초록 ▼

System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data between two devices. A data transfer method includes receiving first data from a first interface, the first data being received in signaling transmitted by a first device according to a first protocol, determining a mod

System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data between two devices. A data transfer method includes receiving first data from a first interface, the first data being received in signaling transmitted by a first device according to a first protocol, determining a mode of operation for a communication link to be used for transmitting the first data to a second device, transmitting the first data to the second device over an optical path of the communication link in a first mode of operation, transmitting the first data in accordance with the first protocol to the second device over an electrical path of the communication link in a second mode of operation, and in a third mode of operation, translating the first data to obtain second data, and transmitting the second data in accordance with a second protocol to the second device over the electrical path.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A data transfer method, comprising: receiving first data from a first interface, the first data being received in signaling transmitted by a first device in accordance with a first protocol;determining a mode of operation for a communication link to be used for transmitting the first data to a se

1. A data transfer method, comprising: receiving first data from a first interface, the first data being received in signaling transmitted by a first device in accordance with a first protocol;determining a mode of operation for a communication link to be used for transmitting the first data to a second device, wherein the communication link includes an optical path and an electrical path;transmitting the first data to the second device over the optical path in a first mode of operation;transmitting the first data in accordance with the first protocol to the second device over the electrical path in a second mode of operation; andin a third mode of operation: translating the first data to obtain second data, andtransmitting the second data in accordance with a second protocol to the second device over the electrical path. 2. The data transfer method of claim 1, further comprising: determining one or more characteristics of a plurality of connectors of the electrical path, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of connectors; andselecting the second protocol based on the one or more characteristics. 3. The data transfer method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a data rate associated with the first data; andselecting the second protocol based on the data rate. 4. The data transfer method of claim 1, further comprising: in the third mode of operation, determining a mode of signaling used for communicating the second data based on a data rate associated with the first data and one or more characteristics of a plurality of connectors of the electrical path, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of connectors. 5. The data transfer method of claim 1, wherein the second data is transmitted over the electrical path at a lower data rate than a data rate at which the first data is received from the first interface. 6. The data transfer method of claim 1, wherein the second protocol is a Camera Control Interface (CCI) protocol or an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) protocol. 7. The data transfer method of claim 1, further comprising: relaying third data received from a second interface to the second device over a first plurality of connectors in the electrical path. 8. The data transfer method of claim 7, wherein in the third mode of operation, the second data are transmitted on a second plurality of connectors in the electrical path, the second plurality of connectors being different from the first plurality of connectors. 9. An apparatus comprising: an optical medium adapted to communicate information in optical signals;a first integrated circuit (IC) device coupled to the optical medium and adapted to transmit the optical signals;a second IC device coupled to the optical medium and adapted to receive the optical signals;an electrical path comprising a plurality of electrical connectors coupling the first IC device and the second IC device,wherein the first IC device and the second IC device include a bridge circuit configured to: receive first data from a first interface, the first data being received in signaling transmitted by the first IC device in accordance with a first protocol;determine a mode of operation for communicating between the first IC device and the second IC device;transmit the first data to the second IC device over the optical medium in a first mode of operation;transmit the first data in accordance with the first protocol to the second IC device using two or more of the plurality of electrical connectors in a second mode of operation; andin a third mode of operation, translate the first data to obtain second data, and transmit the second data in accordance with a second protocol to the second IC device using the plurality of electrical connectors. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the mode of operation is determined based on one or more characteristics of a plurality of connectors of the electrical path, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of connectors. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the bridge circuit selects the second protocol based on one or more characteristics of a plurality of connectors of the electrical path, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of connectors. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the bridge circuit is configured to select a signaling mode for out-of-band communications based on one or more characteristics of a plurality of connectors of the electrical path, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of connectors. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the bridge circuit is configured to transmit first data on a first group of connectors of the electrical path and to transmit the second data on a second group of connectors of the electrical path, the first group of connectors being different from the second group of connectors. 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second protocol is a Camera Control Interface (CCI) protocol or an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) protocol. 15. A bridge circuit comprising: means for communicating first information in optical signals through an optical medium, including a first interface circuit coupled to the optical medium;means for communicating second information in electrical signals through a plurality of electrical connectors, including a second interface circuit coupled to the plurality of electrical connectors;means for selectively coupling one or more sources of input data with the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit, including a processing circuit configured to: receive first data encoded in accordance with a first protocol;determine a mode of operation for communicating the first data;transmit the first data over the optical medium in a first mode of operation;transmit the first data in accordance with the first protocol using two or more of the plurality of electrical connectors in a second mode of operation; andin a third mode of operation, translate the first data to obtain second data, and transmit the second data in accordance with a second protocol using the plurality of electrical connectors. 16. The bridge circuit of claim 15, wherein the mode of operation is determined based on one or more characteristics of the plurality of electrical connectors, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of electrical connectors. 17. The bridge circuit of claim 15, wherein the second protocol is selected based on one or more characteristics of the plurality of electrical connectors, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of electrical connectors. 18. The bridge circuit of claim 15, wherein the bridge circuit is configured to select a signaling mode for out-of-band communications based on a data rate associated with the first data. 19. The bridge circuit of claim 15, wherein the first data is transmitted on a first group of connectors of the plurality of electrical connectors and the second data is transmitted on a second group of connectors of the plurality of electrical connectors, the first group of connectors being different from the second group of connectors. 20. The bridge circuit of claim 15, wherein the second protocol is a Camera Control Interface (CCI) protocol or an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) protocol. 21. A processor readable storage medium comprising code for: receiving first data from a first interface, the first data being received in signaling transmitted by a first device in accordance with a first protocol;determining a mode of operation for a communication link to be used for transmitting the first data to a second device, wherein the communication link includes an optical path and an electrical path;transmitting the first data to the second device over the optical path in a first mode of operation;transmitting the first data in accordance with the first protocol to the second device over the electrical path in a second mode of operation; andin a third mode of operation: translating the first data to obtain second data, andtransmitting the second data in accordance with a second protocol to the second device over the electrical path. 22. The processor readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising code for: determining one or more characteristics of a plurality of connectors of the electrical path, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of connectors; andselecting the second protocol based on the one or more characteristics. 23. The processor readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising code for: determining a data rate associated with the first data; andselecting the second protocol based on the data rate. 24. The processor readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising code for: in the third mode of operation, determining a mode of signaling used for communicating the second data based on a data rate associated with the first data and one or more characteristics of a plurality of connectors of the electrical path, the one or more characteristics including a length of the plurality of connectors. 25. The processor readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the second data is transmitted over the electrical path at a lower data rate than a data rate at which the first data is received from the first interface. 26. The processor readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the second protocol is a Camera Control Interface (CCI) protocol or an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) protocol. 27. The processor readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising code for: relaying third data received from a second interface to the second device over a first plurality of connectors in the electrical path. 28. The processor readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein in the third mode of operation, the second data are transmitted on a second plurality of connectors in the electrical path, the second plurality of connectors being different from the first plurality of connectors.