Network videoconferencing system

• US 5,568,183 A
• Filed: 01/17/1995
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Libre Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Videoconferencing Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Cortjens, Leo M., Franklin, Kenneth A., Mays, Richard C., Smith, Curtis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/373,868
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/211, 348/212, 348/213, 345/161, 379/52, 379/53, 358/85, 370/94.1, 370/94.2, 370/85.13, 370/85.14, 370/84, 370/110.1
• US Class Current: 348/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A videoconferencing system which readily accommodates new devices and new features. A plurality of devices ( 10, 12-18, 20-22) are connected to a network (23) by a plurality of network converters (11). A controller (10) contains software pertinent to each type of converter and the device to which it is connected. The controller (10) loads the appropriate software into each converter (11) so that each converter is then configured for the device (10, 12-18, 20-22) to which it is connected. User instructions are provided by a mouse (12), a control panel (13), or a joystick (18) to the controller (10). The controller (10) interprets the instructions to determine the action required and sends an appropriate command to the selected device. The present invention also provides a method for automatically positioning the camera, automatically zooming and focusing the camera, and for automatically adjusting the pan and tilt rates, and the zoom and focus during pan and tilt operations.

Claims

1. A videoconferencing system, comprising:

a network for carrying network standard signals;

a user input device responsive to input by a user for providing user control signals, said user control signals being included in a predetermined set of user control signals;

a first converter, connected to said user input device and to said network, for receiving said user control signals, for converting said user control signals into network standard user control signals, and for placing said network standard user control signals onto said network;

a camera assembly responsive to received camera control signals for providing a picture, said received camera control signals being included in a predetermined set of camera control signals;

a second converter, connected to said network and to said camera assembly, for receiving network standard camera control signals, for converting said network standard camera control signals into said received camera control signals, and for providing said received camera control signals to said camera assembly;

a monitor, functionally connected to said camera assembly, for displaying said picture; and

a controller, connected to said network, for receiving said network standard user control signals, for determining a camera assembly action specified by said network standard user control signals, for determining said network standard camera control signals necessary to implement said camera assembly action, and for placing said network standard camera control signals onto said network.

2. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 wherein:

said monitor is responsive to received monitor control signals for displaying said picture, said received monitor control signals being included in a predetermined set of monitor control signals;

said controller is further responsive to said network standard user control signals for determining network standard monitor control signals necessary to implement an action specified by said user using said user input device, and placing said network standard monitor control signals onto said network; and

said videoconferencing system further comprises

a third converter, connected to said network and to said monitor, for receiving said network standard monitor control signals from said network, converting said network standard monitor control signals into said received monitor control signals and providing said received monitor control signals to said monitor.

3. The videoconferencing system of claim 2 wherein:

said third converter comprises means, functionally connected to said monitor, for determining a predetermined status condition of said monitor, and said third converter places onto said network a network standard monitor status signal indicating said predetermined status condition; and

said controller receives said network standard monitor status signal and inspects said network standard monitor status signal to determine whether said monitor has implemented a preceding said monitor control signal.

4. The videoconferencing system of claim 3 wherein said means for determining the status condition comprises means for detecting radiation emitted by said monitor.

5. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 wherein user input device comprises a mouse.

6. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 wherein said user input device comprises a joystick.

7. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 wherein said user input device comprises a control panel.

8. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 and further comprising:

a second monitor for displaying a remote picture; and

a communications device connected to a telephone line, for exchanging video signals with a remote videoconferencing system over said telephone line, functionally connected to said camera assembly for providing said picture from said camera assembly to said remote videoconferencing system, and functionally connected to said second monitor for receiving video signals from said remote videoconferencing system and providing said received video signals to said second monitor as said remote picture.

9. The videoconferencing system of claim 8 wherein said communications device comprises a coder-decoder.

10. The videoconferencing system of claim 8 and further comprising:

a video control unit, functionally connected to said camera assembly, said communications device, said monitor, and said second monitor, and responsive to network standard video control signals for selectively routing said picture from said camera assembly to said communications device, said monitor, and said second monitor, and responsive to said network standard video control signals for selectively routing said remote picture from said communications device to said monitor and said second monitor; and

wherein said controller is responsive to said network standard user control signals for determining said network standard video control signals necessary to selectively route said picture from said camera assembly and to selectively route said remote picture from said communications device as specified by said user input device.

11. The videoconferencing system of claim 10 wherein said video control unit comprises:

a video switching unit responsive to received video control signals, said received video control signals being included in a predetermined set of video control signals, for selectively routing said picture and said remote picture; and

a third converter, connected to said network and to said video switching unit, for receiving said network standard video control signals, for converting said network standard video control signals to said received video control signals, and providing said received video control signals to said video switching unit.

12. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 wherein:

said first converter comprises a microprocessor and a memory; and

said controller contains a program, said program containing instructions as to converting said user control signals to said network standard user control signals, and said controller loads said program into said memory of said first converter by using said network.

13. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 wherein:

said second converter comprises a microprocessor and a memory; and

said controller contains a program, said program containing instructions as to converting said network standard camera control signals to said camera control signals, and said controller loads said program into said memory of said second converter by using said network.

14. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 wherein:

said second converter comprises a microprocessor and a memory; and

said controller contains a plurality of programs, each program of said plurality of programs containing instructions as to converting said network standard camera control signals into said camera control signals for a specific type of said camera assembly, and said controller is responsive to said network standard user control signals for loading into said memory a user-selected program of said plurality of programs.

15. The videoconferencing system of claim 1 and further comprising:

a peripheral device responsive to received peripheral device control signals for performing predetermined functions; and

a peripheral device converter, connected to said peripheral device and to said network, for receiving network standard peripheral device control signals, for converting said network standard peripheral device control signals into said received peripheral device control signals, and for providing said received peripheral device control signals to said peripheral device to cause said peripheral device to perform said predetermined functions designated by said received peripheral device control signals.

16. The videoconferencing system of claim 15 wherein:

said peripheral device converter comprises a microprocessor and a memory; and

said controller contains a plurality of programs, each program of said plurality of programs containing instructions as to converting said network standard peripheral device control signals into said received peripheral device control signals for a specific type of said peripheral device, and said controller is responsive to said network standard user control signals for loading into said memory a user-selected program of said plurality of programs.

17. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 wherein said peripheral device is a camera assembly.

18. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 wherein said peripheral device is a video cassette recorder.

19. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 wherein said peripheral device is at least one of a modulator-demodulator and a coder-decoder.

20. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 wherein said peripheral device is a monitor.