Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention generally relates to connectivity of multimedia devices. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    High bandwidth multimedia interfaces, such as the high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI™), digital visual interface (DVI), DisplayPort and the like are licensable compact audio/video interfaces for transmitting uncompressed digital streams. Such interfaces typically connect a multimedia source device (e.g., a set-top box, a DVD player, a personal computer, a video game console, etc.) to a compatible multimedia sink device, such as a digital television. In contrast to consumer analog audio/video interfaces, the high bandwidth multimedia interfaces enforce digital rights management (DRM) on transmitted media. 
         [0003]    Data protection is achieved using a high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) system which is fully described in the HDCP Specification version 1.3 published on Dec. 26, 2006, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety merely for the useful understanding of the background of the invention. 
         [0004]    The HDCP authentication protocol facilitates a hand-shake process between a HDCP transmitter and a HDCP receiver that affirms to the HDCP transmitter that the HDCP receiver is authorized to receive HDCP contents. The HDCP transmitter is part of a multimedia source device and the HDCP receiver is part of the multimedia sink device. In the HDMI and DVI interfaces the HDCP authentication is initiated when a hop-plug detected (HPD) signal is triggered by the sink device. 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows a flowchart  100  describing the HDCP flow between a HDCP transmitter and receiver. At S 110 , the HDCP receiver asserts a HPD signal when a source device is connected to the sink device. At S 115 , after detection of the HPD signal, the HDCP transmitter reads the Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data (E-EDID) from the HDCP receiver. The E-EDID specifies, at least, the capabilities of the sink device, e.g., if the device is HDMI compatible. The transfer time of the E-EDID data is less than 100 milliseconds (msec). The E-EDID information is saved in the source device. 
         [0006]    The HDCP authentication includes three parts, all initiated by the HDCP transmitter, and each part has a different completion time. At S 120  the first authentication part is triggered by sending to the receiver an initiation message containing the transmitter&#39;s key selection vector (KSV) value (Aksv) and a pseudo-random value (An). In addition, the transmitter reads the receiver&#39;s KSV value (Bksv). While the data is being transferred, the transmitter computes a shared secret value (K m ), a secret value used during the second authentication part (M 0 ), and a response value (R 0 ). At S 125  the receiver computes its shared secret value (K′ m ), a secret value used during the second authentication part (M′ 0 ), and a response value (R′ 0 ). The values Aksv, Bksv, K m  and K′ m  are stored in the memory. The values R 0 , R′ 0 , M 0 , and M′ 0  are session based. 
         [0007]    The response value R′ 0  computed by the receiver must be ready to be read within 100 msec. The R 0  and R′ 0  values are used to determine if the first authentication part was successful. At S 130 , the transmitter reads the R′ 0  from the receiver at least 100 msec after sending the Aksv value, and further checks if its response value R 0  equals to the receiver response value R′ 0 , and if so the first authentication was successful and execution continues with S 135 ; otherwise, it is determined that the authentication failed and execution returns to an initial state (S 105 ). 
         [0008]    At S 135 , it is checked if the multimedia sink device is a repeater (e.g., a video processor, an audio amplifier, etc.), and if so execution continues with S 140 ; otherwise, execution proceeds to the third authentication part at S 155 . At S 140  and S 145  the second authentication part is performed only if the HDCP receiver is a HDCP repeater. Specifically, at S 140  the HDCP transmitter reads a list of KSVs from a KSV FIFO data structure maintained by the HDCP repeater, computes a hash value V, and reads the repeater&#39;s hash value V′. The value V′ is computed by the HDCP repeater, at S 145 , in response to the second authentication part initiated by the HDCP transmitter. The hash values V and V′ are the hash values of the concatenation of the KSVs in the list of KSVs. At S 150 , the transmitter checks if the values V and V′ are equal, and if so, the second authentication part was successful and execution continues with S 155 ; otherwise, it is determined that the authentication failed and execution returns to the initial state at S 105 . The time required to complete the second authentication part is about 5 seconds, mainly due to the time required by the receiver to assemble the KSV FIFO. 
         [0009]    At S 155 , the third authentication part is triggered every 2 seconds, which is the time between 128 video frames. The third authentication part provides link verification and is performed as long as the link between a source and sink is active. Typically, this authentication part occurs during the vertical blanking interval preceding a video frame. Every frame, the HDCP transmitter computes a link integrity verification value R i  (i is a frame index). At S 160  the HDCP receiver/repeater computes its link integrity verification value R′ i . Subsequently, at S 165 , it is checked if the verification values R i  and R′ i  are equal, and if so the third authentication part was successful and execution returns to S 155 , where this authentication part is repeated every 2 seconds; otherwise, it is determined if the authentication failed and then execution returns to the initial state at S 105 . As defined in the HDCP specification, after three failures of the third authentication the execution returns to the initial state S 105 . In a worst-case scenario, the HDCP link fails immediately after successful link verification, and it takes the HDCP transmitter 2 seconds to detect the link failure. During that time neither the HDCP transmitter nor the receiver knows that the link is broken. Thus, the receiver decrypts and renders data incorrectly, and such data will be displayed as white noise on the screen. Only after return to the initial state S 105  the screen will be blank. 
