Transmitting video and audio signals from a human interface to a computer

• US 20040083302A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ClearCube Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Thornton, Barry W.
• Application Number:
  US10/409,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083302A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes

Abstract

System and method for communicating between a computer and a remote human interface (RHI) comprising a microphone, video camera, and I/O devices, e.g., USB devices. A host encoder/decoder receives host human interface (HHI) signals from the computer targeting respective HI devices in the RHI, including audio and I/O signals, e.g., extended USB (USBX) signals, combining the HHI signals into a combined HHI signal for transmission to a remote encoder/decoder which extracts the audio and I/O signals, and transmits the audio signal to an audio device and the I/O signals to the respective I/O devices. Conversely, the remote encoder/decoder receives RHI signals from the HI devices, including audio from the microphone, video from the camera, and remote I/O signals from the I/O devices, combines them into a combined RHI signal for transmission to the host encoder/decoder which extracts the audio, video, and I/O signals, and transmits them to the computer.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a computer and a remote human interface, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of host human interface (HHI) signals from a computer, wherein each of the plurality of HHI signals is targeted to a corresponding HI device comprised in the remote human interface, and wherein the plurality of HHI signals comprise an audio signal and one or more I/O device signals;

combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal;

transmitting the combined HHI signal over a transmission medium;

receiving the combined HHI signal over the transmission medium;

extracting the audio signal and the one or more I/O device signals from the combined HHI signal;

transmitting the audio signal to an audio device comprised in the HI; and

transmitting the one or more I/O device signals to a respective one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more I/O device signals received from the computer comprise USB I/O device signals, and wherein the one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI comprise one or more USB devices, the method further comprising:

encoding the one or more USB I/O device signals to USBX signals prior to said combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

decoding the one or more USBX I/O device signals to USB I/O device signals prior to said transmitting the one or more I/O device signals to the respective one or more USB devices comprised in the HI.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of HHI signals further comprise a command signal for a video camera comprised in the HI;

and

wherein said combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal comprises;

combining the audio signal and the command, signal into a combined audio/command signal; and

combining the combined audio/command signal and the one or more I/O device signals into the combined HHI signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal further comprises:

applying a low-pass filter to the combined audio/command signal prior to said combining the combined audio/command signal and the one or more I/O device signals into the combined HHI signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal further comprises:

applying a frequency shift modulation to the command signal prior to said combining the audio signal and the command signal into the combined audio/command signal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal further comprises:

applying a high-pass filter to the one or more I/O device signals prior to said combining the combined audio/command signal and the one or more I/O device signals into the combined HHI signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting the audio signal and the one or more I/O device signals from the combined HHI signal comprises:

applying a low-pass filter to the combined HHI signal to generate the audio signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting the audio signal and the one or more I/O device signals from the combined HHI signal comprises:

applying a high-pass filter to the combined HHI signal to generate the one or more I/O device signals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting the audio signal and the one or more I/O device signals from the combined HHI signal comprises:

applying a low-pass filter to the combined, HHI signal to generate a combined audio/command signal comprising the audio signal and a command signal targeted to a video camera of the human interface.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the command signal to the video camera of the human interface, wherein the command signal operates to configure the video camera.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the command signal operates to set a resolution level of the video camera.

13. A system for communicating between a computer and a remote human interface (HI), the system comprising:

a host encoder coupled to the computer, wherein the host encoder is operable to;

receive a plurality of host human interface (HHI) signals from a computer, wherein the plurality of HHI signals comprise an audio signal and one or more I/O device signals targeted to the remote HI;

combine the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal; and

transmit the combined HHI signal over a transmission medium;

a remote decoder, coupled to the host encoder via the transmission medium, and further coupled to the remote HI, wherein the remote decoder is operable to;

receive the combined HHI signal over the transmission medium;

extract the audio signal and the one or more I/O device signals from the combined HHI signal;

transmit the audio signal to an audio device; and

transmit the one or more I/O device signals to a respective one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a remote encoder, coupled to the remote HI, wherein the remote encoder is operable to;

receive a plurality of remote human interface (RHI) signals from a respective plurality of human interface devices comprised in the remote human interface, wherein the plurality of RHI signals comprise an audio signal from a microphone comprised in the remote HI, a video signal from a video camera comprised in the remote HI, and one or more remote I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices;

combine the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal; and

transmit the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium; and

a host decoder, coupled to the computer, wherein the host decoder is operable to;

receive the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium;

extract the audio signal from the microphone, the video signal from the video camera, and the one or more I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices from the combined RHI signal; and

transmit the extracted audio signal, the extracted video signal, and the extracted one or more I/O device signals to the computer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the host encoder and the host decoder are comprised in a host encoder/decoder.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the remote encoder and the remote decoder are comprised in a remote encoder/decoder.

