Multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system through pair-wire

• US 5,778,303 A
• Filed: 04/14/1994
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1993
• 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: Shinozaki, Noboru, Kubo, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/227,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 348/12, 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/143, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.3, 330/250, 330/262, 330/275, 330/301, 330/116, 333/25
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system has a camera-equipped intercom which produces a balanced audio-video signal. A twisted pair-wire connected to the intercom transmits a multiplexed signal of audio signal, video signal modulated to a frequency band not overlapping the audio signal frequency, and DC power. The audio signal and video signal are carried in the pair-wire in opposite phase in a balanced condition, and the DC power is carried between the pair-wire. A relay device is inserted in the pair-wire to refine the video signal. Main line branching device and door branching device are provided to branch out the multiplexed signal to a television equipped control unit 17.

Claims

1. A multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system for transmitting a multiplexed audio-video signal and DC power through a wire-pair, in which a video signal modulated to a predetermined frequency band does not overlap a frequency band of an audio signal said audio signal and said video signal being carried in said wire-pair in opposite phase in a balanced condition, and said DC power being carried between said wire-pair, said multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system comprising:

camera-equipped subunit means having a camera, a speaker and a microphone for producing a first balanced audio-video signal;

first wire-pair means connected to said subunit means for transmitting said first balanced audio-video signal;

a relay device connected to said first wire-pair means, said relay device separating a balanced video signal from said first balanced audio-video signal to refine said balanced video signal and for combining said refined balanced video signal with a separated audio signal to produce a second balanced audio-video signal, said relay device comprising;

(i) a balanced-to-imbalanced convertor for converting said separated balanced video signal to an unbalanced video signal;

(ii) an aromatic gain control unit for amplifying said unbalanced video signal;

and

(iii) a balanced transmitter for producing an amplified balanced video signal which is a refined version of said balanced video signal;

second wire-pair means connected to said relay device for transmitting said second balanced audio-video signal;

a door branching device connected to said second wire-pair means for receiving said second balanced audio-video signal and for separating said audio signal and said video signal; and

a television-equipped control unit connected to said door branching device for viewing an image captured by said camera using said video signal and for effecting a two-way communication with said camera-equipped subunit means using said audio signal.

2. The multiplexed audio-video transmission system of claim 1, wherein an automatic gain control device adjusts an input AC signal to a predetermined transmission signal level and outputs a level-adjusted signal, said automatic gain control device comprising:

a half-wave rectification circuit that half-wave rectifies and smooths said input AC signal and produces a bias voltage;

a differential amplification circuit that multiplies said bias voltage to produce an adjustment DC voltage; and

an amplification adjustment circuit that amplifies said input AC signal by said adjustment DC voltage, so as to output a signal with a predetermined amplitude.

3. The multiplexed audio-video transmission system of claim 2, wherein said half-wave rectification circuit comprises an amplifier that amplifies said input AC signal by a predetermined amplification degree to produce an amplified AC signal;

a predetermined bias voltage generator that generates a predetermined bias voltage; and

a rectifier that rectifies and smooths said amplified AC signal to produce said bias voltage.

4. The multiplexed audio-video transmission system of claim 2, wherein said differential amplification circuit comprises a constant current source.

5. The multiplexed audio-video transmission system of claim 2, wherein said amplification adjustment circuit comprises an active electronic component.

6. The multiplexed audio-video transmission system of claim 5, wherein said active electronic component comprises a double gate FET.

10. The multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system of claim 2, wherein said automatic gain control device comprises:

a rectification unit that half-wave rectifies and smooths an amplified input AC signal to produce a DC voltage related to an attenuated signal level of said input AC signal;

a differential amplifier unit that multiplies said DC voltage to produce an adjustment DC voltage; and

an amplification adjustment unit that amplifies said input AC signal by said adjustment DC voltage, so as to output a signal with a predetermined amplitude.

11. The multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system of claim 10, wherein said amplification adjustment unit comprises a field effect transistor.

12. The multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system of claim 10, wherein said rectification unit includes an amplifier that amplifies an input AC signal to produce said amplified input AC signal.

7. A multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system for transmitting a multiplexed audio signal video signal and electrical power through a wire-pair, in which a video signal modulated to a predetermined frequency band does not overlap a frequency band of an audio signal, said audio signal and said video signal being carried in said wire-pair in opposite phase in a balanced condition, and said electrical power being carried between said wire-pair, said multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system comprising:

camera-equipped subunit means having a camera, a speaker and a microphone for producing a first balanced audio-video signal;

first wire-pair means connected to said subunit means for transmitting said first balanced audio-video signal;

a relay device connected to said first wire-pair means, said relay device separating a balanced video signal from said first balanced audio-video signal to refine said balanced video signal and for combining said refined balanced video signal with a separated audio signal to produce a second balanced audio-video signal, said relay device comprising;

(i) a balanced-to-unbalanced converter that converts said separated balanced video signal to an unbalanced video signal;

(ii) an automatic gain control unit that amplifies said unbalanced video signal; and

(iii) a balanced transmitter that produces an amplified balanced video signal which is a refined version of said balanced video signal;

second wire-pair means connected to said relay device for transmitting said second balanced audio-video signal;

a line branching device connected to said second wire-pair means that receives and refines said second balanced audio-video signal and for producing a third balanced audio-video signal;

third wire-pair means connected to said branching device for transmitting said third balanced audio-video signal;

a door branching device connected to said third wire-pair means for receiving said third balanced audio-video signal and for separating said audio signal and said video signal; and

a television-equipped control unit connected to said door branching device for viewing an image captured by said camera using said video signal and for effecting a two-way communication with said camera-equipped subunit means using said audio signal.