         [0010]    The HDCP flow described with reference to  FIG. 1  is applied when there is a single source device connected to a sink device. However, a typical multimedia system or network includes multiple multimedia source devices (e.g., a DVD, a setup box, a game console, and the like) connected to a single multimedia sink device (e.g., a TV). In such configuration the sources are physically connected to different ports on the sink device and selection of a specific source is done through, for example, a remote control. 
         [0011]    Such configuration requires that a link between each source to the sink would be active to allow instantaneous switching without losing video/audio data. However, this requires having replicated multimedia interface receivers (e.g., a HDMI receiver) at each port at the sink. This is costly solution as multiple receivers are used instead of a single receiver. An alternative approach is to maintain only one active link between a source and the sink. However, this requires performing the HDCP authentication process when switching between different sources. As the authentication takes up to 5 seconds to completion during that time video frames cannot be transmitted and displayed by the sink. In addition, the authentication process can be triggered only by a source device when, it is being selected. 
         [0012]    Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a solution for instantaneous switching between source multimedia devices. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Certain embodiments of the invention include a multimedia sink apparatus for fast switching between a plurality of source multimedia devices. The apparatus comprises a plurality of input ports, each of the plurality input ports is connected to a source multimedia device through a high bandwidth multimedia interface; and a plurality of high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) receivers, each of the plurality of the HDCP receivers is connected to an input port, wherein each of the plurality of the HDCP receivers is adapted to perform a first authentication part of a HDCP authentication process, and upon reception of an indication that a respective source device connected to the respective input was selected, to perform a third authentication part of the HDCP authentication process. 
         [0014]    Certain embodiments of the invention also include a method for fast switching between a plurality of source multimedia devices connected to a sink multimedia device through a high bandwidth multimedia interface, wherein the method is performed by a HDCP receiver connected to the sink multimedia device. The method comprises asserting a hot-plug detected (HPD) signal; performing a first authentication part of a high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) authentication process; and upon reception of an indication that a source multimedia device connected to the HDCP receiver was selected, performing a third authentication part of the HDCP authentication process. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a HDCP flow. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a multimedia sink device implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart describing a method for enabling fast switching between source devices implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart describing a method for optimizing the HDCP flow implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart describing a method for optimizing the second authentication implemented by a HDCP transmitted in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating the TDMA retrieval of E-EDID and DKS information. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    It is important to note that the embodiments disclosed by the invention are only examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. In the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts through several views. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a non-limiting and exemplary block diagram of a multimedia sink apparatus  200  implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The sink apparatus  200  includes N ports  210 - 1  through  210 -N, each of which is connected to a multimedia source device  220  through a high bandwidth multimedia interface  230 . The high bandwidth multimedia interface  230  may be, but is not limited to, a HDMI, a DVI, a DisplayPort, and the like. The sink apparatus  200  includes a multimedia interface receiver  201  compliant with at least one of a HDMI standard, a DVI standard, a DisplayPort standard, or any combination thereof. The receiver  201  performs at least the tasks of enabling the selection of a source device  220 , establishing a link with the selected source device  220 , receiving video/audio streams, and processing these streams. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the multimedia receiver is a HDMI receiver and the audio/video streams are TMDS streams. Each port  210  is coupled to a HDCP receiver  205  capable of executing a modified HDCP authentication process described in greater detail below, asserting a HPD signal, and de-asserting the HPD signal. Each port  210  receives an indication on whether a respective source device  220  connected therein was selected. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a non-limiting and exemplary flowchart  300  describing the process for enabling fast switching between source devices implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The process is a modified HDCP flow carried by a HDCP receiver  205  at each port  210  and when executed a source device  220  is on and physically connected to the port  210 . In accordance with an embodiment of the invention a HDCP receiver  205  uses the HPD signals to control the HDCP flow. It should be noted that the actions performed by a HDCP transmitter are not shown in  FIG. 3 , but can be understood from the flow described with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]    At S 310  a HPD signal is asserted by a HDCP receiver  205  and sent to the HDCP transmitter at the source device  220  which, in response, initiates the first authentication part of the HDCP flow. At S 320 , the HDCP receiver  205  at the port  210  performs the first authentication part. At S 330  if the sink device is a repeater, then the second authentication part is also performed. Steps S 320  and S 330  are performed as defined in the HDCP standard and described in detail above. At S 340  it is checked if a source device  220  connected to the  210  port was selected; and if so execution continues with S 350  where the third authentication part is performed; otherwise, at S 360  the HPD signal is de-asserted and execution returns to S 310 . In one embodiment, the execution waits a predefined time (e.g., 100 msec) between de-asserting (at S 360 ) and re-asserting (at S 310 ) the HPD signal. 
