Method and apparatus for integrating video, voice and computer data traffic in a single, conferencing system using existing telephone and CATV connections
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a video network server to receive and transmit video signals to and from a plurality of clients using telephone wires;
a plurality of client frequency division multiplexing couplers, each associated with one of the plurality of clients, to receive video and telephone signals from the client and frequency multiplex them onto the telephone wires for transmission and to receive video signals from the server and frequency demultiplex them for transmission to the client;
a video frequency division multiplexing coupler connected between the video network server and each of the plurality of client frequency division multiplexing couplers to receive the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmit only the video signals to the video network server; and
a telephone frequency division multiplexing coupler connected between a telephone network switch and each of the plurality of client frequency division multiplexing couplers to receive the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmit only the telephone signals to the telephone network switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Video, voice and data are integrated using existing telephone connections by using a video network server to receive and transmit video signals to and from clients using telephone wires. Client frequency division multiplexing couplers, each associated with one of the clients, receive video and telephone signals from the client and frequency multiplex them onto the telephone wires for transmission. They also receive video signals from the server and frequency demultiplex them for transmission to the client. A video frequency division multiplexing coupler connected between the video network server and each of the client frequency division multiplexing couplers receive the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmit only the video signals to the video network server. A telephone frequency division multiplexing coupler connected between a telephone network switch and each of the client frequency division multiplexing couplers receive the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmit only the telephone signals to the telephone network switch.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a video network server to receive and transmit video signals to and from a plurality of clients using telephone wires;
a plurality of client frequency division multiplexing couplers, each associated with one of the plurality of clients, to receive video and telephone signals from the client and frequency multiplex them onto the telephone wires for transmission and to receive video signals from the server and frequency demultiplex them for transmission to the client;
a video frequency division multiplexing coupler connected between the video network server and each of the plurality of client frequency division multiplexing couplers to receive the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmit only the video signals to the video network server; and
a telephone frequency division multiplexing coupler connected between a telephone network switch and each of the plurality of client frequency division multiplexing couplers to receive the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmit only the telephone signals to the telephone network switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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server means for receiving and transmitting video signals to and from a plurality of clients using telephone wires;
a plurality of client multiplexer means, each associated with one of the plurality of clients, for receiving video and telephone signals from the client and frequency multiplexing them onto the telephone wires for transmission and for receiving video signals from the server means and frequency demultiplexing them for transmission to the client;
server multiplexer means connected between the server means and each of the plurality of client multiplexer means, for receiving the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmitting only the video signals to the server means; and
telephone multiplexer means connected between a telephone network switch and each of the plurality of client multiplexer means for receiving the video and telephone signals from the clients and transmitting only th telephone signals to the telephone network switch. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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multiplexing a client telephone signal onto a telephone wire;
multiplexing a client video signal onto the telephone wire;
communicating control and configuration data regarding video signals between a video server and a client over a network connection separate from the telephone wire;
demultiplexing the telephone signal from the telephone wire and providing it to a telephone switch; and
demultiplexing the video signal from the telephone wire and providing it to the video server. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus comprising:
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a video network server to receive and transmit video signals to and from a plurality of clients using telephone wires;
a local area network separate from the telephone wires connected to each of the plurality of clients and to the video network server to communicate control and configuration data regarding video signals communicated using the telephone wires;
a plurality of client relays, each associated with one of the plurality of clients, to alternately connect the telephone wires of the respective client to one of either video or telephone equipment of the respective client, the client relays being controlled by the video network server through the local area network; and
a plurality of network relays, each associated with one of the plurality of clients, to alternately connect the telephone wires of the respective client to one of either the video network server or a telephone network switch, the network relays being controlled by the video network server through the local area network. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus comprising:
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server means for receiving and transmitting video signals to and from a plurality of clients using telephone wires;
LAN means separate from the telephone wires for communicating control and configuration data regarding video signals between the server means and the clients;
client relay means controlled by the server means through the LAN means, each associated with one of the plurality of clients, for alternately connecting the telephone wires of the respective client to one of either video or telephone equipment of the respective client; and
a plurality of network relay means controlled by the server means through the LAN means, each associated with one of the plurality of clients, for alternately connecting the telephone wires of the respective client to one of either the video network server or a telephone network switch. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method comprising:
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modulating at least one of a client telephone signal and a client video signal onto a telephone wire;
communicating control and configuration data regarding the modulated signal between a video server and a client using a network connection separate from the telephone wire;
controlling a client relay through the network connection to alternately connect the telephone wires of the respective client to one of either video or telephone equipment of the respective client; and
controlling a network relay through the network connection to alternately connect the telephone wires of the respective client to one of either the video server or a telephone network switch. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A method comprising:
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receiving frequency multiplexed video signals from a server using telephone wires and frequency demultiplexing the video signals for transmission to a client;
receiving frequency multiplexed telephone signals from a telephone network switch using the telephone wires and frequency demultiplexing the telephone signals for transmission to the client;
receiving video and telephone signals from the client and frequency multiplexing them onto the telephone wires for transmission;
receiving the frequency multiplexed video and telephone signals from the client and transmitting only the video signals to the server;
receiving the frequency multiplexed video and telephone signals from the client and transmitting only the telephone signals to the telephone network switch; and
communicating control and configuration data regarding video signals between the server and the client separate from the telephone wires. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification