Apple Inc.
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR STREAMING MEDIA CONVERSION WITH REDUCED BUFFERING MEMORIES

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for converting streaming media between different formats. A bridging device for e.g., Camera Serial Interface (CSI) and DisplayPort is disclosed. Both the CSI and DisplayPort technologies use low power mode operation during blanking intervals of a video transmission. However, the CSI interface can wake up in a very short amount of time (e.g., .about.400 ns), but the DisplayPort interface takes significantly longer to perform link training (e.g., .about.1 ms). Various embodiments of the present disclosure use frame signaling trigger to start a wait time interval timer; the wait time interval can be used by the bridge device to wake up the DisplayPort interface ahead of the CSI2 D-PHY interface, thereby ensuring that both links are active at the same time. This "wake-up" technique can greatly reduce the size of buffering memories that are required.