8. The multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system of claim 7, wherein said line branching device comprises:

a transformer-less balanced receiver comprising a first transistor and a second transistor; and

a transformer-less balanced transmitter comprising a third transistor and a fourth transistor.

9. The multiplexed audio-video signal transmission system of claim 7, wherein said door branching device comprises:

a balanced-to-unbalanced converting receiver that receives and converts said third balanced audio-video signal to an unbalanced audio-video signal; and

a video signal extractor that extracts said video signal from said unbalanced audio-video signal.

13. A balanced-to-unbalanced converter used in a system for transmitting through a wire-pair a multiplexed audio signal, a video signal modulated to a frequency band that does not overlap an audio signal frequency, and electrical power, said audio signal and said video signal being carried in said wire-pair in an opposite phase in a balanced condition, and said electrical power being carried between said wire-pair, said balanced-to-unbalanced converter, comprising:

a balanced receiver having an impedance matching element to present an impedance equal to said wire-pair at said video signal frequency band for blocking said electrical power and said audio signal, and for passing said video signal; and

an unbalanced transmitter for removing same-phase signal components from said balanced video signal, applying a balanced-to-unbalanced signal conversion, and producing said unbalanced signal.

14. The balanced-to-unbalanced converter of claim 13, wherein said balanced receiver comprises:

first and second active electronic components having equal characteristics and performance connected through first and second capacitors, respectively, for passing said video signal and blocking said electrical power and audio signal; and

an impedance matching element having an output impedance equal to said wire-pair at the video signal frequency band.

15. The balanced-to-unbalanced converter of claim 13, wherein said unbalanced transmitter comprises:

an active electronic component;

a first resistor device; and

a second resistor device having an input impedance equal to said first resistor devices whereby said balanced video signals produced from said first and second active electronic components are converted to unbalanced video signal.

16. A relay device used with a wire-pair for transmitting a multiplexed audio signal, a video signal modulated to a frequency band that does not overlap an audio signal frequency, and an electrical current, said audio signal and said video signal being carried by said wire-pair, in opposite phase in a balanced condition, said electrical current being carried between said wire-pair, said relay device comprising:

I. a balanced-to-unbalanced converter, comprising;

(i) a balanced receiver having an impedance matching element to present an impedance equal to said wire-pair at said video signal frequency band, said impedance matching element blocking said electrical current and said audio signal while passing said balanced video signal; and

(ii) an unbalanced transmitter that removes same-phase signal components from said balanced video signal, applies a balanced-to-unbalanced signal conversion, and produces an unbalanced video signal;

II. an automatic gain control device that adjusts a gain of said unbalanced video signal to a predetermined transmission signal level and outputs a level-adjusted signal, said automatic gain control unit comprising;

(i) a half-wave rectification circuit that half-wave rectifies and smooths said unbalanced video signal and produces a bias voltage;

(ii) a differential amplification circuit that multiplies said bias voltage to produce an adjustment DC voltage; and

(iii) an amplification adjustment circuit that amplifies said unbalanced video signal by said adjustment DC voltage;

III. a balanced transmitter that converts said amplified unbalanced video signal to a refined and balanced video signal;

IV. a low pass filter comprising a coil, said coil being connected in parallel to a series connection of said balanced-to-unbalanced converter, said automatic gain control device, and said balanced transmitter for blocking said video signal and bidirectionally transmitting said audio signal and said DC current, and

V. a power supply unit that receives said electrical current from said wire-pair and generates a predetermined voltage which is supplied to said balanced-to-unbalanced converter, said automatic gain control device, and said balanced transmitter.

17. The relay device of claim 16, wherein said balanced receiver comprises:

first and second active electronic components having equal characteristics and performance connected through first and second capacitors, respectively, that pass said video signal and block said electrical current and said audio signal; and

an impedance matching element having an impedance equal to said wire-pair at said video signal frequency band.

18. The relay device of claim 16, wherein said unbalanced transmitter comprises:

an active electronic component having an input impedance in which said balanced video signal produced from said first and second active electronic component are converted to said unbalanced video signal.

19. The relay device of claim 16, wherein said half-wave rectification circuit comprises an amplifier that amplifies said unbalanced video signal by a predetermined amplification degree to produce an amplified unbalanced video signal;

a predetermined bias voltage generator that generates a predetermined bias voltage; and

a rectifier that rectifies and smooths said amplified unbalanced video signal to produce said bias voltage.

20. The relay device of claim 16, wherein said differential amplification circuit comprises a constant current source.

21. The relay device of claim 16, wherein said amplification adjustment circuit comprises an active electronic component.

22. The relay device of claim 21, wherein said active electronic component comprises a double gate FET.