Patent EP0277014B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0277014B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Service and entertainment communication system
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1988-01-28
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Granted: 1995-09-20
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Expires: 2008-01-28
Abstract
Abstract A service and entertainment system for transmitting a plurality of video signals, audio signals and television game software signals from a central transmitting apparatus (100, 200) to each of a plurality of terminal units (30), which may be mounted at respective passenger seats in a passenger vehicle such as an aircraft or at respective seats in a stadium or a theatre. The video signals, audio signals and television game software signals are frequency-multiplexed and transmitted through a single signal transmitting means, such as a leaky cable (21), so that desired signals can be selected at each terminal unit (30).
Inventors
- 👤 Koichi Tagawa
- 👤 Atsushi Matsuzaki
- 👤 Masakatsu Toyoshima
- 👤 Yoshiyuki Kondo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:40
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R16/00; B60R16/02; B60R16/023; H; H04; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/08; A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/20; A63F13/23; A63F13/30; A63F13/31; B64; B64D; B64D11/00; B64D11/0015; B64D11/00155; G; G09; G09B; G09B5/00; G09B5/08; G09B5/12; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/18502; H04B7/18506; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/10; H04N7/18; H04N7/181; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/10; A63F2300/1025; A63F2300/40; A63F2300/402
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
371 words
A service and entertainment system, comprising: a head end apparatus comprising means (1) for reproducing video signals, means (4) for reproducing audio signals, encoder means (6, 7) for encoding said audio signals, means (11) for modulating said video signals and said encoded audio signals in channels of different frequency bands, respectively, and means (12) for multiplexing said modulated video signals and encoded audio signals, respectively; cable means (21) for transmitting said multiplexed, modulated video signals and encoded audio signals; and a plurality of terminal units (30) each positioned away from the head end apparatus, each said terminal unit (30) including a means for selecting at least one of said multiplexed, modulated video signals and encoded audio signals, tuner means (33, 34) coupled to the selecting means for receiving and demodulating said selected video signals and encoded audio signals, a decoder means (36) for decoding said selected encoded audio signals, a display means (35a) for displaying the selected video signals, and an audio output terminal (35b) for receiving the selected decoded audio signals; characterised in that: the head end apparatus also includes means (9) for storing television game software signals and a key (5c; 5d) activation of which generates a control signal (SC1, SC2), the encoder means (6, 7) is capable of digitally encoding the television game software signals, the modulator means (11) is capable of modulating the television game software signals in a channel of a respective frequency band, and the multiplexing means (12) is capable of multiplexing the modulated television game software signals and the control signal (SC1, SC2) with the modulated video signals and the modulated audio signals; and the tuner means (33) of each terminal unit (30) is capable of receiving and demodulating the multiplexed television game software signals and the control signal (SC1, SC2), the decoder means (36) of each terminal unit (30) is capable of decoding the digitally encoded television game software signals, and each terminal unit (30) is positioned at a different one of a plurality of passenger seats and includes means for storing, processing, and selecting the encoded television game software signals, and means responsive to the control signal (SC1, SC2) to interrupt temporarily execution of a television game at the terminal unit (30).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said audio signals are analogue audio signals and said encoder means (6, 7) converts said analogue audio signals to digital audio signals prior to encoding said audio signals therein, and said decoder means (36) converts said digital audio signals to analogue audio signals prior to decoding said audio signals therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein each terminal unit (30) further comprises antenna means (31) for receiving said multiplexed video signals and audio signals, and a signal distributor (32) connected between said antenna means (31) and said tuner means (33, 34), and each said tuner means (33, 34) includes a first tuner (33) for receiving said video signals and a second tuner (34) for receiving said audio signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein said video signal reproducing means (1) includes a plurality of video cassette recorders (1) and a means (3) for reproducing still video pictures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 4, wherein said video signal reproducing means (1) further includes a television tuner (2).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system according to claim 4, wherein each of said video cassette recorders (1) and said still video picture reproducing means (3) has a video output terminal (V) and an audio output terminal (A), each said video output terminal (V) being connected to said modulator means (11) and each said audio output terminal (A) being connected to said encoder means (6, 7).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein each terminal unit (30) further comprises a game terminal (35d) to which a game controller (35e) may be connected.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means (35) comprises a channel indicator (35h), a set of channel up and down keys (35i, 35j) for use in selecting any one of said video signals and said audio signals, and a game selecting key (35l, 35m) for selecting any one of said decoded television game software signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 8, wherein each said terminal unit (30) further comprises a volume control (35r) for controlling the volume of the selected decoded audio signals received at the audio output terminal (35b).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
A system according to claim 9, further comprising an attendant call light (41) and a reading light (42) provided for each said terminal unit (30), wherein said head end apparatus further comprises control means (40) for controlling each said attendant call light (41), and wherein each terminal unit (30) comprises an attendant call key (35p), a reading light key (35q), means for generating a control signal by actuation of said attendant call key (35p) and said reading light key (35q), and means for sending said control signal to said control means (40) in said head end apparatus through said cable means (21).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system according to claim 10, wherein each terminal unit (30) comprises a panel (35) including said display means (35a), said game terminal (35d), said channel indicator (35h), said channel up and down keys (35i, 35j), said game selecting key (35k), said volume control (35r), said attendant call key (35p) and said reading light key (35q).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said panels (35) is arranged to be mounted on the rear side of a passenger seat in a passenger vehicle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said display means (35a) is a flat cathode ray tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said display means (35a) is a liquid crystal display.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
19 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cable means comprises a leaky cable (21).
Claim 16
Independent Claim
26 words
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each terminal unit (30) is mounted at a respective passenger seat in a passenger vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 16, wherein said passenger vehicle is an aircraft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
112 words
A system according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein, in said head end apparatus, said video signal reproducing means (1) is also capable of generating related audio signals, said audio signal reproducing means (4) is operable to generate separate audio signals, and said encoder means (6, 7) is operable to encode both said related and said separate audio signals, and wherein, in each said terminal unit (30), said tuner means (33, 34) comprises a first tuner (33) for receiving and demodulating said selected video signals and a second tuner (34) for receiving and demodulating said selected related audio signals, said selected separate audio signals and said multiplexed television game software signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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