one TMDS stream and at least one bidirectional data communication over the same wire; and the link rate is independent of the TMDS clock.
27 . The link of claim 26 , wherein the link uses at least two different modulations providing different levels of protection against noise.
28 . The link of claim 27 , wherein the different modulations are pulse amplitude modulations.
29 . The link of claim 27 , wherein the different modulations use at least partially overlapping subsets of the same symbol set.
30 . The link of claim 29 , wherein the symbol set is PAM-16.
31 . The link of claim 26 , wherein the link does not include a buffer for reconstructing the video frame.
32 . The link of claim 26 , wherein the at least one wire is a cable, and the cable is selected from the group of: CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6a, and CAT7.
33 . The link of claim 26 , wherein the link is operative to transfer at least two TMDS streams.
34 . The link of claim 26 , wherein the bidirectional data comprises one or more of the following: DVI control signal data, HDMI control signal data, I2C, CEC, HPD, 5V indication, or a combination thereof.
35 . The link of claim 26 , wherein the bidirectional data comprises Ethernet data.