User input back channel for wireless displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9787725-B2
Application number	US-201213344253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2012
Priority date	Jan 21, 2011
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

As part of a communication session, a wireless source device can transmit audio and video data to a wireless sink device, and the wireless sink device can transmit user input data received at the wireless sink device back to the wireless source device. In this manner, a user of the wireless sink device can control the wireless source device and control the content that is being transmitted from the wireless source device to the wireless sink device. The user input data transmitted by the wireless sink device can be input data obtained at a third party device and forwarded to the wireless source device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of transmitting user input data from a wireless sink device to a wireless source device, the method comprising:
outputting, by the wireless sink device and for display, video data received from the wireless source device;
obtaining, by the wireless sink device and from an external device, user input data captured while a particular frame of the video data is displayed;
generating, by the wireless sink device, a data packet header for a data packet, wherein the data packet header includes:
a three-bit version field that indicates a version of a communication protocol;
an eight-bit reserved field;
a four-bit input category field;
a sixteen-bit length field that indicates a length of the data packet; and
a timestamp flag that indicates whether or not the data packet header includes a sixteen-bit timestamp field;

including, by the wireless sink device and where the timestamp flag indicates that the data packet header includes the timestamp field, a representation of a timestamp of the particular frame of video data in the timestamp field of the data packet header;
generating, by the wireless sink device, payload data comprising the user input data;
generating, by the wireless sink device, the data packet comprising the data packet header and the payload data; and
transmitting, by the wireless sink device, the data packet to the wireless source device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
negotiating capabilities of the external device, with the wireless sink device, via a series of messages.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
as part of establishing a communication session between the wireless source device and the wireless sink device, transmitting an identifier of the external device from the wireless sink device to the wireless source device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
as part of establishing a communication session between the wireless source device and the wireless sink device, receiving an identifier of the external device from the wireless source device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a value of the input category field is set to indicate the payload data comprises forwarded user input data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payload data comprises an identifier of the external device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifier of the external device is selected from the group consisting of: an IP address of the external device, and a domain name of the external device.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifier is generated by the wireless source device and transmitted to the wireless sink device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external device is another wireless sink device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external device is an input device communicatively coupled to the wireless sink device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data packet header is an application layer packet header.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data packet is to control audio data or video data of the wireless source device.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data packet is transmitted over TCP/IP.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the wireless sink device and using Wi-Fi, the video data from the wireless source device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein transmitting the data packet to the wireless source device comprises transmitting, by the wireless sink device and using Wi-Fi, the data packet to the wireless source device.

16. A wireless sink device configured to transmit user input data to a wireless source device, the wireless sink device comprising:
a memory;
one or more processors; and at least one module executable by the one or more processors to:
output, for display, video data received from the wireless source device;
obtain, from an external device, user input data captured while a particular frame of the video data is displayed;
generate a data packet header for a data packet, wherein the data packet header includes:
a three-bit version field that indicates a version of a communication protocol;
an eight-bit reserved field;
a four-bit input category field;
a sixteen-bit length field that indicates a length of the data packet; and
a timestamp flag that indicates whether or not the data packet header includes a sixteen-bit timestamp field;

include, where the timestamp flag indicates that the data packet header includes the timestamp field, a representation of a timestamp of the particular frame of video data in the timestamp field of the data packet header;
generate payload data comprising the user input data;
generate the data packet comprising the data packet header and the payload data; and
transmit, to the wireless source device, the data packet.

17. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further executable by the one or more processors to:
negotiate capabilities of the external device, with the wireless sink device, via a series of messages.

18. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further executable by the one or more processors to:
as part of establishing a communication session between the wireless source device and the wireless sink device, transmit, to the wireless source device, an identifier of the external device.

19. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one module is further executable by the one or more processors to:
as part of establishing a communication session between the wireless source device and the wireless sink device, receive an identifier of the external device from the wireless source device.

20. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein a value of the input category field is set to indicate the payload data comprises forwarded user input data.

21. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the payload data comprises an identifier of the external device.

22. The wireless sink device of claim 21 , wherein the identifier of the external device is selected from the group consisting of: an IP address of the external device, and a domain name of the external device.

23. The wireless sink device of claim 21 , wherein the identifier is generated by the wireless source device and transmitted to the wireless sink device.

24. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the external device is another wireless sink device.

25. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the external device is an input device communicatively coupled to the wireless sink device.

26. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the data packet header is an application layer packet header.

27. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the data packet is to control audio data or video data of the wireless source device.

28. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein the data packet is transmitted over TCP/IP.

29. The wireless sink device of claim 16 , wherein, to generate the data packet comprising the data packet header and the payload data, the at least one module is executable by the one or more processors to:
generate the data packet with a header that includes the data packet header and a payload that includes the payload data but does not include the input category field.

30. A non-transitory

Assignees

• Huang Xiaolong
• Raveendran Vijayalakshmi R
• Wang Xiaodong
• Shaukat Fawad
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Huang Xiaolong
• Raveendran Vijayalakshmi R
• Wang Xiaodong
• Shaukat Fawad

Classifications

• H04L65/00 Primary

  Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication (real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00) · CPC title

• H04W99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H04L69/24

  Negotiation of communication capabilities · CPC title

• H04W88/00

  Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices · CPC title

• H04L2012/5603

  Access techniques · CPC title