System for communication of video, audio, data, control or other signals over fiber
First Claim
1. A system for communication of video signals from a plurality of remote devices to one or more monitoring devices, and for communication of control signals from one or more control devices to the plurality of remote devices, the system comprising:
- a plurality of remote interface units each coupled to a corresponding one of the remote devices;
a base unit coupled to the one or more monitoring devices and the one or more control devices; and
a central hub coupled between the base unit and the plurality of remote interface units;
wherein the central hub is coupled to the base unit by a first fiber optic link, and is coupled to the remote interface units by additional fiber optic links;
the central hub combining video signals received from the remote interface units over the additional fiber optic links into a single downlink stream for transmission to the base unit over the first fiber optic link;
the base unit processing the single downlink stream to obtain video signals for distribution to the one or more monitoring devices;
the base unit combining control signals received from the one or more control devices into a single uplink stream for transmission to the central hub over the first fiber optic link;
the central hub generating from the single uplink stream at least one additional uplink stream for delivery to the remote interface units over the additional fiber optic links;
wherein the video signals are converted from parallel to serial form in respective ones of the remote interface units, transmitted in serial form over the respective additional fiber optic links to the central hub, and converted from serial to parallel form in the central hub;
wherein the central hub forms the single downlink stream by time-division multiplexing portions of the respective video signals in parallel form in a designated sequence, and associating a given set of such portions in the downlink stream with separate reference information that allows the base unit to determine the designated sequence;
wherein the base unit comprises a parallel to serial converter configured to convert the control signals from parallel to serial form;
wherein the base unit combines the control signals with a master clock signal into the single uplink stream by clocking the parallel to serial converter with the master clock signal; and
wherein the master clock signal is recovered in the central hub for use in combining the video signals into the single downlink stream.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for communication of signals between remote devices and monitoring and control devices via fiber. The system in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a plurality of remote interface units each coupled to a corresponding one of the remote devices, a base unit coupled to one or more monitoring devices and one or more control devices, and a central hub coupled between the base unit and the plurality of remote interface units. The central hub is coupled to the base unit by a first fiber optic link, and is coupled to the remote interface units by additional fiber optic links.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for communication of video signals from a plurality of remote devices to one or more monitoring devices, and for communication of control signals from one or more control devices to the plurality of remote devices, the system comprising:
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a plurality of remote interface units each coupled to a corresponding one of the remote devices; a base unit coupled to the one or more monitoring devices and the one or more control devices; and a central hub coupled between the base unit and the plurality of remote interface units; wherein the central hub is coupled to the base unit by a first fiber optic link, and is coupled to the remote interface units by additional fiber optic links; the central hub combining video signals received from the remote interface units over the additional fiber optic links into a single downlink stream for transmission to the base unit over the first fiber optic link; the base unit processing the single downlink stream to obtain video signals for distribution to the one or more monitoring devices; the base unit combining control signals received from the one or more control devices into a single uplink stream for transmission to the central hub over the first fiber optic link; the central hub generating from the single uplink stream at least one additional uplink stream for delivery to the remote interface units over the additional fiber optic links; wherein the video signals are converted from parallel to serial form in respective ones of the remote interface units, transmitted in serial form over the respective additional fiber optic links to the central hub, and converted from serial to parallel form in the central hub; wherein the central hub forms the single downlink stream by time-division multiplexing portions of the respective video signals in parallel form in a designated sequence, and associating a given set of such portions in the downlink stream with separate reference information that allows the base unit to determine the designated sequence; wherein the base unit comprises a parallel to serial converter configured to convert the control signals from parallel to serial form; wherein the base unit combines the control signals with a master clock signal into the single uplink stream by clocking the parallel to serial converter with the master clock signal; and wherein the master clock signal is recovered in the central hub for use in combining the video signals into the single downlink stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for communication of a video signal from a remote device to a monitoring device, and for communication of a control signal from a control device to the remote device, the system comprising:
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a remote interface unit coupled to the remote device; and a base unit coupled to the monitoring device and the control device; wherein the base unit is coupled to the remote interface unit by a first fiber optic link; the remote interface unit combining a video signal and a data signal into a single downlink stream for transmission to the base unit over the first fiber optic link; the base unit processing the single downlink stream to obtain a video signal for distribution to the monitoring device; the base unit combining a control signal from the control device and a master clock signal into a single uplink stream for transmission to the remote interface unit over the first fiber optic link; the remote interface unit generating from the single uplink stream a control signal for delivery to the remote unit; wherein the base unit comprises a parallel to serial converter configured to convert the control signal from parallel to serial form; wherein the base unit combines the control signal with the master clock signal into the single uplink stream by clocking the parallel to serial converter with the master clock signal; and wherein the master clock signal is recovered in the remote interface unit from the single uplink stream for use in combining the video signal and the data signal into the single downlink stream.
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25. A signal distribution method for use in a system for communication of video signals from a plurality of remote devices to one or more monitoring devices, and for communication of control signals from one or more control devices to the plurality of remote devices, the system comprising a plurality of remote interface units each coupled to a corresponding one of the remote devices, a base unit coupled to the one or more monitoring devices and the one or more control devices, and a central hub coupled between the base unit and the plurality of remote interface units, the central hub being coupled to the base unit by a first fiber optic link and being coupled to the remote interface units by additional fiber optic links, the method comprising the steps of:
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combining in the central hub video signals received from the remote interface units over the additional fiber optic links into a single downlink stream for transmission to the base unit over the first fiber optic link; processing the single downlink stream in the base unit to obtain video signals for distribution to the one or more monitoring devices; combining in the base unit control signals received from the one or more control devices into a single uplink stream for transmission to the central hub over the first fiber optic link; and generating in the central hub from the single uplink stream at least one additional uplink stream for delivery to the remote interface units over the additional fiber optic links; wherein the video signals are converted from parallel to serial form in respective ones of the remote interface units, transmitted in serial form over the respective additional fiber optic links to the central hub, and converted from serial to parallel form in the central hub; wherein the central hub forms the single downlink stream by time-division multiplexing portions of the respective video signals in parallel form in a designated sequence, and associating a given set of such portions in the downlink stream with separate reference information that allows the base unit to determine the designated sequence; wherein the base unit comprises a parallel to serial converter configured to convert the control signals from parallel to serial form; wherein the base unit combines the control signals with a master clock signal into the single uplink stream by clocking the parallel to serial converter with the master clock signal; and wherein the master clock signal is recovered in the central hub for use in combining the video signals into the single downlink stream.
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Specification