Multiple audio and video signal providing apparatus

• US 5,600,365 A
• Filed: 01/25/1995
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Yoshiyuki, Tagawa, Koichi, Shigetomi, Tetsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/378,002
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/8, 348/385, 348/386, 348/388, 348/205, 348/837, 370/69.1, 370/73
• US Class Current: 725/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/12 Systems in which the television signal is transmitted via one channel or a plurality of parallel channels, the bandwidth of each channel being less than the bandwidth of the television signal H04N7/24 takes precedence

Abstract

A video signal provider multiplexes digital video signals for four channels and provides a signal the bandwidth of which is limited to 6 MHz by RF-modulation. An analog video signal provider provides another signal the bandwidth of which is limited to 6 MHz by RF-modulation. A digital audio signal provider multiplexes digital audio signals for 32 channels and provides another signal the bandwidth of which is limited to 6 MHz by RF-modulation. Such signals are combined and transmitted through a coaxial cable 14 to a controller. In this example, such signal providing apparatus can provide a maximum of 84 channels (=126 MHz (the bandwidth for video signal of the coaxial cable)/6 MHz×4 ch), which number is significantly larger than the 20 channels provided in the prior art.

Claims

1. A signal providing apparatus comprising:

digital video signal outputting means for outputting a plurality of compressed digital video signals;

time-division multiplexing means for multiplexing a plurality of said compressed digital video signals by time-division;

digital video signal modulating means for modulating the output signal from said time-division multiplexing means;

frequency-division multiplexing means receiving the output signal from said digital video signal modulating means as a first input signal and a second input signal, for multiplexing said output signal from said digital video signal modulating means and said second input signal by frequency-division;

tuner means receiving the output signal from said frequency-division multiplexing means, for demodulating said output signal from said frequency-division multiplexing means and for selecting a signal having a specific frequency;

video signal selecting means for selecting one of said compressed digital video signals multiplexed by time-division in the output signal from said tuner means;

expanding means for expanding the output signal from said video signal selecting means; and

display means receiving the output signal from said expanding means, for displaying a video image;

analog video signal outputting means for outputting an analog video signal;

analog video signal modulating means for modulating said analog video signal and for providing a modulated analog video signal as said second input signal to said frequency-division multiplexing means; and

decoding means for decoding said analog video signal, included in said output signal from said tuner means, into the output signal supplied to said display means;

wherein said digital video modulating means and said analog video signal modulating means are RF-modulators modulating signals by carrier frequencies, each bandwidth of which is 6 MHz.

2. The signal providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

audio signal outputting means for outputting a plurality of audio signals;

audio signal multiplexing means for multiplexing a plurality of said audio signals by time-division;

audio signal modulating means for modulating the output signal from said audio signal multiplexing means, and for providing a modulated signal as said second input signal to said frequency-division multiplexing means; and

audio selecting means for selecting one of a plurality of said audio signals multiplexed by time-division in the output signal from said tuner means.

3. The signal providing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising;

audio signal compressing means for compressing a plurality of said audio signals outputted from said audio signal outputting means; and

expanding means for expanding the selected signal from said audio signal selecting means.

4. A signal providing apparatus comprising:

digital video signal providing means comprising digital video signal outputting means for outputting a plurality of compressed digital video signals;

time-division multiplexing means for multiplexing a plurality of said compressed digital video signals by time-division;

digital video signal modulating means for modulating the output signal from said time-division multiplexing means;

analog video signal providing means comprising analog video signal outputting means for outputting an analog video signal, and analog video signal modulating means for modulating said analog video signal;

audio signal providing means comprising audio signal outputting means for outputting a plurality of audio signals, audio signal time-division multiplexing means for multiplexing a plurality of said audio signals by time division, and audio signal modulating means for modulating said output signal from said audio signal time-division multiplexing means; and

frequency-division multiplexing means for multiplexing by frequency-division the output signals from said digital video signal providing means, said analog video signal providing means, and said audio signal providing means;

wherein said digital video modulating means and said analog video signal modulating means are RF-modulators modulating signals by carrier frequencies, each bandwidth of which is 6 MHz.

5. A signal providing apparatus comprising:

digital video signal providing means comprising digital video signal outputting means for outputting a plurality of compressed digital video signals, time-division multiplexing means for multiplexing a plurality of said compressed digital video signals by time-division, and digital video signal modulating means for modulating the output signal from said time-division multiplexing means;

analog video signal providing means comprising analog video signal outputting means for outputting an analog video signal, and analog video signal modulating means for modulating said analog video signal;

audio signal providing means comprising audio signal outputting means for outputting a plurality of audio signals, audio signal time-division multiplexing means for multiplexing a plurality of said audio signals by time-division, and audio signal modulating means for modulating the output signal from said audio signal time-division multiplexing means;

frequency-division multiplexing means for multiplexing by frequency-division the output signals from said digital video signal providing means, said analog video signal providing means, and said audio signal providing means;

tuner means receiving the output signal from said frequency-division multiplexing means, for demodulating said output signal and for selecting a signal having a specific frequency;

video signal selecting means for selecting one of said compressed digital video signals multiplexed by time-division in the output signal from said tuner means;

audio signal selecting means for selecting one of said audio signals multiplexed by time-division in said output signal from said tuner means;

expanding means for expanding the selected signal from said video signal selecting means;

decoding means for decoding said analog video signal included in said output signal from said tuner means; and

display means receiving the output signal from said decoding means or from said expanding means, for displaying a video image,

wherein said digital video modulator means and said analog video signal modulating means are RF-modulators modulating signals by carrier frequencies, each bandwidth of which is 6 MHZ.

6. A signal providing apparatus comprising:

digital video signal outputting means for outputting a plurality of compressed digital video signals;

time-division multiplexing means for multiplexing a plurality of said compressed digital video signals by time-division;

digital video signal modulating means for modulating the output signal from said time-division multiplexing means;

frequency-division multiplexing means receiving the output signal from said digital video signal modulating means as a first input signal and a second input signal, for multiplexing said output signal from said digital video signal modulating means and said second input signal by frequency-division;

tuner means receiving the output signal from said frequency-division multiplexing means, for demodulating said output signal from said frequency-division multiplexing means and for selecting a signal having a specific frequency;

video signal selecting means for selecting one of said compressed digital video signals multiplexed by time-division in the output signal from said tuner means;

expanding means for expanding the output signal from said video signal selecting means;

display means receiving the output signal from said expanding means, for displaying a video image;

analog video signal outputting means for outputting an analog video signal;

analog video signal modulating means for modulating said analog video signal and for providing a modulated analog video signal as said second input signal to said frequency-division multiplexing means; and

decoding means for decoding said analog video signal, included in said output signal from said tuner means, into the output signal supplied to said display means;

wherein said digital video modulating means and said analog video signal modulating means are RF-modulators modulating signals by carrier frequencies, each bandwidth of which is 6 MHz.