Plug-and-play network digital image display apparatus and image monitoring system

• US 20080186150A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: D-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: D-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Kao, Ken
• Application Number:
  US11/702,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186150A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/310.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5454 Adapter and plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form

Abstract

The present invention discloses a plug-and-play network digital image display apparatus plugged into an existing power socket at home or office through a built-in or external powerline to Ethernet adapter and connected to a webcam through a powerline installed at home or office, so that the webcam in a certain room can send captured video and audio signals to the network digital image display apparatus in another room through the powerline, and the network digital image display apparatus plays the image and sound, without the need of installing an additional network cable to achieve the plug-and-play function at the power socket for the environmental dynamic monitoring function. The invention also discloses a plug-and-play image monitoring system, such that a user situated at a place other than a home or an office still can use a personal computer to monitor the home or office through the Internet.

Claims

1. A network digital image display apparatus, comprising:

an Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a network packet;

a TCP/IP chip, coupled to said Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a network packet transmitted from said Ethernet physical layer chip, and processing said network packet based on a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and an Internet Protocol (IP);

a digital audio/video signal processor, coupled to said TCP/IP chip, for receiving and processing a digital audio/video data stream transmitted from said TCP/IP chip;

a display panel, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for displaying a received digital image;

a digital analog/audio controller, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for converting a received digital audio signal into an analog audio signal;

a speaker, coupled to said digital analog/audio controller, for playing a received analog audio signal;

a press key module, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, and provided for a user to input an operation instruction; and

a memory, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for buffering an instruction and a data required for the operation of said digital audio/video signal processor.

2. The network digital image display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a built-in Ethernet to powerline adapter, and said built-in Ethernet to powerline adapter comprising:

a power plug, plugged into an existing power socket at home or office;

an AC-to-DC regulator, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and converting said AC power into a DC power, and supplying said DC power to each chip and component in said webcam for their use;

a signal transformer, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and decoupling a low-power analog signal carried in said AC power;

an analog-to-digital signal converter, coupled to said signal transformer, for receiving a low-power analog signal transmitted from said signal transformer, and converting said low-power analog signal into a digital signal; and

a powerline networking chip, coupled to said analog-to-digital signal converter, for receiving a digital signal transmitted from said analog-to-digital signal converter, and converting said digital signal into a network packet.

3. The network digital image display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory card interface, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for inserting a memory card, such that said digital audio/video signal processor can read a digital image stored in said memory card and display said digital image on said display panel.

4. A network digital image display apparatus, comprising:

a network plug;

an Ethernet physical layer chip, coupled to said network plug, for receiving a network packet transmitted from said network plug;

a TCP/IP chip, coupled to said Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a network packet transmitted from said Ethernet physical layer chip, and processing said network packet based on a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and an Internet Protocol (IP);

a digital audio/video signal processor, coupled to said TCP/IP chip, for receiving and processing a digital audio/video data transmitted from said TCP/IP chip stream;

a display panel, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for displaying a received digital image;

a digital analog/audio controller, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for converting a received digital audio signal into an analog audio signal;

a speaker, coupled to said digital analog/audio controller, for playing a received analog audio signal;

a press key module, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, and provided for a user to input an operation instruction;

a memory, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for buffering an instruction and a data required for the operation of said digital audio/video signal processor; and

an AC-to-DC regulator, having a power plug installed at an end of said AC-to-DC regulator, for converting an AC power transmitted from said power plug into a DC power, and supplying said DC power to said components for their use.

5. The network digital image display apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a memory card interface, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for inserting a memory card, such that said digital audio/video signal processor can read a digital image stored in said memory card and display said digital image on said display panel.

