Modern electronic systems have become increasingly interconnected. As one of many examples, audiovisual content, such as movies, television shows and music, are commonly delivered across various networks to an end user's home for viewing. To continue the example, a user may receive such content from a satellite transmission, cable connection, broadband Internet connection and so on. Although each such transmission network provides many options for content, users accessing the Internet may have nearly unlimited options for downloading, streaming and/or purchasing audiovisual content.
One issue faced by content providers is the ability to keep their content relatively secure and free from unauthorized copying. To address this issue, a variety of content control protocols have been implemented. One example of such a protocol is the high bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) standard. HDCP-compliant devices typically implement some form of digital rights management (DRM) and are connected to a compatible digital audio device and/or video display device. Exemplary HDCP devices include set-top boxes, digital video disc players, Blu-Ray disc players, personal computers, video game consoles, audiovisual receivers, devices specifically configured to stream audiovisual content from the Internet or another source, and so forth.
Some HDCP interfaces include a signal which may be enabled or disabled through electronic circuitry, including processing units that may access data from common sources. One example of an electronic device employing an HDCP interface with the exemplary security signal is the Apple TV™ product, produced and sold by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.
Signal data may be synchronized using clock signals, buses, switches such as transistors, bus protocols such as the I2C protocol and so forth. While data typically may be passed between the processing units and video devices, under certain circumstances an error may occur in a clock signal, thus causing the data to become desynchronized. Such errors may cause the data to cease transmission and interrupt the user's enjoyment of a selected program.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved method of suppressing or preventing the generation of such errors.