Patent ID: 6169879
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: H04B,H04N

Abstract:
A home entertainment system configured to interconnect a plurality of electronics devices, the system comprising: a plurality of electronics devices; a central device; and a plurality of jacks each having an identical pin structure and being positioned at the central device for electrically connecting each of said plurality of electronics devices to said central device in a hub and spoke configuration, wherein: the central device represents the hub of the hub and spoke configuration and each of the plurality of electronics devices is represented as being connected to the central device by one of the spokes of the hub and spoke configuration; the central device includes a sensor for identifying a type of cable connects a jack with an electronics device; and each of the plurality of jacks is capable of transmitting signals in any of a plurality of signal formats between the central device and the electronics device that is connected to a particular jack, based on the identified type of cable and the signal format that is compatible with the electronics device that is connected to the particular jack.