6. A plug-and-play network digital image display apparatus and an image monitoring system, and said system comprising:

a webcam, connected directly to Internet or another network device without requiring a support of any computer operating system;

a network digital image display apparatus, connected directly to Internet or another network device without requiring a support of any computer operating system; and

said webcam and said network digital image display apparatus, both being plugged separately into an existing power socket at home or office through a built-in or external Ethernet to powerline adapter, and coupled with each other by a powerline installed at home or office, such that video and audio signals captured by said webcam can be transmitted to said network digital image display apparatus through said powerline, and played by said network digital image display apparatus.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said webcam comprises:

an image capturing chip, for capturing an image and converting said image into a signal of a YUV format;

an image encoding/decoding chip, for receiving a signal transmitted from said image capturing chip, and encoding said signal into an digital audio/video data stream of a predetermined format;

a dynamic random access memory, for receiving and buffering a digital audio/video data stream transmitted from said image encoding/decoding chip;

a microprocessor control unit (MCU) chip, for controlling the whole operation of said webcam and reading a digital audio/video data stream in said dynamic random access memory;

a random access memory, for buffering an instruction and a data required for the operation of said webcam;

a TCP/IP chip, for receiving a digital audio/video data stream transmitted from said microprocessor control unit (MCU) chip, and processing said digital audio/video data stream based on a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and an Internet Protocol (IP); and

an Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a data transmitted from said TCP/IP chip, and converting said data into a network packet, and sending out said network packet.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said webcam further comprises a built-in Ethernet to powerline adapter, and said built-in Ethernet to powerline adapter comprises:

a power plug, plugged into an existing power socket at home or office;

an AC-to-DC regulator, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and converting said AC power into a DC power, and supplying said DC power to each chip and component in said webcam for their use;

a powerline networking chip, coupled to said Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a network packet transmitted from said Ethernet physical layer chip, and digitizing said network packet;

an analog-to-digital signal converter, coupled to said powerline networking chip, for receiving a digital signal transmitted from said powerline networking chip, and converting said digital signal into a low-power analog signal; and

a signal transformer, coupled separately to said analog-to-digital signal converter and power plug, for receiving a low-power analog signal transmitted from said analog-to-digital signal converter, and stacking and coupling said low-power analog signal on a waveform of said AC power, and sending out said AC power through said power plug.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said webcam comprises:

an image capturing chip, for capturing an image, and converting said image into a signal of a YUV format;

an image encoding/decoding chip, for receiving a signal transmitted from said image capturing chip, and encoding said signal into a digital audio/video data stream of a predetermined format;

a dynamic random access memory, for receiving and buffering a digital audio/video data stream transmitted from said image encoding/decoding chip;

a microprocessor control unit (MCU) chip, for controlling the whole operation of said webcam, and reading a digital audio/video data stream in said dynamic random access memory;

a random access memory, for buffering an instruction and a data required for the operation of said webcam;

a TCP/IP chip, for receiving a digital audio/video data stream transmitted from said microprocessor control unit (MCU) chip, and processing said digital audio/video data stream based on a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and an Internet Protocol (IP);

an Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a data transmitted from said TCP/IP chip, and converting said data into a network packet; and

a network plug, coupled to said Ethernet physical layer chip, for sending out said network packet.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said network digital image display apparatus comprises:

an Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving network packet;

a TCP/IP chip, coupled to said Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a network packet transmitted from said Ethernet physical layer chip, and processing said network packet based on a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and an Internet Protocol (IP);

a digital audio/video signal processor, coupled to said TCP/IP chip, for receiving and processing a digital audio/video data stream transmitted from said TCP/IP chip;

a display panel, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for displaying a received digital image;

a digital analog/audio controller, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for converting a received digital audio signal into an analog audio signal;

a speaker, coupled to said digital analog/audio controller, for playing a received analog audio signal;

a press key module, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, and provided for a user to input an operation instruction; and

a memory, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for buffering an instruction and a data required for the operation of said digital audio/video signal processor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said network digital image display apparatus further comprises a built-in Ethernet to powerline adapter, and said built-in Ethernet to powerline adapter comprises:

a power plug, plugged into an existing power socket at home or office;

an AC-to-DC regulator, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and converting said AC power into a DC power, and supplying said DC power to each chip and component in said webcam for their use;

