Video transmission system and method utilizing phone lines in multiple unit dwellings

• US 20020021716A1
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX Electronics Corporation (VOXX International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: VOXX Electronics Corporation (VOXX International Corporation)
• Inventors: Terk, Neil D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,865,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/493
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires

Abstract

Video programming signals from a broadband source are distributed on installed telephone wiring to the individual units of a commercial structure or multiple unit dwelling. In all methods and associated devices a first transponder device centrally located in a utility space is paired with a second terminal transponder device located on a telephone subscriber premises. The devices cooperate in converting a video signal into a form suitable for transmission on telephone lines and deconverting that signal into a form suitable for reception by consumer video equipment. The methods and devices discussed differ in placement of the central device, and in the particular method of signal conversion.

Claims

1. In a multiple unit dwelling having a telephone network including multiple twisted-pair wires extending from respective dwelling units to a telephone junction box connecting said wires to a telephone exchange, a video signal distribution system for said multiple unit dwelling, comprising:

a plurality of video channel selectors disposed in respective ones of said dwelling units and operatively connected to respective ones of said twisted-pair wires, said channel selectors each including a signal generator for generating a channel selection signal encoding a video channel selected in response to a user input or commands;

a decoder disposed proximately to said telephone junction box and operatively connected to said twisted-pair wires for decoding channel selection signals transmitted over said twisted-pair wires from respective ones of said dwelling units;

an antenna for receiving multiple wireless video signals in different channels; and

a video signal extraction component operatively coupled to said decoder, said twisted-pair wires, and said antenna for extracting incoming video signals in response to the decoded channel selection signals and for transmitting the extracted video signals over said twisted-pair wires to respective ones of said dwelling units.

2. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 1 wherein said extraction component includes a modulator for combining the extracted video signals with carrier signals, further comprising a plurality of demodulators disposed in said respective ones of said dwelling units for separating the extracted video signals from the carrier signals.

3. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 2 wherein said decoder includes a plurality of decoding circuits each operatively connected to a respective pair of twisted-pair wires.

4. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 3 wherein said extraction component includes a plurality of modulation circuits each operatively connected to said antenna and to a respective pair of twisted-pair wires.

5. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 4, further comprising a video signal junction box disposed proximately to said telephone signal box, said video signal box being operatively coupled to said antenna for receiving said video signals therefrom, said modulation circuits being operatively connected to said video signal box.

6. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 5 wherein said twisted-pair wires are operatively connected in the respective ones of said dwelling units to respective telephone calling stations, further comprising low pass and high pass filters for separating voice signals from video signals in twisted-pair telephone sub-networks internal to said dwelling units.

7. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 2, further comprising a video signal junction box disposed proximately to said telephone signal box, said video signal box being operatively coupled to said antenna for receiving said video signals therefrom, said modulator being operatively connected to said video signal box.

8. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 1 wherein said decoder includes a plurality of decoding circuits each operatively connected to a respective pair of twisted-pair wires.

9. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 1 wherein said extraction component includes a plurality of modulation circuits each operatively connected to said antenna and to a respective pair of twisted-pair wires.

10. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 1 wherein said twisted-pair wires are operatively connected in the respective ones of said dwelling units to respective telephone calling stations, further comprising low pass and high pass filters for separating voice signals from video signals in twisted-pair telephone sub-networks internal to said dwelling units.

11. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 1 wherein said antenna is a satellite dish antenna.

13. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 12 wherein said channel selectors each include a signal generator for generating a channel selection signal encoding a video channel selected in response to a user input or commands.

14. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 13 wherein said distribution node includes a decoder operatively connected to said conductors for decoding said channel selection signals upon transmission thereof over said conductors from respective ones of said units.

15. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 14 wherein said decoder includes a plurality of decoding circuits each operatively connected to a respective one of said conductors.

16. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 12 wherein said extraction component includes a modulator for combining the extracted video signals with carrier signals, further comprising a plurality of demodulators disposed in said respective ones of said dwelling units for separating the extracted video signals from the carrier signals.

17. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 16 wherein said extraction component includes a plurality of modulation circuits each operatively connected to a respective one of said conductors.

18. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 12 wherein said node is disposed in a utility room of said building, said utility room being different from each of said units.

19. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 12, further comprising a satellite dish antenna operatively coupled to said distribution node for delivering said multiple video signals thereto.

20. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 12 wherein said conductors are metal conductors.

21. The video signal distribution system defined in claim 12 wherein said conductors are twisted-pair wires of a telephone network.

12. A video signal distribution system for a building having multiple separate units, comprising:

a central distribution node receiving multiple video signals in different channels;

a plurality of video channel selectors disposed in respective ones of said units; and

multiple conductors extending from said distribution node to respective ones of said video channel selectors,

said central distribution node including a video signal extraction component operatively coupled to said conductors for extracting incoming video signals in response to the channel selection signals transmitted over respective ones of said conductors from respective ones of said channel selectors and for transmitting the extracted video signals over said conductors to respective ones of said units.

22. In a multiple unit dwelling having a telephone network including multiple twisted-pair wires extending from respective dwelling units to a telephone junction box connecting said wires to a telephone exchange, a video signal distribution method for said multiple unit dwelling, comprising:

at an antenna, wirelessly receiving a multiplicity of video or television signals from at least one geosynchronous satellite;

conducting said video or television signals from said antenna to a telephone junction box in the multiple unit dwelling;

in response to a channel selection signal transmitted from one of said dwelling units over a twisted-pair conductor path extending to said telephone junction box, extracting a selected one of said video or television signal conducted from said antenna; and

transmitting the extracted selected video or television signal over said twisted-pair conductor path back to said one of said dwelling units.

23. The method defined in claim 22 wherein the extracting of said selected one of said video or television signals includes separating a video content signal from a carrier wave.

24. The method defined in claim 23 wherein the transmitting of the extracted selected video or television signal over said twisted-pair conductor path includes combining the separated video content signal with a carrier signal to form a composite signal and transmitting said composite signal over said twisted-pair conductor path to said one of said dwelling units.

25. The method defined in claim 22 wherein the conducting of said video or television signals from said antenna to said telephone junction box includes transmitting said video or television signals over a coaxial cable.

26. The method defined in claim 22 wherein said channel selection signal is one of a plurality of channel selection signals and wherein said twisted-pair conductor path is one of a plurality of twisted-pair conductor paths extending to said telephone junction box from respective ones of said dwelling units, said channel selection signals being transmitted over the respective twisted-pair conductor paths, further comprising extracting a plurality of said video or television signals in response to said channel selection signals and transmitting the extracted selected video or television signals over respective ones of said twisted-pair conductor paths to respective ones of said dwelling units.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said source comprises a satellite dish antenna.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said command transmission means is operatively associated with a first transponder means for transforming said video programming information as transmitted on said wire runs into video programming signals of standard broadcast frequencies capable of reception by a television monitor or video cassette recorder.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said coupling and selector means is operatively associated with second transponder means for transforming said video programming information from a first format output by said source into a second format transmissible on said wire runs adapted for further transformation by said first transponder means into said video programming signals of standard broadcast frequencies.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said second format comprises a sub-VHF RF band.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein said second format comprises digital encoding.

33. The system of claim 27 where in said signal transmission means comprises a hand-held pointable command device transmitting infrared command signals, and an infrared transducer and command transponder for converting said infrared command signals into electrical impulses for transmission on said wire runs in an available radio frequency band.

27. A system for distributing video programming, comprising:

a source supplying at least two channels of video programming information;

a multiplicity of coupling and selector devices disposed in a central location, each connected at an input side to said source;

unshielded wiring runs originating at an output side of said devices and terminating in respective remote terminal locations, utilizable for transmission of said video programming information from said coupling and selector devices to said terminal locations;

command transmission means disposed at said terminal locations for transmitting control signals over said wiring runs from said terminal locations to said coupling and selector devices; and

command interpreter means operatively connected to said coupling and selector devices for receiving said control signals and responding to the intelligence encoded therein to connect commanded video program source channels to each of respective wiring runs.