Method, System and Apparatus for Voice and Data Transmission Over A Conductive Path
First Claim
1. A communication system, comprising:
- a common source of information;
a signal interface; and
a plurality of subsystems each comprising;
a path;
a twisted pair wire;
a transceiver;
a television; and
a telephone device,wherein;
the path of each subsystem is a two-wire conductive path that connects between the signal interface and the transceiver of the corresponding one of the plurality of subsystems;
the source of information communicates a first plurality of video information streams to said signal interface;
the signal interface is configured to apply voltage variations onto the path of each of the plurality of subsystems, thereby transmitting a downstream signal on each path, wherein each downstream signal (a) is received by the transceiver connected to the path over which the downstream signal transmits, (b) encodes a video information stream that is included in said first plurality of video information streams, and (c) encodes an incoming voice information stream;
each transceiver of the plurality of subsystems is configured so that the transceiver applies voltage variations onto the path of the corresponding one of the plurality of subsystems while receiving the downstream signal transmitting over said path, the transceiver thereby transmitting an upstream signal wherein (a) said upstream signal encodes a digital information stream and a outgoing voice information stream, and (b) substantially all of the energy of said upstream signal is expressed using frequencies above 3 KHz;
the signal interface is configured to (a) receive each of the upstream signals transmitting across each path in the plurality of subsystems while transmitting signals onto each path in the plurality of subsystems, and to (b) transmit the digital information streams encoded in said upstream signals to said common source of information;
each of said plurality of subsystems is further configured so that (a) the twisted pair wire connects between the transceiver and an ordinary telephone device, (b) said twisted pair wire is not part of the path, and (c) said transceiver is configured to establish an ordinary telephone communication link with said telephone device over the twisted pair wire, whereinthe incoming voice information stream includes ringing and hookswitch information, and the transceiver responds by supplying to the telephone device with the ringing and hookswitch components of the signals used to establish said ordinary telephone communication link,the incoming voice information stream is transmitted from said transceiver to said telephone device over said ordinary telephone communication link, andthe outgoing voice information stream is transmitted from said telephone device to said transceiver over said ordinary telephone communication link; and
each of the plurality of subsystems is further configured so that the transceiver transmits a television signal to said television, wherein said television signal encodes the video information stream.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system that provides video signal communication between a source of video signals and a plurality of units that include destinations of the video signals, the system including an interface coupled to the source and to conductive paths, each of which serves at least one of the units and carries voice signals to and from one or more telephone devices at said unit. The interface receives video signals from the source, and also receives voice signals. The interface transmits voice and video signals onto the conductive path. Receivers at each destination of information connected to the conductive path recover the video signal and apply it to one or more of the destinations at the unit. The receivers also recover the voice signal from the telephone line and apply it to a telephone device. Signals also transmit in the reverse direction, from the units back to the interface and the source of information.
100 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A communication system, comprising:
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a common source of information; a signal interface; and a plurality of subsystems each comprising; a path; a twisted pair wire; a transceiver; a television; and a telephone device, wherein; the path of each subsystem is a two-wire conductive path that connects between the signal interface and the transceiver of the corresponding one of the plurality of subsystems; the source of information communicates a first plurality of video information streams to said signal interface; the signal interface is configured to apply voltage variations onto the path of each of the plurality of subsystems, thereby transmitting a downstream signal on each path, wherein each downstream signal (a) is received by the transceiver connected to the path over which the downstream signal transmits, (b) encodes a video information stream that is included in said first plurality of video information streams, and (c) encodes an incoming voice information stream; each transceiver of the plurality of subsystems is configured so that the transceiver applies voltage variations onto the path of the corresponding one of the plurality of subsystems while receiving the downstream signal transmitting over said path, the transceiver thereby transmitting an upstream signal wherein (a) said upstream signal encodes a digital information stream and a outgoing voice information stream, and (b) substantially all of the energy of said upstream signal is expressed using frequencies above 3 KHz; the signal interface is configured to (a) receive each of the upstream signals transmitting across each path in the plurality of subsystems while transmitting signals onto each path in the plurality of subsystems, and to (b) transmit the digital information streams encoded in said upstream signals to said common source of information; each of said plurality of subsystems is further configured so that (a) the twisted pair wire connects between the transceiver and an ordinary telephone device, (b) said twisted pair wire is not part of the path, and (c) said transceiver is configured to establish an ordinary telephone communication link with said telephone device over the twisted pair wire, wherein the incoming voice information stream includes ringing and hookswitch information, and the transceiver responds by supplying to the telephone device with the ringing and hookswitch components of the signals used to establish said ordinary telephone communication link, the incoming voice information stream is transmitted from said transceiver to said telephone device over said ordinary telephone communication link, and the outgoing voice information stream is transmitted from said telephone device to said transceiver over said ordinary telephone communication link; and each of the plurality of subsystems is further configured so that the transceiver transmits a television signal to said television, wherein said television signal encodes the video information stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A signal processor assembly for connection to an external conductive path, a telephone device, and a television, comprising:
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a voice processor circuit configured to receive a downstream signal from said external path, said downstream signal encoding an incoming voice information stream, establish an ordinary telephone link with said telephone device over a twisted pair wire, wherein the incoming voice information stream includes ringing and hookswitch information, and the voice processor circuit responds by supplying the ringing and hookswitch components of the signals used to establish said ordinary telephone communication link, and transmit onto said external path an upstream voice signal confined to frequencies above 3 KHz, said upstream voice signal encoding an outgoing voice information stream received from said telephone device; an upstream communication circuit configured to receive an infrared signal encoding a digital information stream and transmit onto the external path a control signal encoding said digital information stream; and a video processing circuit configured (a) to be coupled to the external path (b) to receive said downstream signal from said path, said downstream signal encoding a video information stream and (c) transmit a television signal to said television, wherein said television signal encodes said video information stream, and the digital information stream has an influence on the content of the video information stream. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for communicating a conductive path, comprising:
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transmitting a downstream signal onto the conductive path at a first point, wherein the downstream signal encodes (1) a video information stream and (2) a first voice information stream including ringing and hookswitch information; receiving said downstream signal from said conductive path at a second point; converting the video information stream in said downstream signal into a television signal and passing said television signal to a television; decoding the first voice information stream in said downstream signal transmitting said first voice information stream to a telephone device using ordinary telephone techniques, said transmitting including providing ringing and hookswitch signals to the telephone device in response to ringing and hookswitch information in said first voice information stream; receiving a second voice information stream transmitted from said telephone device using ordinary telephone line techniques; encoding the second voice information stream into an upstream signal; encoding a digital information stream into said upstream signal; transmitting said upstream signal onto the second point of the conductive path, wherein substantially all of the power spectrum of said upstream signal is above 3 KHz; and receiving said upstream digital signal from the conductive path at the first point. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification