Videophone for simultaneous audio and video communication via a standard telephone line
First Claim
1. A method for communicating audio and motion video simultaneously via a standard bidirectional (full duplex) telephone line in the form of a twisted pair in which video data is transmitted to produce a displayed moving image which is not blurred, comprising the steps of:
- transducing and digitizing images;
compressing and encoding the digitized images into video data;
storing the video data until the video data is formatted and transmitted;
detecting when the capability to transmit all of the stored video data to reproduce a current image exceeds the time period allotted for transmission via the standard telephone line;
replacing the stored video data with new video data corresponding to the present appearance of the image when the amount of stored video data reaches a predetermined level;
formatting and transmitting the new video data via the standard telephone line;
receiving the new video data via the standard telephone line;
unformatting and unbundling the received new video data;
decoding and decompressing the received new video data; and
reproducing images based on the decoded and decompressed new video data so that the reproduced image jumps ahead to an updated image without intervening blurred images;
thereby enabling clear motion images to be reproduced.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A videophone includes a video camera for transducing and digitizing images at a station and connected to a video processor for compressing and encoding the digitized images into video data and an audio transducer and digitizer connected to an audio processor synchronized with the video processor for compressing and encoding digitized sound. The video and audio processors are connected to a communication controller for formatting and transmitting the video data bundled with the audio data via a standard bidirectional (full duplex) telephone line in the form of a twisted pair. The communication controller can also receive and then unformat and unbundle audio and video data, and the video processor and audio processor can decode and decompress the received video and audio data, and the station further includes a display connected to the video processor for reproducing images and an electroacoustic transducer connected to the audio processor for reproducing sounds transmitted by another station. Rather than format and transmit only delayed or partial changed video data when the image changes significantly, the large amount of changed video data being stored is overwritten when the amount reaches a predetermined level, and new video data corresponding to the present appearance of the image is compressed, encoded, bundled with associated audio data, formatted, and transmitted. The image reproduced at the receiving station therefore jumps ahead to an updated image without intervening blurred images.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for communicating audio and motion video simultaneously via a standard bidirectional (full duplex) telephone line in the form of a twisted pair in which video data is transmitted to produce a displayed moving image which is not blurred, comprising the steps of:
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transducing and digitizing images; compressing and encoding the digitized images into video data; storing the video data until the video data is formatted and transmitted; detecting when the capability to transmit all of the stored video data to reproduce a current image exceeds the time period allotted for transmission via the standard telephone line; replacing the stored video data with new video data corresponding to the present appearance of the image when the amount of stored video data reaches a predetermined level; formatting and transmitting the new video data via the standard telephone line; receiving the new video data via the standard telephone line; unformatting and unbundling the received new video data; decoding and decompressing the received new video data; and reproducing images based on the decoded and decompressed new video data so that the reproduced image jumps ahead to an updated image without intervening blurred images; thereby enabling clear motion images to be reproduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus for communicating audio and video simultaneously via a standard bidirectional (full duplex) telephone line in the form of a twisted pair, comprising:
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video camera means for transducing and digitizing images; video processing means connected to the video camera means for compressing and encoding an initial digitized image to produce video data and storing the video data, the video processing means for detecting a change in a subsequent digitized image with respect to the initial digitized image and for compressing and encoding the change in the digitized image to produce changed video data and storing the changed video data; means for transducing and digitizing sound that is present when the images are being transduced and digitized; audio processing means connected to the means for transducing and digitizing sound for compressing and encoding digitized sound into audio data and storing the audio data, operation of the audio processing means being synchronized with operation of the video processing means; and a communication controller connected to the video processing means and the audio processing means for formatting and transmitting the stored audio data bundled with the stored video data via the standard telephone line at a synchronous data transmission rate less than 56 kilobits per second; the video processing means for detecting when the amount of video data that is stored reaches a predetermined level such that the amount of changed video data exceeds the capability to transmit the changed video data within a time period allotted for transmission via the standard telephone line to produce a current image; the video processing means for discontinuing the storage of changed video data when the predetermined level is reached and producing video data for a subsequent current image and storing the subsequent current video data so that the amount of video data that is stored does not reach the predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for communicating audio and video simultaneously via a standard bidirectional (full duplex) telephone line in the form of a twisted pair, comprising the steps of:
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transducing and digitizing images; compressing and encoding an initial digitized image to produce video data and storing the video data; detecting a change in a subsequent digitized image with respect to the initial digitized image; compressing and encoding the change in the digitized image to produce changed video data and storing the changed video data; synchronously transducing and digitizing sound present when the images are being transduced and digitized; compressing and encoding the digitized sound into audio data and storing the audio data; formatting and transmitting the stored audio data bundled with the stored video data via the standard telephone line at a synchronous data transmission rate less than 56 kilobits per second; detecting when the amount of video data that is stored reaches a predetermined level such that the amount of changed video data exceeds the capability to transmit the changed video data within a time period allotted for transmission via the standard telephone line to produce a current image; discontinuing the storage of changed video data when the predetermined level is reached; and producing video data for a subsequent current image and storing the subsequent current video data so that the amount of video data that is stored does not reach the predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification