System handling video, control signals and power

• US 20030217364A1
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nitek International LLC (Nitek Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: Nitek International LLC (Nitek Holding BV)
• Inventors: Roberts, Lawrence J., Polanek, Edward L., Lockhart, Peter D., Jimenez, Andrew C., Hertrich, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,193,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires

Abstract

The system integrates a CCTV system including one or more video source units into the structured cabling system (“SCS”) of a building or the like by combining video signals, control signals and power for each video source unit over a single multipair cable made up of plural unshielded twisted pairs (“UTP”) of insulated copper conductors, so that one twisted pair of the cable carries the video signals, one pair carries the control signals and one or two pairs carry the power. The system includes combiners and distributors which can interface with the SCS cable through standard modular, multi-pin plug and jack connectors.

Claims

1. A system for operating a video source unit having a video data signal output adapted for coupling to a video receiving unit and a control signal input adapted for coupling to a control unit, the system comprising:

a cable, including plural unshielded twisted pairs of conductors,

a first coupling device at a first end of the cable for coupling a first twisted pair to the video data signal output and a second twisted pair to the control signal input, and

a second coupling device at a second end of the cable for coupling the first twisted pair to an associated video receiving unit and the second twisted pair to an associated control unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the video source unit includes a power input adapted for coupling to a fused power source, the first coupling device including connecting structure at a first end of the cable for coupling a third twisted pair to the power input, the second coupling device including connecting structure at a second end of the cable for coupling the third twisted pair to an associated fused power source.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second coupling devices includes, for each coupled twisted pair, a modular multi-pin plug and jack connector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second coupling device is a combiner device adapted for coupling plural cables respectively to plural video receiving units.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first coupling device is a distributor device adapted for coupling plural cables respectively to plural video source units.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the combiner device includes a fuse block adapted for connection to each cable.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second coupling device is a combiner device adapted for coupling plural cables respectively to plural video receiving units.

8. A system for operating a video source unit having a video data signal output adapted for coupling to a video receiving unit and a power input adapted for coupling to a fused power source, the system comprising:

a cable including plural unshielded twisted pairs of conductors,

a first coupling device at a first end of the cable for coupling a first twisted pair to the video data signal output and a second twisted pair to the power input, and

a second coupling device at the second end of the cable for coupling the first twisted pair to an associated video receiving unit and the second twisted pair to an associated fused power source,

each of the first and second coupling devices including a modular multi-pin plug and jack connector for the cable.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first coupling device includes connecting structure for connecting a third twisted pair to the power input, the second coupling device including connecting structure for coupling the third twisted pair to the associated fused power source.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the video source unit includes a control signal input adapted for coupling to a control unit, the first coupling device including connecting structure for coupling a third twisted pair to the control signal input, the second coupling device including connecting structure for coupling the third twisted pair to the associated control unit.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second coupling device is a combiner device adapted for coupling plural cables respectively to plural video receiving units.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first coupling device is a distributor device adapted for coupling plural cables respectively to plural video source units.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the combiner device includes a fuse block adapted for connection to each cable.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the second coupling device is a combiner device adapted for coupling plural cables respectively to plural video receiving units.

15. A system for operating a video source unit having a video data signal output adapted for coupling to a video receiving unit and an AC power input adapted for coupling to a fused AC power source, the system comprising:

a cable including plural unshielded twisted pairs of conductors,

a first coupling device at a first end of the cable for coupling a first twisted pair to the video data signal output and a second twisted pair to the AC power input, and

a second coupling device at a second end of the cable for coupling the first twisted pair to an associated video receiving unit and the second twisted pair to an associated fused power source,

each of the first and second coupling devices including a connector for the cable.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each connector is a modular multi-pin plug and jack connector.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each connector is an eight-pin connector having pins 1 and 2 connected to the video data signal output and the video receiving unit and pins 3 and 6 connected to the AC power input and the fused AC power source.

18. A method of operating a video source unit which generates video data signals and requires control signals, the method comprising:

transmitting the video data signals and the control signals, respectively, over different unshielded twisted pairs of conductors in a single cable which includes plural unshielded twisted pairs.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the video source unit requires fused power, and further comprising transmitting power over another unshielded twisted pair of conductors of the single cable.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitted power is AC power.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the fused power is transmitted over two unshielded twisted pairs of conductors in the single cable.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein plural video source units are operated, the video data signals and control signals for each video source unit being transmitted over a different cable.

23. A method of operating a video source unit having a video data signal output adapted for coupling to a video receiving unit and a power input adapted for coupling to a fused power source, the method comprising:

providing a cable including plural unshielded twisted pairs of conductors,

connecting, at a first end of the cable, first and second twisted pairs respectively to the video data signal output and the power input, and

connecting, at a second end of the cable, the first and second twisted pairs respectively, to the video receiving unit and the fused power source,

each of the connecting steps including connecting each twisted pair via a modular multi-pin plug and jack connection.