17. The system of claim 14,

wherein the one or more I/O device signals received from the computer comprise USB I/O device signals, and wherein the one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI comprise one or more USB devices;

and

wherein the host encoder is further operable to encode the one or more USB I/O device signals to USBX signals prior to said combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the remote decoder is further operable to decode the one or more USBX I/O device signals to USB I/O device signals prior to said transmitting the one or more I/O device signals to the respective one or more USB devices comprised in the HI.

19. The system of claim 14,

wherein the one or more remote I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices comprise USB I/O device signals, and wherein the one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI comprise one or more USB devices;

and

wherein the remote encoder is further operable to encode the one or more USB I/O device signals to USBX signals prior to said combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal.

20. The system of claim 19,

wherein the extracted one or more I/O device signals comprise USBX I/O device signals;

and

wherein the host decoder is further operable to decode the one or more USBX I/O device signals to USB I/O device signals prior to said transmitting the one or more extracted I/O device signals to the computer.

21. A system for communicating between a computer and a remote human interface, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of host human interface (HHI) signals from a computer, wherein each of the plurality of HHI signals is targeted to a corresponding HI device comprised in the remote human interface, and wherein the plurality of HHI signals comprise an audio signal and one or more I/O device signals;

means for combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal;

means for transmitting the combined HHI signal over a transmission medium;

means for receiving the combined HHI signal over the transmission medium;

means for extracting the audio signal and the one or more I/O device signals from the combined HHI signal;

means for transmitting the audio signal to an audio device; and

means for transmitting the one or more I/O device signals to a respective one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more I/O device signals received from the computer comprise USB I/O device signals, and wherein the one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI comprise one or more USB devices, the system further comprising:

means for encoding the one or more USB I/O device signals to USBX signals prior to said combining the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal; and

means for decoding the one or more USBX I/O device signals to USB I/O device signals prior to said transmitting the one or more I/O device signals to the respective one or more USB devices comprised in the HI.

23. A method for communicating between a computer and a remote human interface, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of remote human interface (RHI) signals from a respective plurality of human interface devices comprised in the remote human interface, wherein the plurality of RHI signals comprise an audio signal from a microphone comprised in the remote HI, a video signal from a video camera comprised in the remote HI, and one or more remote I/O device signals from one or more I/O devices comprised in the remote HI;

combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal;

transmitting the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium;

receiving the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium;

extracting the audio signal, the video signal, and the one or more I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices from the combined RHI signal; and

transmitting the extracted audio signal, the extracted video signal, and the extracted one or more I/O device signals to the computer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more remote I/O device signals received from the computer comprise USB I/O device signals, and wherein the one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI comprise one or more USB devices, the method further comprising:

encoding the one or more USB I/O device signals to USBX signals prior to said combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

decoding the one or more USBX I/O device signals to USB I/O device signals prior to said transmitting the one or more I/O device signals to the computer.

26. The method of claim 23,

wherein said combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal comprises:

combining the audio signal and the video signal into a combined audio/video signal; and

combining the combined audio/video signal and the one or more I/O device signals into the combined RHI signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal further comprises:

applying a low-pass filter to the combined audio/video signal prior to said combining the combined audio/video signal and the one or more I/O device signals into the combined RHI signal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal further comprises:

prior to said combining the audio signal and the video signal into the combined audio/video signal,

applying an automatic gain control to the audio signal;

modulating the automatic gain controlled audio signal onto a carrier signal; and

applying a band-pass filter to the modulated audio signal;

wherein said combining the audio signal and the video signal into the combined audio/video signal comprises combining the modulated audio signal and the video signal into the combined audio/video signal.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said combining the plurality of HI signals into a combined HI signal further comprises:

prior to said combining the audio signal and the video signal into the combined audio/video signal, converting the video signal to an NTSC video signal.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said combining the plurality of HI signals into a combined HI signal further comprises:

applying a high-pass filter to the one or more remote I/O device signals prior to said combining the combined audio/video signal and the one or more remote I/O device signals into the combined HI signal.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein said extracting the audio signal, the video signal, and the one or more remote I/O device signals from the combined RHI signal comprises:

applying a high-pass filter to the combined RHI signal to generate the one or more remote I/O device signals.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein said extracting the audio signal, the video signal, and the one or more remote I/O device signals from the combined RHI signal comprises:

applying a low-pass filter to the combined RHI signal to generate the video signal.

