Wireless Solutions for Video Docking Station Applications

The Lattice SiBEAM Technology Team has developed SiBEAM Snap, a revolutionary wireless interconnect technology that enables USB 3.0 (5 Gb/s) data transfer over a short-range wireless link. It can replace USB connectors and cables, and can also transmit video. In this blog, we will explore the current traditional video transmission methods and how to connect wirelessly with Snap .

Video transfer via USB

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a universal interface for consumer electronic devices. The USB connector and protocol have replaced many peripheral-specific connectors and protocols (for example, PS/2 for keyboards, Centronics for printers, SCSI for hard drives, and IEEE 1394 for video cameras).

USB is already a trend towards replacing other interfaces for connecting external displays. With traditional transmission methods, video is transferred between devices in raw format, which requires very high bit rates and dedicated high-speed interfaces such as HDMI or DisplayPort. However, compression technology can be applied to video without significantly affecting image quality. We can see the widespread use of compression technology in broadcast TV and streaming video. Using similar technology adapted for desktop displays, bit rates that meet the bandwidth specifications of USB links can be easily achieved through video compression. USB is now capable of transmitting audio, video and data. The most widely used compression technology for desktop displays comes from DisplayLink .

What is DisplayLink?

DisplayLink is a chip and software company whose technology is used by the world's leading PC and peripheral brands. The DisplayLink driver is used to compress the video output on the host side and transmit the compressed video stream to the DisplayLink IC via USB. DisplayLink graphics chip technology enables multiple monitors, docking stations, video adapters and other devices with resolutions of 4K or higher to be connected to the host through a single link. Products using DisplayLink technology support the latest laptops, tablets and mobile phones using Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS, Android and Ubuntu operating systems.

Snap technology for laptops

Business laptops are a great example of traditional port expansion. The proprietary interfaces are replicated in the docking station through a connector that is large, complex, fragile and expensive. The size and complexity of the connector limits the form factor of the product, and damage makes the laptop more vulnerable to water intrusion or connector failure. In contrast, wireless links using Snap technology are immune to mechanical wear and tear. They can be used in parallel to increase total bandwidth, and dual 4K video can be transmitted via DisplayLink technology. The docking station provides the regular ports that the end user wants. We have been testing DisplayLink technology interoperability with Snap, and they work seamlessly as you would expect. DisplayLink launched a great proof of concept product at CES 2017, showing how to easily connect and disconnect the docking station using the wireless connector.

Snap technology for 2-in-1 computers

2-in-1 tablets and split computers also benefit from this approach. Typically, these computer products have a portable component that contains a keyboard and interfaces to desktop peripherals, and a mobile device with a display and processor. The portable component and the device are physically locked when docked. With the combination of Snap and DisplayLink technology, all data from the external interface (including video) can be transmitted through the wireless connector, opening up new possibilities for mobile device design.

Snap technology for mobile devices

Finally, we can provide entirely new capabilities for “mobile first” and “mobile only” consumers. These consumers’ mobile computing needs are primarily met by phones and tablets. While they don’t want or need a PC, they still have work needs that are simple to accomplish on a PC but inconvenient to do on a mobile device without a display, keyboard, and mouse. Their needs can be met by combining a mobile device with a companion docking station that provides display expansion as well as keyboard and mouse connectivity. Such an expansion device can also provide ports for connecting additional desktop devices such as external storage, printers, scanners, or any other peripherals that can be supported via USB.

In the above applications, SiBEAM Snap wireless connector technology has revolutionized product design while making it lighter and more stable. DisplayLink and Snap technology teams have expanded their technology to the field of video display, working together to achieve a complete set of wireless video and data solutions, providing a new way to design some important applications.