Videoconference system for wireless network machines and its implementation method

• US 6,583,807 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Yung-Fu, Chang, Ju-Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/912,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20030020806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.714, 348/14-1-, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/14.11, 348/14.12, 348/14.13, 348/14.16, 370/260, 709/204, 345/753, 345/755, 455/556, 455/555, 379/202.01
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

The specification discloses a videoconference system for wireless network machines and its implementation method. Any user can use a wireless network machine to couple to a video capture device, a audio capture device, an image output device and an audio output device. The wireless network machine contains a first AV processing unit, a second AV processing unit, and an audio encoding/decoding unit. Through a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), the user can connect to another user using the wireless network machine to perform videoconferencing.

Claims

1. A videoconference system for a wireless network machine, which comprises:

a first AV (Audio/Video) processing unit, which receives AV signals/encoded data, separates the AV signals into an audio signal and a video signal/separates the encoded data into an audio encoded signal and a video encoded signal, and compresses the video signal/decompresses the video encoded signal;

an audio encoding/decoding unit, which receives the audio signal/the audio encoded signal and compresses the audio signal/decompresses the audio encoded signal; and

a second AV processing unit, which receives the compressed video signal from the first AV processing unit and the compressed audio signal from the audio encoding/decoding unit/the decompressed video encoded signal from the first AV processing unit and the decompressed audio encoded signal from the audio encoding/decoding unit, and outputs the compressed video and audio signals to a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)/outputs the decompressed encoded video and audio signals to an output device;

wherein videoconferencing is performed by inputting signals at a playing terminal and outputting signals at a transmission terminal using the wireless network machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the AV signals are provided by a local video capture device and a local audio capture device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoded data are provided from the other end of the WLAN.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio signal is converted into a digital audio signal by an A/D (Analog/Digital) converter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio encoded signal is converted into an analog audio signal by a D/A (Digital/Analogue) converter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the output device includes a video output device and an audio output device.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a communications protocol control unit to connect to the WLAN.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor for processing the control mode of the signals on both ends of the WLAN.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor further couples to a UI (User Interface) for a user to send functional commands to the microprocessor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second AV processing unit further couples to an output device and a storage device for document and data storage needed in the videoconference.

11. A method for inputting signals at the playing terminal of a wireless network machine in videoconferencing, which comprises the steps of:

receiving compressed signals from the other end of a WLAN using the wireless network machine;

inputting the compressed signals from the other end to the PCI bus of the wireless network machine;

separating the compressed signals into a video compressed signal and an audio compressed signal using a first AV processing unit;

decompressing the compressed video signal using the first AV processing unit and sending the decompressed video signal to a video input terminal of a second AV processing unit via a video output terminal;

decoding the extracted audio compressed signal using an audio encoding/decoding unit, converting the signal into an analog signal using a D/A (Digital/Analog) converter, and outputting the resulting signal to the second AV processing unit; and

outputting the video signal and the audio signal via a video output device and an audio output device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising a communications protocol control unit to connect to the WLAN.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising a microprocessor to process the control mode of the signals on both ends of the WLAN.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor further couples to a UI that sends functional commands to the microprocessor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second AV processing unit further couples to an output device and a storage device for storing documents and data needed for the videoconference.

16. A method for outputting signals at a transmission terminal of a wireless network machine in videoconferencing, which comprises the steps of:

inputting local AV signals to a first AV processing unit of the wireless network machine via a video capture device and an audio capture device;

separating the AV signals into a video signal and an audio signal;

compressing the video signal using the first AV processing unit and sending the compressed video signal to a video input terminal of a second AV processing unit via a video output terminal;

converting the audio signal into a digital audio signal using an A/D (Audio/Video) converter, encoding the digital audio signal using an audio encoding/decoding unit, and outputting the encoded audio signal to the second AV processing unit; and

transmitting the encoded video and audio signals to the other end of the WLAN via a PCI bus of the wireless network machine.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising a communications protocol control unit to connect to the WLAN.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising a microprocessor to process the control mode of the signals on both ends of the WLAN.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the microprocessor further couples to a UI that sends functional commands to the microprocessor.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second AV processing unit further couples to an output device and a storage device for storing documents and data needed for the videoconference.