Cable with circuitry for communicating performance information

摘要

A cable with circuitry that enables the cable to communicate data in one of at least two different signal modes of operation is presented. In a first signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the circuitry and either a source device or a sink device. The first signal mode can be used either to communicate properties of the cable itself or of a signal passing through the cable to either the source device or the sink device. In a second signal mode, the cable enables data communication between the source device and the sink device. The second signal mode can be used to communicate data in accordance with a predetermined protocol.

主权项

1. A method for communicating data between a transmitter of a first device and a receiver of a second device over a cable, the method comprising:
communicating first data in a first signal mode of the cable between a circuit of the cable and either the transmitter or the receiver, the cable configured to couple with the transmitter at one end and with the receiver at another end, and includes a set of conductors, wherein the first data comprises information associated with at least one characteristic of the cable; transitioning the cable from the first signal mode to a second signal mode by turning on or off a switch of the cable that in the first signal mode couples either the transmitter or the receiver with the circuit through one or more conductors of the set of conductors and in the second signal mode couples the transmitter and the receiver through the set of conductors; and communicating second data in the second signal mode between the transmitter and the receiver over one or more conductors of the set of conductors.