Video transmission and control system utilizing internal telephone lines

• US 20050117722A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1989
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Access Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Inline Connection Corporation
• Inventors: Goodman, David D., Domnitz, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/90.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A video transmission system for facilitating transmission of video and control signals, particularly infrared remote control signals, between different locations in a residence using existing telephone wiring. Simultaneous transmission of signals of both types over active telephone lines is possible without interference with telephone communications. Transmission succeeds without requiring special treatement of the video signals beyond RF conversion, despite signal attenuation inherent in transmission over the telephone line media. Two or more video sources may be tied into the system, and selected as desired. Remote control signals generated in one room may be utilized without requiring a clear line of sight between the remote control device and the receiver.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information comprising:

a sub-system, a transceiver, a signal interface, and an information source;

a path coupled to the sub-system and the transceiver, wherein the path is a two-wire conductive path;

a first branch coupled to the signal interface and the path, wherein the first branch is a two-wire conductive branch;

a plurality of frequency bands, wherein frequency bands of the plurality of frequency bands are non-overlapping frequency bands; and

a first frequency band extending between a lowest frequency in the plurality of frequency bands and a highest frequency in the plurality of frequency bands, wherein the first frequency band is above voiceband;

wherein;

the sub-system transmits a first voiceband signal onto the path, receives a second voiceband signal from the path, and is operable to process telephone signals;

the signal interface receives a first information set from the information source and transmits onto the first branch a first signal that encodes the first information set;

the power spectrum of the first signal is substantially confined within the plurality of frequency bands;

at least part of the encoded first information set is substantially recoverable from the portion of the first signal in any one frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands; and

the transceiver receives from the path the first signal, and substantially recovers from the first signal the first information set.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first information set is substantially recoverable from any portion of the first signal that is created by excluding the part of the first signal that is within any one of the frequency bands in the plurality of frequency bands.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sub-system provides the information content of the second voiceband signal to a communications network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the first signal and at least a portion of the first voiceband signal are transmitted simultaneously.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the transceiver receives the second information set and transmits onto the path a second signal that encodes the second information set.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the signal interface receives a second signal from the first branch and substantially recovers the second information set from the second signal.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the first signal, at least a portion the second signal, and at least a portion the first voiceband signal are transmitted simultaneously.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the second signal is substantially confined within a second frequency band;

a lowest frequency of the second frequency band is above voiceband and below a lowest frequency of the first frequency band; and

a highest frequency of the second frequency band is below a highest frequency of the first frequency band.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the first frequency band is wider than the second frequency band.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the frequencies spanned by the second frequency band are below a lowest frequency of the first frequency band.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is located inside a building.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the signal interface is located inside the building.

13. The system of claim 2 further comprising a gap band, wherein the gap band is selected as a frequency band from the plurality of frequency bands, and the selection is based on signal-to-noise ratio.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a first noise is induced on the path and at least part of the power spectrum of the first noise is within at least one frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the source of the first noise is a radio transmitter.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the first information set is substantially recovered from the portions of the first signal that are confined within a subset of the plurality of frequency bands, wherein the subset excludes the gap band.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the first information set includes audio information.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein information in the first information set is passed by the transceiver to a device operable to convert the audio information into sound.

19. The system of claim 2 further comprising a gap band of non-zero width extending between a first frequency and a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is a highest frequency of a first one of the plurality of frequency bands, and a second frequency is a lowest frequency of the next frequency band above the first one of the plurality of frequency bands.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein each frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands is of equal width, and the width of the gap band is less than twice the width of each frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein a first noise is induced on the path within the gap band.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the source of the first noise is a radio transmitter.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the first information set is substantially recovered from the portions of the first signal that are confined within a subset of the plurality of frequency bands.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first high pass filter operable to block voiceband signals conducted from the path onto the first branch and allow passage of signals above voiceband.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the first high pass filter presents a high impedance to voiceband signals conducted from the path onto the first branch to substantially prevent attenuation of voiceband signals on the path.

26. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first low pass filter and a second branch, the second branch coupled to a first telephone device and the path, the first low pass filter operable to block signals above voiceband that are conducted from the path onto the second branch and allow passage of voiceband signals, wherein the second branch is a two-wire conductive branch.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the first low pass filter presents a high impedance to signals above voiceband that are conducted from the path onto the second branch to substantially prevent attenuation of signals above voiceband on the path.

28. The system of claim 26 further comprising a second low pass filter and a third branch, the third branch coupled to a second telephone device and the path, the third filter operable to block signals above voiceband that are conducted from the path onto the third branch and allow passage of voiceband signals, wherein the second branch is a two-wire conductive branch.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the second low pass filter presents a high impedance to signals above voiceband that are conducted from the path onto the second branch to substantially prevent attenuation of signals above voiceband on the path.

30. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second branch coupled to the path, wherein substantially all of the first information set is recovered despite reflected signals created by the second branch.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the first branch, the second branch, the third branch and the transceiver couple to the path at different points on the path.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the source of information provides any one of a plurality of information sets and wherein information encoded in the second signal includes information that determines which one of the plurality of information sets is encoded in the first signal.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein information encoded in the second signal includes a command to interrupt transmission of the first signal.

34. The system of claim 1 wherein the first information set includes video information.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein information in the first information set is passed by the transceiver to a video monitor operable to display the video information.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the video information is displayed while at least a portion of the first signal is received by the transceiver.

37. The system of claim 5 wherein receiving the second information set includes receiving a third signal encoding the second information set.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the third signal is a radiated electromagnetic signal.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the third signal is an infrared signal.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein the third signal is transmitted in response to manual input.

41. The system of claim 1 wherein the sub-system is a voice switch.

42. The system of claim 1 wherein the first signal is created by encoding a non-empty subset of the first information set in each frequency band in the plurality of frequency bands.

43. A method for communicating comprising:

transmitting onto a path a first voiceband signal and receiving from the path a second voiceband signal, wherein the path is a two-wire conductive path;

transmitting onto the path a first signal that encodes a first information set;

receiving a second information set, transmitting onto the path a second signal that encodes the second information set, and receiving the first signal from the path, and substantially recovering the first information set from the first signal; and

receiving the second signal from the path and substantially recovering the encoded second information set from the second signal;

wherein;

the power spectrum of the first signal is substantially confined within a plurality of frequency bands, wherein the frequency bands of the plurality of frequency bands are non-overlapping frequency bands;

at least part of the encoded first information set is substantially recoverable from the portion of the first signal in any one frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands;

a first frequency band extends between a lowest frequency in the plurality of frequency bands and a highest frequency in the plurality of frequency bands;

the power spectrum of the second signal is substantially confined within a second frequency band;

a lowest frequency of the second frequency band is above voiceband and below a lowest frequency of the first frequency band; and

a highest frequency of the second frequency band is below a highest frequency in the first frequency band; and

wherein the first signal and the second signal are electrical signals.

44. The method of claim 43 further including providing the information content of the second voiceband signal to a network.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein at least a portion of the first signal, at least a portion of the second signal, and at least a portion of the first voiceband signal are transmitted simultaneously.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein the first information set is substantially recoverable from any portion of the first signal that is created by excluding the part of the first signal that is within any one of the frequency bands in the plurality of frequency bands.

47. The method of claim 43 wherein the first signal is transmitted onto the path and the second signal is received from the path at a first point on the path.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the second signal is transmitted onto the path and the first signal is received from the path at a second point on the path.

49. The method of claim 43 further comprising selecting as a gap band, based on signal-to noise-ratio, a frequency band from the plurality of frequency bands.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein a first noise is induced on the path and at least part of the power spectrum of the first noise is within at least one frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the source of the first noise is a radio transmitter.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein the first information set is substantially recovered from the portions of the first signal that are confined within a subset of the plurality of frequency bands, wherein the subset excludes the gap band.

53. The method of claim 43 further comprising providing a gap band of non-zero width extending between a first frequency and a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is a highest frequency of a first one of the plurality of frequency bands, and a second frequency is a lowest frequency of the next frequency band above the first one of the plurality of frequency bands.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein each frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands is of equal width, and the width of the gap band is less than twice the width of each frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein a first noise is induced on the path within the gap band.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the source of the first noise is a radio transmitter.

57. The method of claim 54 wherein the first information set is substantially recovered from the portions of the first signal that are confined within a subset of the plurality of frequency bands.

58. The method of claim 43 wherein the first frequency band is wider than the second frequency band.

59. The method of claim 43 wherein the frequencies spanned by the second frequency band are below a lowest frequency of the first frequency band.

60. The method of claim 43 further comprising allowing signals above voiceband to pass and blocking voiceband signals.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein the blocking of voiceband signals includes presenting a high impedance to voiceband signals to substantially prevent attenuation of voiceband signals.

62. The method of claim 43 further comprising allowing voiceband signals to pass and blocking signals above voiceband.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the blocking of signals above voiceband includes presenting a high impedance to signals above voiceband to substantially prevent attenuation of signals above voiceband

64. The method of claim 43 further comprising allowing the first signal to pass and blocking voiceband signals.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein the blocking of voiceband signals includes presenting a high impedance to voiceband signals to substantially prevent attenuation of voiceband signals.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein voiceband signals are allowed to pass and the signals above voiceband are blocked at a first location.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the signals above voiceband are allowed to pass and voiceband signals are blocked at a second location.

68. The method of claim 64 wherein the first information set is recovered from the first signal despite reflections.

69. The method of claim 43 wherein the source of information provides any one of a plurality of information sets and wherein information encoded in the second signal includes information that determines which one of the plurality of information sets is encoded in the first signal.

70. The method of claim 43 wherein information encoded in the second signal includes a command to interrupt transmission of the first signal.

71. The method of claim 43 wherein the first information set includes video information.

72. The method of claim 71 further comprising converting the video information in the first information set to visible images.

73. The system of claim 69, wherein receiving the second information set includes receiving a radiated electromagnetic signal.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein receiving the second information set includes receiving an infrared signal that encodes the second information set.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein the infrared signal is transmitted in response to manual input.

76. The method of claim 43 wherein the first information set includes audio information.

77. The method of claim 76 further comprising converting the audio information to sound.

78. The method of claim 43 further comprising creating the first signal by encoding a non-empty subset of the first information set in each frequency band in the plurality of frequency bands.