Videophone interface arrangement and method therefor

• US 5,966,165 A
• Filed: 09/19/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Eddington, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMAKRISHNAIAH, MELUR
• Application Number:
  US08/934,179
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A videophone includes an interface that enables communication between a videophone and another type of device, such as a speech-only telephone. In one embodiment, a signal processing circuit processes video and another type of information, respectively, in parallel data paths and operates in either a non-video mode or a video mode in response to whether or not another communicatively-coupled terminal represents that it is not operable as a compatible videophone. A two-way converter circuit coupled between the signal processing circuit and the communication channel transceives the video and the other type of information as processed in the parallel data paths with the signal processing circuit, and transceives the video and the other type of information with the communication channel.

Claims

1. A videophone for use as part of a communication system for transceiving video and another type of information over a communication channel, comprising:

a signal processing circuit configured and arranged to process video and another type of information, respectively, in parallel data paths and to operate in a non-video mode in response to another communicatively-coupled terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is not operable as a compatible videophone, and to operate in a video mode in response to another terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is operable as a compatible videophone; and

a two-way converter circuit coupled between the signal processing circuit and the communication channel and configured to transceive the video arid the other type of information as processed in the parallel data paths with the signal processing circuit, to transceive the video and the other type of information with the communication channel, and to cancel a signal transmitted to the communication channel from a signal received from the communication channel using a feedback path emanating from the two-way converter circuit.

2. A videophone, according to claim 1, wherein the other type of information includes at least one of:

an audio component and a data component.

3. A videophone, according to claim 1, wherein the two-way converter circuit includes digital signal processor programmed to sum and separate the video and other type of information.

4. A videophone, according to claim 1, wherein the two-way converter circuit includes an audio subprocessor programmed to transceive audio information with a speaker and a microphone.

5. A videophone, according to claim 1, wherein the two-way converter circuit includes an audio subprocessor programmed to transceive audio information and not video information.

6. A videophone, according to claim 1, wherein the two-way converter circuit includes a modem arranged to transceive video information.

7. A videophone, according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing circuit includes an audio subprocessor programmed to transceive audio information and not video information, and a modem arranged to transceive video information and not audio information.

8. A videophone, according to claim 7, wherein the signal processing circuit further includes a programmed processor constructed and arranged to process video information and interface the video information with a camera.

9. A videophone, according to claim 1, wherein the non-video mode is an audio mode, and wherein the videophone communicates in the audio mode while the video mode is disabled.

10. A method for using a videophone to transceive video and another type of information over a communication channel, the method comprising:

providing a signal processor circuit and a set of parallel data paths for carrying video and another type of information, respectively, separately;

in response to another communicatively-coupled terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is not operable as a compatible videophone, ignoring data that would otherwise be present as video in the set of parallel data paths and processing only the other type of information;

in response to another terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is operable as a compatible videophone, using the signal processor circuit to process both the video and the other type of information in a videophone call;

coupling the set of parallel data paths with the communication channel; and

cancelling a signal transmitted to the communication channel from a signal received from the communication channel using a feedback path emanating from the two-way converter circuit.

11. A method, according to claim 10, further comprising the step of providing a summer to sum the information carried by the set of paths and a separator separating the information from the communication channel into separate information channels.

12. A method, according to claim 11, wherein the set of parallel data paths includes a first set of send channels and a second set of receive channels coupled to the separator.

13. A method, according to claim 10, wherein the set of parallel data paths includes a first set of send channels and a second set of receive channels.

14. A videophone for use as part of a communication system for transceiving video and another type of information over a communication channel, comprising:

processing means for processing video and another type of information, respectively, in parallel data paths and to operate in a non-video mode in response to another communicatively-coupled terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is not operable as a compatible videophone, and to operate in a video mode in response to another terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is operable as a compatible videophone;

means coupled between the processing means and the communication channel and for transceiving the video and the other type of information as processed in the parallel data paths with the processing means, for transceiving the video and the other type of information with the communication channel, and for canceling a signal transmitted to the communication channel from a signal received from the communication channel using a feedback path emanating from the means coupled between the processing means and the communication channel.

15. A videophone, according to claim 14, wherein the non-video mode is an audio mode, and wherein the videophone communicates in the audio mode while the video mode is disabled.

16. A system for videophone communication in which video and another type of information are sent over a communication channel, comprising:

a videophone arrangement having a signal processing circuit, and a two-way converter circuit;

the signal processing circuit configured and arranged to process video and another type of information, respectively, in parallel data paths and to operate in a non-video mode in response to another communicatively-coupled terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is not operable as a compatible videophone, and to operate in a video mode in response to another terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is operable as a compatible videophone;

the two-way converter circuit coupled between the signal processing circuit and the communication channel and configured to transceive the video and the other type of information as processed in the parallel data paths with the signal processing circuit, to transceive the video and the other type of information with the communication channel, and to cancel a signal transmitted to the communication channel from a signal received from the communication channel using a feedback path emanating from the means coupled between the processing means and the communication channel; and

another communications terminal constructed and coupled for transceiving over the communication channel.

17. A system, according to claim 16, wherein the other communications terminal includes the other communicatively-coupled terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is not operable as a compatible videophone .

18. A system, according to claim 16, wherein the other communications terminal includes the other communicatively-coupled terminal sending information representing that the other terminal is operable as a compatible videophone.