a signal transformer, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and decoupling a low-power analog signal carried in said AC power;

an analog-to-digital signal converter, coupled to said signal transformer, for receiving a low-power analog signal transmitted from said signal transformer, and converting said low-power analog signal into a digital signal; and

a powerline networking chip, coupled to said analog-to-digital signal converter, for receiving a digital signal transmitted from said analog-to-digital signal converter, and converting said digital signal into a network packet.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein said network digital image display apparatus comprises:

a network plug;

an Ethernet physical layer chip, coupled to said network plug, for receiving a network packet transmitted from said network plug;

a TCP/IP chip, coupled to said Ethernet physical layer chip, for receiving a network packet transmitted from said Ethernet physical layer chip, and processing said network packet based on a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and an Internet Protocol (IP);

a digital audio/video signal processor, coupled to said TCP/IP chip, for receiving and processing a digital audio/video data stream transmitted from said TCP/IP chip;

a display panel, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for displaying a received digital image;

a digital analog/audio controller, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for converting a received digital audio signal into an analog audio signal;

a speaker, coupled to said digital analog/audio controller, for playing a received analog audio signal;

a press key module, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, and provided for a user to input an operation instruction; and

a memory, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for buffering an instruction and a data required for the operation of said digital audio/video signal processor.

13. The system of claims 9, further comprising an external Ethernet to powerline adapter, and said external Ethernet to powerline adapter comprising:

a power plug, plugged into an existing power socket at home or office;

an AC-to-DC regulator, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and converting said AC power into a DC power, and supplying said DC power to each chip and component in said webcam for their use;

a signal transformer, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and decoupling a low-power analog signal carried in said AC power;

an analog-to-digital signal converter, coupled to said signal transformer, for receiving a low-power analog signal transmitted from said signal transformer, and converting said low-power analog signal into a digital signal;

a powerline networking chip, coupled to said analog-to-digital signal converter, for receiving a digital signal transmitted from said analog-to-digital signal converter, and converting said digital signal into a network packet; and

a network socket, coupled separately to said powerline networking chip and said network plug, for transmitting a network packet transmitted from said powerline networking chip to said network plug.

14. The system of claims 12, further comprising an external Ethernet to powerline adapter, and said external Ethernet to powerline adapter comprising:

a power plug, plugged into an existing power socket at home or office;

an AC-to-DC regulator, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and converting said AC power into a DC power, and supplying said DC power to each chip and component in said webcam for their use;

a signal transformer, coupled to said power plug, for receiving an AC power transmitted from said power plug, and decoupling a low-power analog signal carried in said AC power;

an analog-to-digital signal converter, coupled to said signal transformer, for receiving a low-power analog signal transmitted from said signal transformer, and converting said low-power analog signal into a digital signal;

a powerline networking chip, coupled to said analog-to-digital signal converter, for receiving a digital signal transmitted from said analog-to-digital signal converter, and converting said digital signal into a network packet; and

a network socket, coupled separately to said powerline networking chip and said network plug, for transmitting a network packet transmitted from said powerline networking chip to said network plug.

15. The system of claims 10, wherein said network digital image display apparatus further comprises:

a memory card interface, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for inserting a memory card, such that said digital audio/video signal processor can read a digital image stored in said memory card and display said digital image on said display panel.

16. The system of claims 12, wherein said network digital image display apparatus further comprises:

a memory card interface, coupled to said digital audio/video signal processor, for inserting a memory card, such that said digital audio/video signal processor can read a digital image stored in said memory card and display said digital image on said display panel.

17. The system of claim 6, further comprising a router, with an end connected to Internet and another end plugged into an existing power socket at home or office through a powerline to Ethernet adapter, and using a powerline installed at home or office to connect said webcam with said network digital image display apparatus.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a network digital video recorder that can be connected directly to said router without requiring a support of any computer operating system, for storing video and audio signals captured by said webcam through said router.