Secure video communications system

• US 5,056,136 A
• Filed: 03/09/1990
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Department Of Energy
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Inventors: Smith, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cain, David
• Application Number:
  US07/490,892
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 370/62, 379/202, 379/53, 358/85, 380/10
• US Class Current: 380/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A secure video communications system having at least one command network formed by a combination of subsystems. The combination of subsystems to include a video subsystem, an audio subsystem, a communications subsystem, and a control subsystem. The video communications system to be window driven and mouse operated, and having the ability to allow for secure point-to-point real-time teleconferencing.

Claims

1. A secure video communications system having at least one command network, each of said command networks comprising:

a video subsystem, an audio subsystem, and a control subsystem;

said control subsystem having means providing a common-user interface mode, including means for linking said command networks allowing access to and operation of said audio and video subsystems of other command networks, manual operating means of said audio and video subsystems, security means for encrypting and decrypting audio, video, and data signals, and a manual override for said audio and video subsystems;

said video subsystem having means for allowing control and transmission of multiple video signals, by using said manual operating means to select a source of said video signals, to add or remove the destination of said video signals, and to activate or cancel any signal transmitted to said control subsystem;

said audio subsystem having means for allowing control and transmission of multiple audio signals, by using said manual operating means to mute said audio signals, and to activate or cancel sound transmitted to said control subsystem; and

said control subsystem having indexing means associated with each command network for receiving said audio and video signals and having the ability to designate and store a configuration of the video to audio signals and the ability to retrieve different configurations, and wherein said indexing means can index said configuration and said configuration can be recalled by name by said manual operating means.

2. A secure video communications system, as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said video subsystem includes a camera, a video tape recorder, a still video recorder, a monitor, a video switcher, a digital time-based corrector, and a sync generator; and

said manual operating means includes a mouse for activating and canceling said audio, video, and data signals.

3. A secure video communications system, as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said audio subsystem includes, an audio switcher, a mixer, a speaker system, and a graphic equalizer.

4. A secure video communications system, as recited in claim 3 wherein:

said control subsystem includes a communications port having the ability to control said audio switcher and said video switcher.

5. A secure video communications system, consisting of a plurality of command networks:

each of said command networks having a communications subsystem, an audio subsystem, a video subsystem, and a control subsystem; and

said control subsystem having means to provide a common-user interface mode, thereby allowing multiple access and operation of said audio and video subsystems from each of said command networks including a manual operating means, of said audio and video subsystems, and a manual override for said audio and video subsystems.

6. A secure video communications system, as recited in claim 5, wherein:

said command network having means to interact and send audio, video, and data signals to each command network and having the ability to receive signals from two or more sources; and

said control subsystem having means for creating or retrieving a configuration and generating a menu for said audio and video subsystems, and wherein said manual operating means includes a mouse to preset said configuration and execute commands to said audio and video subsystems.

7. A secure video communications system, as recited in claim 6, wherein:

said control subsystem includes means for forcing an audio signal to follow a designated video signal to said command network.

8. A secure video communications system as recited in claim 7, wherein:

said video subsystem includes a camera, a video tape recorder, a still video recorder, a monitor, a video switcher, a digital time-based corrector, and a sync generator.

9. A secure video communications system, as recited in claim 8, wherein:

said audio subsystem includes, an audio switcher, a mixer, a speaker system, and a graphic equalizer.

10. A secure video communications system, as recited in claim 9, wherein:

said control subsystem includes a communications port having the ability to control said audio switcher and video switcher; and

said communications subsystem having security means for encrypting and decrypting audio, video, and data signals.

11. A video communications system, as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said mouse allows control of the video signals'"'"' brightness, contrast, color, and tint.

12. A secure video communications system, as recited in claims 4, or 11 wherein:

said control subsystem includes a means to generate an icon activated by said mouse.

13. A secure video communications command network comprising:

a video subsystem, an audio subsystem, and a control subsystem;

said control subsystem having means providing a common-user interface mode, including means for linking other command networks allowing access to and operation of said audio and video subsystems of each said command networks, manual operating means of said audio and video subsystems, security means for encrypting and decrypting audio, video, and data signals, and a manual override for said audio and video subsystems;

said video subsystem having means for allowing control and transmission of multiple video signals, by using said manual operating means to select a source of said video signals, to add or remove the destination of said video signals, and to activate or cancel any signal transmitted to said control subsystem;

said audio subsystem having means for allowing control and transmission of multiple audio signals, by using said manual operating means to mute said audio signals, and to activate or cancel sound transmitted to said control subsystem; and

said control subsystem having indexing means associated with each command network for receiving said audio and video signals and having the ability to designate and store a configuration of the video to audio signals and the ability to retrieve different configurations, and wherein said indexing means can index said configuration and said configuration can be recalled by name by said manual operating means.

14. A secure video communications command network as recited in claim 13, wherein:

said video subsystem includes a camera, a video tape recorder, a still video recorder, a monitor, a video switcher, a digital time-based corrector, and a sync generator; and

said manual operating means includes a mouse for activating and canceling said audio, video, and data signals.

15. A secure video communications command network as recited in claim 14, wherein:

said audio subsystem includes, an audio switcher, a mixer, a speaker system, and a graphic equalizer.

16. A secure video communications command network as recited in claim 15 wherein:

said control subsystem includes a communications port having the ability to control said audio switcher and said video switcher.