Television local wireless transmission and control

• US 5,023,931 A
• Filed: 12/27/1989
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald Streck, Jerry Iggulden
• Original Assignee: Donald Streck, Jerry Iggulden
• Inventors: Streck, Donald A., Iggulden, Jerry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNTZ, CURTIS A
• Application Number:
  US07/457,843
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/49, 455/66, 455/67, 455/617-619, 455/9, 455/20, 455/21, 358/141, 358/86, 358/335, 358/188, 358/186, 358/83
• US Class Current: 455/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

A wireless local television transmission system with related methods, apparatus, and components. There is a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location such as a TV camera, cable select box, antenna, or VCR. An up converter is connected to the source for shifting the video signal to a frequency above the normal television bands. A transmitter is connected to the up converter for transmitting the video signal at the shifted frequency. A receiver is disposed at the remote location for receiving the transmitted video signal. A down converter is connected to the receiver for shifting the video signal back down to a frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel. Finally, conventional television set functions are connected to the down converter for processing and displaying the video signal on the known channel. The preferred up conversion shifts the video signal to a frequency in the band of 902-928 MHz and frequency modulates the video signal on a carrier within that band. Provision is also provided for the wireless transmission of control signals provided by a conventional infra red controller/transmitter so that the controller/transmitter can be used at the location of either the VCR or the television set. The preferred embodiment employs a single controller/transmitter for both VCR and television control. An improved cable select box is disclosed employing two tuners and wireless signal transmission. A wireless video camera/recorder system is also disclosed. The disclosure also includes a universal controller/transmitter transmitting IR and RF signals simultaneously as well as a directional antenna to be employed with receiving equipment to reduce interference.

Claims

1. In a television system including a source of a signal including a video portion modulated onto a first frequency from any of the standard UHF and VHF frequencies used for normal television broadcasting and a television monitor for displaying a video picture, the improvement for wirelessly locally transmitting the video portion of the signal from the source to the monitor comprising:

a) first demodulating means disposed at the source and connected to receive the signal for demodulating the first frequency and for producing the video portion thereof as an output;

b) oscillator means disposed at the source for generating a second frequency above any standard UHF and VHF frequencies used for normal television broadcasting;

c) first modulating means disposed at the source for modulating said second frequency with the video portion of the signal to produce a modulated second frequency signal as an output thereof;

d) amplifying and transmitting means connected to said output of said first modulating means for amplifying and transmitting said modulated second frequency signal from a transmitting antenna;

e) receiving antenna means disposed at the monitor for receiving said modulated second frequency signal;

f) second demodulating means connected to said antenna means for demodulating said modulated second frequency signal as received and for reproducing the video portion of the signal as an output; and

,

g) means interconnecting said output of said second demodulating means to the monitor for conducting the video portion of the signal to the monitor to be used thereby in producing a video picture.

2. The improvement to a television system of claim 1 wherein:

said oscillator means generates said second frequency at a frequency above 900 MHz.

3. The improvement to a television system of claim 2 wherein:

said oscillator means generates said second frequency in a band of 902-928 MHz.

6. The wireless local television transmission system of claim 1 wherein:

said up converter means shifts said video signal to a frequency band of 902-928 MHz.

4. A wireless local television transmission system comprising:

a) a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location, said video signal being modulated onto a first frequency from any of the standard UHF and VHF frequencies used for normal television broadcasting;

b) first demodulator and up converter means connected to said source for removing said video signal from said first frequency and modulating it onto a second frequency above any standard UHF and VHF frequencies used for assigned television channels;

c) transmitter means including a transmitting antenna connected to said first demodulator and up converter means for transmitting said video signal modulated on said second frequency;

d) receiver means including a receiving antenna at said remote location for receiving said transmitted video signal modulated on said second frequency;

e) down converter means connected to said receiver means for removing said video signal from said second frequency and for modulating said video signal onto a third frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel; and

,

f) television set means connected to said down converter means including second demodulator means for removing said video signal from said third frequency and for processing and displaying said video signal on said known channel.

5. The wireless local television transmission system of claim 4 wherein:

said up converter means shifts said video signal to a frequency band above 900 MHz.

7. The method of locally wirelessly transmitting a television video signal between a source producing the signal as a modulation on a first radio frequency carrier and a television set for use therein comprising the steps of:

a) demodulating the first radio frequency carrier to remove the video signal from the first radio frequency carrier;

b) modulating a second radio frequency carrier at a frequency above any standard UHF and VHF frequencies used for assigned television channels with the video signal;

c) wirelessly transmitting the modulated second radio frequency carrier to the location of the television set;

d) receiving and demodulating the second radio frequency carrier to remove the video signal from the second radio frequency carrier;

e) modulating a third radio frequency carrier with the video signal;

f) connecting the third radio frequency carrier to a signal input of the television set; and

,

g) receiving and demodulating the third radio frequency carrier within the television set to remove the video signal from the second radio frequency carrier.