Home videoconferencing system (HVS)

Claim 1

A system for videoconferencing comprising: a standard television monitor for receiving and outputting incoming television signals; a standard telephone line for receiving incoming standard telephone signals and sending outgoing standard telephone signals; a camcorder for generating outgoing television signals including a series of standard television video and audio signals; a video controller coupled to the camcorder and to the television receiver for receiving standard outgoing video signals from the camcorder and for receiving compressed incoming digital video signals, for converting said standard outgoing video signals into compressed digital video signals, and for converting incoming compressed digital video signals into standard television video signals for video output on said television monitor, wherein the video controller comprises a processor having a memory for storing a plurality of compression and decompression programs for compressing the digital video signal received from the camcorder and for decompressing the digital video data for output to the television monitor and the video controller selects one of the plurality of compression and decompression programs; a audio controller coupled to the camcorder and to the television receiver for receiving standard outgoing audio signals from the camcorder and for receiving compressed incoming digital audio signals, for convening said standard outgoing audio signals into compressed digital audio signals, and for converting incoming compressed digital audio signals into standard television audio signals for audio output on said television monitor; a system controller for receiving the outgoing compressed digital video signals and the outgoing compressed digital audio signals of the video and audio controllers and for multiplexing the compressed outgoing digital video and outgoing digital audio signals into outgoing system digital signals and for demultiplexing incoming system digital signals into incoming compressed digital video signals and incoming compressed digital audio signals; a modem coupled to a standard telephone line and to the system controller and under the control of the system controller for converting the outgoing system digital signals into outgoing standard telephone signals for transmission on the standard telephone lines and for converting incoming standard telephone signals into incoming system digital signals.

Claim 2

A system for videoconferencing comprising: a standard television monitor for receiving and outputting incoming television signals; a standard telephone line for receiving incoming standard telephone signals and sending outgoing standard telephone signals; a camcorder for generating outgoing television signals including a series of standard television video and audio signals; a video controller coupled to the camcorder and to the television receiver for receiving standard outgoing video signals from the camcorder and for receiving compressed incoming digital video signals, for converting said standard outgoing video signals into compressed digital video signals, and for converting incoming compressed digital video signals into standard television video signals for video output on said television monitor, wherein the video controller comprises a processor having a memory for storing a plurality of compression and decompression programs for compressing the digital video signal received from the camcorder and for decompressing the digital video data for output to the television monitor and the video controller selects one of the plurality of compression and decompression programs; a audio controller coupled to the camcorder and to the television receiver for receiving standard outgoing audio signals from the camcorder and for receiving compressed incoming digital audio signals, for convening said standard outgoing audio signals into compressed digital audio signals, and for converting incoming compressed digital audio signals into standard television audio signals for audio output on said television monitor; a system controller for receiving the outgoing compressed digital video signals and the outgoing compressed digital audio signals of the video and audio controllers and for multiplexing the compressed outgoing digital video and outgoing digital audio signals into outgoing system digital signals and for demultiplexing incoming system digital signals into incoming compressed digital video signals and incoming compressed digital audio signals; a modem coupled to a standard telephone line and to the system controller and under the control of the system controller for converting the outgoing system digital signals into outgoing standard telephone signals for transmission on the standard telephone lines and for converting incoming standard telephone signals into incoming system digital signals.

Claim 19

A method of home video conferencing comprising the steps of: receiving and outputting incoming television signals on a television monitor; receiving incoming standard telephone signals and sending outgoing standard telephone signals over standard telephone lines; generating outgoing television signals including a series of standard television video and audio signals; converting said standard outgoing video signals into compressed digital video signals and converting incoming compressed digital video signals into standard television video signals for video output on said television monitor; converting said standard outgoing audio signals into compressed digital audio signals and converting incoming compressed digital audio signals into standard television audio signals for audio output on said television monitor; multiplexing the compressed outgoing digital video and outgoing digital audio signals into outgoing system digital signals and demultiplexing incoming system digital signals into incoming compressed digital video signals and incoming compressed digital audio signals; convening the outgoing system digital signals into outgoing standard telephone signals for transmission on the standard telephone lines and convening incoming standard telephone signals into incoming system digital signals; and storing a plurality of video compression and decompression programs, compressing the digital video signal received from the camcorder in accordance with one of said video compression programs and decompressing the digital video data in accordance with one of said stored video decompression programs in order to provide an output to the television monitor.

Claim 20

A method of home video conferencing comprising the steps of: receiving and outputting incoming television signals on a television monitor; receiving incoming standard telephone signals and sending outgoing standard telephone signals over standard telephone lines; generating outgoing television signals including a series of standard television video and audio signals; converting said standard outgoing video signals into compressed digital video signals and converting incoming compressed digital video signals into standard television video signals for video output on said television monitor; converting said standard outgoing audio signals into compressed digital audio signals and converting incoming compressed digital audio signals into standard television audio signals for audio output on said television monitor; multiplexing the compressed outgoing digital video and outgoing digital audio signals into outgoing system digital signals and demultiplexing incoming system digital signals into incoming compressed digital video signals and incoming compressed digital audio signals; convening the outgoing system digital signals into outgoing standard telephone signals for transmission on the standard telephone lines and convening incoming standard telephone signals into incoming system digital signals; and storing a plurality of video compression and decompression programs, compressing the digital video signal received from the camcorder in accordance with one of said video compression programs and decompressing the digital video data in accordance with one of said stored video decompression programs in order to provide an output to the television monitor.