Patent ID: 8175173

Claim:
A method for use by a transmitter, for transmitting signals from the transmitter across a pair of wires to a receiver, comprising: (a) monitoring for the presence or absence of a predetermined signal that is indicative of whether or not video signals are being provided to the transmitter for transmission to the receiver; (b) selecting one of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation based on results of the monitoring for the presence or absence of the predetermined signal; (c) transmitting differential signals across the pair of wires during a period of time when the first mode of operation is selected based on results of the monitoring, wherein the differential signals include video signals as well as Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) signals embedded with the video signals, wherein the I2C signals include a serial clock signal (SCL) and a serial data signal (SDA); and (d) transmitting two single-ended signals across the same pair of wires during another period of time when the second mode of operation is selected based on results of the monitoring, wherein one of the two single-ended signals comprises the SCL I2C signal, the other one of the two single-ended signals comprises the SDA I2C signal, and neither of the two single-ended signals comprises a video signal.