High speed teleconference system

• US 5,619,528 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trans Video Electronics Limited
• Original Assignee: Trans Video Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Rebec, Mihailo V., Rebec, Mohammed S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, AMANDA T
• Application Number:
  US08/475,332
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/240, 375/259, 375/260, 375/295, 375/316, 375/340, 375/349, 375/377, 455/3.1, 455/3.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.3, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/19, 455/73, 455/84, 455/89, 455/90, 455/95, 348/10-16, 370/104.1, 370/112, 370/118
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/916 Multiplexer/demultiplexer

Abstract

A transmission and receiving system, includes a transmit interface unit, a transmit signal processing unit, a transmit signal converting unit and a microwave transmitting unit all a first location. The system further includes a microwave receiving unit, a receive signal converting unit and a second signal processing unit. The system can transmit information such as an audio/video signal of broadcast quality or file information via satellite from anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world (except the polar caps) in real time.

Claims

1. A high speed teleconference station comprising:

interface means for receiving a first analog signal and outputting a first digital signal;

encoding/compressing means, coupled to said interface means, for encoding and compressing said first digital signal to produce a first compressed encoded signal;

multiplexing/demultiplexing means, coupled to said encoding/compressing means, for receiving and splitting said first compressed encoded signal into at least two split first compressed encoded signals;

at least two converting means, coupled to said multiplexing/demultiplexing means, for receiving a respective one of said at least two split first compressed encoded signals and respectively producing at least two first synchronous signals;

at least two microwave transmitter/receiver means, each coupled to a respective one of said at least two converting means, each for receiving a respective one of said at least two first synchronous signals, for generating a respective first microwave signal, for modulating said respective first microwave signal according to said respective one of said at least two first synchronous signals to produce at least two first modulated microwave signals; and

combining/splitting means, coupled to said at least two microwave transmitter/receiver means, for combining said at least two first modulated microwave signals and outputting a first combined microwave signal.

2. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising housing means for housing said interface means, said encoding/compressing means, said multiplexing/demultiplexing means, said at least two converting means, said at least two microwave transmitter/receiver means, and said combining/splitting means.

3. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a handle attached to said housing means for carrying said housing means.

4. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 3, wherein said housing means is a suitcase.

5. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two converting means each include a protocol converter and an interface converter.

6. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 5, wherein said interface converter is an RS-232 to V.35 interface converter.

7. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 1, wherein said encoding/compressing means uses motion interpolation buffering.

8. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first analog signal is audio and video for teleconferencing.

9. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said combining/splitting means receives a second combined microwave signal and outputs at least two second modulated microwave signals;

said at least two microwave transmitter/receiver means each receives a respective one of said at least two second modulated microwave signals and outputs a respective one of at least two second synchronous signals;

said at least two converting means each receives a respective one of said at least two second synchronous signals and respectively produces at least two split second compressed encoded signals; and

said multiplexing/demultiplexing means receives and combines said at least two split second compressed encoded signals into a second compressed encoded signal.

10. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 9, further comprising decoding/decompressing means, coupled to said multiplexing/demultiplexing means, for receiving said second compressed encoded signal and producing a second digital signal.

11. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interface means receives said second digital signal and produces a second analog signal.

12. The high speed teleconference station as claimed in claim 9, further comprising at least two modems, each coupled between a respective one of said at least two microwave transmitter/receiver means and a respective one of said at least two converting means.

13. A method for transmitting teleconferencing information comprising the steps of:

changing an analog signal to a digital signal using an interface;

encoding and compressing said digital signal to produce a compressed encoded signal using an encoder/compressor;

splitting said compressed encoded signal into at least two split compressed encoded signals using a demultiplexer;

converting each of said at least two split compressed encoded signals into a respective one of at least two synchronous signals using respective at least two converters;

generating a respective microwave signal using a respective one of at least two microwave transmitter/receiver means;

modulating said respective microwave signal according to said respective one of said at least two synchronous signals to produce at least two modulated microwave signals using said at least two microwave transmitter/receiver means; and

combining said at least two modulated microwave signals using a combining/splitting means to produce a combined microwave signal.

14. The method for transmitting teleconferencing information as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of converting includes changing from RS-232 to V.35.

15. The method for transmitting teleconferencing information as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of encoding and compressing includes motion interpolation buffering.

16. A high speed teleconference station comprising:

interface means for receiving a first analog signal and outputting a first digital signal;

encoding/compressing means for encoding and compressing said first digital signal to yield a first compressed encoded signal;

multiplexing and demultiplexing means for receiving and splitting said first compressed encoded signal into two first compressed encoded signals and for receiving two second encoded compressed signals and outputting a combined second encoded compressed signal;

dual converting means coupled to said multiplexing and demultiplexing means for receiving said two first compressed encoded signals and outputting two first synchronous signals and for receiving two second synchronous signals and outputting said two second encoded compressed signals;

two microwave transmitter/receiver means for receiving said two first synchronous signals, for generating two first microwave signals, for modulating said two first microwave signals according to said two first synchronous signals to produce two first modulated microwave signals and for outputting said two first modulated microwave signals, as well as for receiving two second modulated microwave signals which have been modulated with said two second synchronous signals and for outputting said two second synchronous signals;

combining/splitting means for combining said two first modulated microwave signals into a combined first modulated microwave signal and for splitting a combined second modulated microwave signal into said two second modulated microwave signals; and

decoding/decompressing means coupled to said multiplexing and demultiplexing means for decoding and decompressing said combined second encoded compressed signal and outputting a second digital signal.