Information outlet and industrial set top functionality

• US 5,968,118 A
• Filed: 08/08/1996
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sutton, Garnett Graham Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/693,627
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/8, 348/10, 348/11, 348/14, 455/6.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

The invention provides a central location for receiving voice, video, and data signals. A plurality of user locations are connected to a single central location. Each user location is connected to the central location by means of a single coax wire, and voice, video and data are all multiplexed over the coax, so that increased data capabilities can be added to individual user locations without the need to rewire existing user locations. This is particularly advantageous where such user locations have already been wired, and where rewiring would be a difficult and expensive process, e.g., passenger cabins on board a cruise ship.

Claims

1. A system for delivering multiple communication services to at least one user location comprising:

a video monitor disposed at the user location, the video monitor receptive to at least one VHF channel;

an information outlet disposed at the user location and having a plurality of output ports, the information outlet adapted to receive communication signals from a remote location and to distribute the signals according to a service type to respective ones of the output ports, the plurality of ports including a video port, a voice port, and a data port;

a transmissive connection from the video output port to the video monitor;

precisely one cable extending between the remote location to the information outlet, the cable serving only one user location;

a selection device disposed at the remote location, the selection device being remotely operable from the user location for selecting a video signal from precisely one of a plurality of incoming video channels, modulating the video signal on a VHF channel, and sending the modulated signal, via the cable, to the information outlet;

a voice device disposed at the remote location, the voice device configured to receive external voice signals and place them on the one cable for transmission to the information outlet; and

a data device disposed at the remote location, the data device configured to receive external data signals and place them on the cable for transmission to the information outlet;

wherein the video signals, external voice signals, and external data signals collectively occupy a plurality of UHF and VHF channels on the one cable.