CATV system

• US 5,768,375 A
• Filed: 05/24/1995
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Toshiaki, Furui, Masafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US08/519,414
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 380/9, 380/10, 380/20, 380/49, 380/50, 380/15, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 348/6, 348/7, 348/9, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12
• US Class Current: 725/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An image-data-system host computer outputs image data, the protocol of which is not disclosed. The image data outputted from the image-data-system host computer is transmitted via an image-data-system terminal and a video control unit to a data management unit. On the other hand, the data management unit decrypts in accordance with a protocol and acquires text data outputted from a text-system host computer whose protocol is disclosed. A signal transmitting unit transmits the image data and the text data outputted from the data management unit via a coaxial cable to a display unit. The display unit displays images in response to the image data and the text data received from the signal transmitting unit.

Claims

1. A CATV (cable television) system comprising:

a text-system host computer for outputting text data and having a disclosed protocol;

an image-data-system host computer for outputting image data and having an undisclosed protocol;

an image-data-system terminal connected to said image-data-system host computer, for displaying an image in response to said image data outputted from said image-data-system host computer;

a video control unit connected to said image-data-system terminal, for acquiring said image data from said image-data-system terminal to process said acquired image data;

a data management unit including means for acquiring said text data from said text-system host computer according to said disclosed protocol, said data management unit (a) acquiring the processed image data from said video control unit, (b) decrypting said text data and (c) outputting said text data and said processed image data;

a signal transmitting unit connected to said data management unit, for transmitting said processed image data and said text data received from said data management unit;

a cable for transmitting said processed image data and said text data outputted from said signal transmitting unit; and

a display unit connected via said cable to said signal transmitting unit, for displaying an image thereon in response to said processed image data and said text data both of which are acquired from said signal transmitting unit via said cable.

2. A CATV system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a monitor camera for outputting a television signal;

a microphone terminal for inputting an emergency voice signal and an emergency broadcasting command; and

a tuner terminal interposed between said cable and said display unit, wherein;

said data management unit receives said emergency broadcasting command outputted from said microphone terminal;

said signal transmitting unit transmits said television signal outputted from said monitor camera, said emergency broadcasting command outputted from said data management unit, and said emergency voice signal outputted from said microphone terminal other than said processed image data and said text data; and

said tuner terminal selects any one of said emergency voice signal, said processed image data, said text data, and said television signal all of which are received from said signal transmitting unit via said cable, and outputs the selected signal to said display unit.

3. A CATV system as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said data management unit compresses said processed image data into compressed image data, and converts both of said text data and said compressed image data into HDLC (high level data link control procedure) frame data;

said signal transmitting unit transmits said HDLC frame data received from said data management unit; and

said tuner terminal includes;

television signal receiving means for receiving said television signal from said signal transmitting unit via said cable;

voice receiving means for receiving said emergency voice signal from said signal transmitting unit via said cable;

data receiving means for receiving said HDLC frame data from said signal transmitting unit via said cable;

analyzing means for converting said HDLC frame data received from said data receiving means into said text data and said compressed image data;

a memory for storing therein said text data and said compressed image data both of which are received from said analyzing means;

channel number receiving means for receiving a channel number;

channel content judging means for comparing said channel number received from said channel number receiving means with a previously registered channel number, and for causing said television signal receiving means to receive the television signal in response to said channel number when said comparison indicates that a picture responsive to said television signal is to be displayed on said display unit;

text data decrypting means for acquiring said text data from said memory to decrypt a content of said text data when said comparison indicates that an image responsive to said text data is to be displayed on said display unit;

image data expanding means for acquiring said compressed image data from said memory to expand said compressed image data when the comparison indicates that an image responsive to said compressed image data is to be displayed on said display unit;

display control means for producing a display signal in response to either an output signal from said text data decrypting means, or an output signal from said image data expanding means; and

picture signal switching means for causing said display unit to receive said television signal outputted from said television signal receiving means when as a result of said comparison, the picture responsive to said television signal is displayed on said display unit, and, on the other hand, for causing said display unit to receive said display signal outputted from said display control means when the image responsive to either said text data or said compressed image data is displayed on said display unit.

4. A CATV system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said data management unit has a dual structure comprising an operation system and a waiting system, which mutually monitor conditions of said operation system, wherein;

when said operation system detects a failure that happens to occur in said operation system during operation of said operation system, said operation system outputs a switching signal for operating said waiting system to enter a waiting mode; and

on the other hand, when said operation system itself does not detect said failure, but said waiting system detects the occurrence of said failure, said waiting system causes switching from said operation system to said waiting system in said waiting mode.

5. A CATV system as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

said data management unit outputs a switching signal indicating that said operation system and said waiting system are switched; and

said signal transmitting unit includes;

first communication control means connected to said operation system of said data management unit, for converting said HDLC frame data and said emergency broadcasting command received from said operation system into digital signals;

second communication control means connected to said waiting system of said data management unit, for converting said HDLC frame data and said emergency broadcasting command received from said waiting system into digital signals; and

switching means for receiving any one of said digital signals derived from said first communication control means and said digital signals derived from said second communication control means in response to said switching signal.

6. A CATV system as claimed in claim 5 wherein:

said first communication control means is connected to both of said operation system and said waiting system of said data management unit by way of a LAN (local area network) of a transmission control protocol/internet protocol procedure;

said second communication control means is connected to both of said operation system and said waiting system of said data management unit by way of said LAN of the transmission control protocol/internet protocol procedure;

when each of said first and second communication control means is brought into a receivable condition with respect to said operation system and said waiting system of said data management unit, a message indicating said receivable condition is announced;

when said operation system and said waiting system of said data management unit do not receive said message that one of said first and second communication control means is under said receivable condition, from one of said first and second communication control means, said operation system and said waiting system output said HDLC frame data and said emergency broadcasting command to the other of said first and second communication control means.

7. A CATV system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a backup terminal connected to said data management unit, wherein;

said backup terminal receives said text data and said processed image data from said data management unit for temporary storage therein,

when a failure happens to occur in at least one of said text-system host computer, said image-data-system host computer, a transmission path from said text-system host computer to said data management unit, and a transmission path from said image-data-system host computer to said data management unit, said backup terminal adds information which should be transmitted after the occurrence of said failure to said temporarily stored text data and processed image data, and then transmits the resultant data to said data management unit.