         [0026]    The HDCP flow is a hand-shake process, thus any authentication part performed by the HDCP receiver  205  is also carried by the HDCP transmitter at the source device  210 . Furthermore, the de-assertion of the HPD signal immediately causes the HDCP transmitter, and thereby the HDCP receiver  205 , to terminate any authentication action and return to the initial state ( 105 ). That is, the HDCP receiver and transmitter will not perform the third authentication part if the source device is not selected. It should be appreciated that a link can be established between the sink device and source device only when the latter is selected. Therefore, the third authentication part (i.e., link verification) will always fail if a source device connected to a respective port is not selected. This results in a waiting time bounded by the interval between subsequent trials of link verification (e.g., 2 seconds) before retrying to authenticate the connection. If the source device is being selected during this waiting time erroneous data (e.g., incorrectly decrypted data, resulting in a snow screen) would be displayed on the sink device and video data would be lost as the link cannot be established. The invention disclosed herein eliminates this waiting time as the third authentication process is performed only upon selection of the source device, thereby enabling fast and instantaneous switching between source devices without losing any video data. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows an exemplary and non-limiting flowchart  400  describing the method for optimizing the HDCP flow implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The method described herein is executed by a HDCP transmitter and allows saving additional time during authentication. At S 410  the receiver&#39;s KSV value (Bksv) is read by the HDCP receiver. At S 420  it is checked if the Bksv is the same as the Bksv value maintained in the HDCP transmitted, and if so, at S 430  the HDCP transmitter instructs the HDCP receiver not to transfer the E-EDID information and execution continues with the first authentication part (e.g. S 120  shown in  FIG. 1 ); otherwise, the HDCP flow continues with the transfer of the E-EDID information (e.g., S 115  shown in  FIG. 1 ). If the Bksv values are equal, a link was previously established between the source and sink devices, and therefore the source knows the capabilities of the sink. The steps S 410 , S 420  and S 430  are performed between the steps S 105  and S 110  of the HDCP flow illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows an exemplary and non-limiting flowchart  500  describing the method for optimizing the second authentication implemented by a HDCP transmitted in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. If it is determined at S 505  that the sink device is a repeater, then at S 510  the transmitter reads the KSV FIFO without waiting for the repeater to assemble the KSV FIFO contents (this waiting time is approximately 5 seconds). At S 520  it is checked if the contents of the KSV FIFO are the same as the values saved in the transmitter, and if so the HDCP flow continues with the second authentication part without waiting the time required to assemble the FIFO; otherwise, execution waits, as S 535 , this time and performs the second authentication part as described in detail above. The steps S 510  and S 520  would be performed between the steps S 135  and S 140  of the HDCP flow illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0029]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention a time-division multiple access (TDMA) technique is utilized to retrieve E-EDID information and/or device key selection (DKS) information from the memory by multiple HDCP ports. Retrieving such information is required by the HDCP authentication process. According to this embodiment, each HDCP port has a time slot for E-EDID and a time slot for DKS retrieval. Therefore, 2*n time slots are needed for ‘n’ ports (n is an integer number). Each HDCP port accesses the memory only at the time slot allocated for the information retrieval, thereby preventing a conflict due to simultaneous access. 
         [0030]    As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a sequence of 8 (i.e., n=8) time slots is repeated periodically at a system clock rate. Therefore, each time slot provides bandwidth of ⅛ system clock (Sys_clk) rate. It should be appreciated that this is not a penalty, as the bit rate at the HDCP port is only 400 Kb/sec, which is a significantly low rate in comparison to the system clock rate. 
         [0031]    In accordance with another embodiment an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) suspend mechanism is utilized by HDCP ports. In one configuration, a HDCP receiver port is an I2C slave. The I2C protocol requires the slave to send acknowledgment after each transaction. The slave can delay acknowledgments, e.g., by holding the clock, in order to prevent a master from initiating another transaction. An HDCP port can be selected to be the active port at any time. When a port is not selected, the first part of the authentication process is repeated periodically. 
         [0032]    According to this embodiment, the slave can run the first authentication part at normal speed at the beginning of the process, and then slow the execution process at the end using the suspend mechanism. This would increase the probability that a port is selected just when the first authentication part is about to be completed, thereby increasing the time saved during switching ports. 
         [0033]    The principles of the invention may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware or any combinations thereof. The software may be implemented as an application program tangibly embodied on a program storage unit or computer readable medium. The application program may be uploaded to, and executed by, a machine comprising any suitable architecture, for example a computer platform having hardware such as one or more central processing units (“CPUs”), a random access memory (“RAM”), and input/output (“I/O”) interfaces. The computer platform may also include an operating system and microinstruction code. The various processes and functions described herein may be either part of the microinstruction code or part of the application program, or any combination thereof, which may be executed by a CPU, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown. 
         [0034]    It is to be further understood that, because some of the constituent system components and methods depicted in the accompanying drawings are preferably implemented in software, the actual connections between the system components or the process function blocks may differ depending upon the manner in which the present invention is programmed. Given the teachings herein, one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art will be able to contemplate these and similar implementations or configurations of the present invention. All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. 
         [0035]    All statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. It is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure. Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be included.

Technology Category: 5