Picture/audio signal transmission system

• US 4,251,691 A
• Filed: 12/01/1978
• Issued: 02/17/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibata, Yoji, Kosuge, Wataru, Hiratsuka, Kenichi, Kakihara, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Konick, Bernard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Popek, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US05/965,602
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 TV, 179/2 TS, 358/85
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A center-to-end type information service system utilizing the public telephone networks that are fundamental communication media of nation-wide scale is disclosed in which desired information is requested from the terminal side to the center by means of a telephone set or simplified keyboard and then delivered to and received by a TV receiver. A part of the center functions is transferred together with the exchange function to a subcenter located near the terminal. Thus, the length of transmission path connecting the center to terminals becomes shorter and the cost of the whole system can be cut down.

Claims

1. A picture/audio signal transmission system comprising:

a plurality of subscriber units each of which includes a TV receiver, a converter for converting an analog baseband TV signal into a standard TV signal which is to be supplied to said TV receiver and a terminal controller for generating a calling signal and a request;

a plurality of sub-centers each accommodating thereto a plurality of said subscriber units and each of which includes an exchanger responsive to the calling signal from said subscriber units accommodated and a picture and audio buffer memory means for recording a signal of analog baseband TV signal form and reproducing the signal recorded in analog baseband TV signal form, said subscriber units being connected to the corresponding accommodated one of said sub-centers by respective repeater lines; and

a center including a plurality of picture and audio files, a central processing unit for controlling said files in accordance with the requests from said subscriber units and operatingly transmitting signals of analog baseband TV signal form in compliance with the requests, to said sub-centers in request respective separate transmission paths for picture, audio and control signals being formed between said center and sub-centers respectively, said file and said buffer memory means being connected by said transmission path.

2. A picture/audio signal transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said plural picture files and said plural audio files in said center are connected respectively through a video distributing/coupling unit and directly to picture files and audio files in said sub-centers.

3. A picture/audio signal transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said sub-center includes, between said picture and audio buffer memory means and said exchanger, a video change-over unit, an audio change-over unit, a video output unit and an audio output unit.

4. A picture/audio signal transmission system comprising:

a plurality of subscriber units each of which includes a TV receiver, a converter for converting an analog baseband TV signal into a standard TV signal which is to be supplied to said TV receiver and a terminal controller for generating a calling signal and a request;

a plurality of sub-centers each accommodating thereto a plurality of said subscriber units and each of which includes an exchanger responsive to the calling signal from said subscriber units accommodated, picture buffer memory means for recording a signal of analog baseband TV signal form and reproducing the signal recorded in analog baseband TV signal form, and audio buffer memory means for recording and reproducing a signal of analog signal form, said subscriber units being connected to the corresponding accommodated one of said sub-centers by respective repeater lines; and

a center including a plurality of picture and audio files, a central processing unit for controlling said files in accordance with the requests from said subscriber units and operatingly transmitting signals of analog baseband TV signal form in compliance with the requests to said sub-centers in request, respective separate transmission paths for picture, audio and control signals being formed between said center and said sub-center respectively, said file and said buffer memory means being connected by said transmission path.