33. The method of claim 32,

wherein the generated video signal comprises an NTSC video signal;

wherein said extracting the audio signal, the video signal, and the one or more remote I/O device signals from the combined RHI signal further comprises;

sending the generated video signal to an NTSC decoder; and

the NTSC decoding the video signal; and

wherein said transmitting the extracted video signal to the computer comprises;

sending the decoded video signal to the computer.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein said extracting the audio signal, the video signal, and the one or more remote I/O device signals from the combined RHI signal comprises:

applying a band-pass filter to the combined RHI signal to generate the audio signal.

35. The method of claim 34,

wherein said extracting the audio signal, the video signal, and the one or more remote I/O device signals from the combined RHI signal further comprises:

sending the audio signal through a detector to extract audio data; and

wherein said transmitting the extracted audio data to the computer comprises;

sending the extracted audio data to the computer.

36. A system for communicating between a computer and a remote human interface (HI), the system comprising:

a remote encoder, coupled to the remote HI, wherein the remote encoder is operable to;

receive a plurality of remote human interface (RHI) signals from a respective plurality of human interface devices comprised in the remote human interface, wherein the plurality of RHI signals comprise an audio signal from a microphone comprised in the remote HI, a video signal from a video camera comprised in the remote HI, and one or more remote I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices;

combine the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal; and

transmit the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium; and

a host decoder, coupled to the computer, wherein the host decoder is operable to;

receive the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium;

extract the audio signal from the microphone, the video signal from the video camera, and the one or more I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices from the combined RHI signal; and

transmit the extracted audio signal, the extracted video signal, and the extracted one or more I/O device signals to the computer.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

a host encoder coupled to the computer, wherein the host encoder is operable to;

receive a plurality of host human interface (HHI) signals from a computer, wherein the plurality of HHI signals comprise an audio signal and one or more I/O device signals targeted to the remote HI;

combine the plurality of HHI signals into a combined HHI signal; and

transmit the combined HHI signal over a transmission medium;

a remote decoder, coupled to the host encoder via the transmission medium, and further coupled to the remote HI, wherein the remote decoder is operable to;

receive the combined HHI signal over the transmission medium;

extract the audio signal and the one or more I/O device signals from the combined HHI signal;

transmit the audio signal to an audio device; and

transmit the one or more I/O device signals to a respective one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the host encoder and the host decoder are comprised in a host encoder/decoder.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the remote encoder and the remote decoder are comprised in a remote encoder/decoder.

40. The system of claim 36,

wherein the one or more remote I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices comprise USB I/O device signals, and wherein the one or more I/O devices comprised in the HI comprise one or more USB devices;

and

wherein the remote encoder is further operable to encode the one or more USB I/O device signals to USBX signals prior to said combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal.

41. The system of claim 40,

wherein the extracted one or more I/O device signals comprise USBX I/O device signals;

and

wherein the host decoder is further operable to decode the one or more USBX I/O device signals to USB I/O device signals prior to said transmitting the one or more extracted I/O device signals to the computer.

42. A system for communicating between a computer and a remote human interface (HI), the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of remote human interface (RHI) signals from a respective plurality of human interface devices comprised in the remote human interface, wherein the plurality of RHI signals comprise an audio signal from a microphone comprised in the remote HI, a video signal from a video camera comprised in the remote HI, and one or more remote I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices;

means for combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal;

means for transmitting the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium;

means for receiving the combined RHI signal over the transmission medium;

means for extracting the audio signal, the video signal, and the one or more I/O device signals from the one or more I/O devices from the combined RHI signal; and

means for transmitting the extracted audio signal, the extracted video signal, and the extracted one or more I/O device signals to the computer.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the one or more I/O device signals received from the one or more I/O devices comprise USB I/O device signals, and wherein the one or more I/O devices comprised in the remote HI comprise one or more USB devices, the system further comprising:

means for encoding the one or more USB I/O device signals to USBX signals prior to said combining the plurality of RHI signals into a combined RHI signal; and

means for decoding the one or more USBX I/O device signals to USB I/O device signals prior to said transmitting the one or more I/O device signals to the computer.