Patent ID: 7936401

Claim:
A communication system comprising: a transmitter for unidirectionally transmitting, to a receiver using a first differential signal, pixel data of an uncompressed image of one screen during an effective video period representing a period from one vertical synchronization signal to the next vertical synchronization signal excluding horizontal blanking intervals and a vertical blanking interval; and the receiver for receiving the first differential signal transmitted from the transmitter, wherein the transmitter includes first converting means for converting transmission data different from the pixel data into a second differential signal formed from a first constituent signal and a second constituent signal, transmitting the first constituent signal to the receiver via a first signal line, and outputting the second constituent signal, first selecting means for selecting one of a transmission signal related to a control operation and the second constituent signal output from the first converting means and transmitting the selected signal to the receiver via a second signal line, first control means for performing control so that, when the transmission signal is transmitted to the receiver, the transmission signal is selected by the first selecting means and, when the second differential signal is transmitted to the receiver, the second constituent signal is selected by the first selecting means, and first decoding means for receiving a third differential signal transmitted from the receiver and decoding the third differential signal into original data, and wherein the receiver includes second converting means for converting transmission data different from the pixel data into the third differential signal and transmitting the third differential signal to the transmitter, second decoding means for receiving the second differential signal transmitted from the transmitter and decoding the second differential signal into original data, second selecting means for selecting one of the transmission signal and the second constituent signal, and second control means for performing control so that, when the transmission signal is received, the transmission signal is selected and received by the second selecting means and, when the second differential signal is received, the second constituent signal is selected by the second selecting means and the second constituent signal is received by the second decoding means.