Digital ISDN video server

• US 5,905,524 A
• Filed: 08/04/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale d'Electricite (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sauer, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Loomis, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US08/905,469
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 348/13, 348/17, 379/93.25, 379/93.15, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/102.03
• US Class Current: 725/54
• 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 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0428 Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1302 Relay switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1304 Coordinate switches, crossbar, 4/2 with relays, coupling field
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 Picturephone, videotelephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services

Abstract

Creation of a digital ISDN server for distribution and interactive services in video telephony, which can be used for a great number of video telephones including video telephones of different designs. Provision of video and audio signals with different formats and different transmission rates for different video telephones. Signalling of a terminal (TN1, . . . , TNp) is provided by the server for each requesting video telephone, where coded video and audio signals of different transmission rates and different formats are provided according to the design of the video telephone. These are available either in real time or are downloaded from corresponding storage media. In addition, an interactive control can be implemented.

Claims

1. A digital ISDN video server for providing data streams of coded video and audio signals (CB1, CB2, . . . , CBm, CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn) for video telephones of different designs comprising:

a plurality of video coders (VC1, VC2, . . . , VCm) and a plurality of audio coders (AC1, AC2, . . . , ACn) for coding uncoded video signals (B) and uncoded audio signals (T), respectively, in real time to make available the coded video signals (CB1, CB2, . . . , CBm) and coded audio signals (CT1, CT2, . . . , Ctn) in different formats;

a switching unit (V) for performing signaling functions and for establishing a respective connection between the video telephones of different designs and the digital ISDN video server;

respective signaling means (TN1, . . . , TNp) for each video telephone for determining the coded video signals (CB1, CB2, . . . , CBm) and coded audio signals (CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn) which are processible by the respective video telephones, for multiplexing or demultiplexing the coded video signals (CB1, CB2 , . . . , CBm) and the coded audio signals (CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn) for a respective one of the video telephones, and for performing error correction for a respective one of the video telephones;

a switching network (AV-V) for respectively switching the coded video signals (CB1, CB2, . . . , CBm) and the coded audio signals (CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn) to the respective signaling means (TN1, . . . , TNp); and

a controller (S) for controlling the provision of the data stream by the digital ISDN video server for the video telephones of different designs via the respective signaling means (TN1, . . . , TNp).

2. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 1, comprising an audio/video memory (A/V-S) for providing stored, coded video signals (CB1'"'"', CB2'"'"', . . . , CBm'"'"') and coded audio signals (CT1'"'"', CT2'"'"', . . . , CTn'"'"') each having a different format.

3. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signals (CB1, CB2, . . . , CBm, CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn) made available in real time by the plurality of video coders (VC1, VC2, . . . , VCm) and the plurality of audio coders (AC1, AC2, . . . , ACn) are stored in the audio/video memory (A/V-S).

4. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 3,

wherein the controller is designed as an interactive controller,

wherein the coded video signals (CB1'"'"', CB2'"'"', . . . , CBm'"'"') and coded audio signals (CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn) are stored in several data streams (DS1, DS2, DS3, DS4, DS5), and

wherein each of the data streams (DS1, DS2, DS3, DS4, DS5) contains differently positioned intraframes for restarting the coding to perform the functions of fast forward and rewind within the coded data stream.

5. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 4, wherein multiple access by individual customers to a data stream is made possible via the intraframes.

6. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 5, wherein data stream selection and control are effected by tone dialing or by signaling in the B channel.

7. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ISDN video server is used to implement a broadcast service.

8. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ISDN video server is used to implement an interactive service.

9. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller is designed as an interactive controller, wherein the coded video and audio signals (CB1, CB2, . . . , CBm, CT1, CT2, . . . , CTn) are stored in several data streams (DS1, DS2, DS3, DS4, DS5), and wherein each of the data streams (DS1, DS2, DS3, DS4, DS5) contains differently positioned intraframes for restarting the coding to perform the functions of fast forward and rewind within the coded data stream.

10. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 9, wherein multiple access by individual customers to a data stream is made possible via the intraframes.

11. A digital ISDN video server as claimed in claim 1, wherein data stream selection and control are effected by tone dialing or by signaling in the B channel.