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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A communication system that includes an electronic switching device that
provides an interface to a telephone system, a first port ordinarily used
for connection of telephone equipment and an apparatus located in a first
area, said apparatus supplying a first video signal, a second port
ordinarily used for connection of telephone equipment and a television
receiver located in a second area, the communication system further
including a first two-wire conductive path connecting said first port to
said switching device, and a second two-wire conductive path connecting
said second port to said switching device, the communication system
further including:
(a) a first electronic device located in said first area including:
receiving means connected to said first apparatus, for receiving said first
video signal.
signal processing means for providing a second video signal, said second
video signal having a higher energy level than said first video signal and
substantially the same information content as said first video signal, and
first transmitting means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
transmitting said second video signal onto the network, said first
transmitting means comprising first filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered:
(b) a second electronic device located in said second area including:
recovering means, connected to said second one of said ports, for
recovering said second video signal from the network, said recovering
means comprising second filtering means for presenting a high impedance to
signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the highest
frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices, while
allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially unaltered: and
second transmitting means, connected to said television receiver, for
transmitting said video signals to said television receiver,
(c) a connecting device (52) interposed along said first 2-wire conductive
path, including:
a first low-pass filter for allowing signals at frequencies used by
ordinary telephone devices to transmit along said first path unaltered
while blocking signals transmitted at frequencies at which the energy of
said second video signal is concentrated,
said connecting device also being interposed along said second 2-wire
conductive path, and including a second low-pass filter for allowing
signals at frequencies used by ordinary telephone devices to transmit
along said path unaltered while blocking signals transmitted at
frequencies at which the energy of said second video signal is
concentrated,
said connecting device further including a third conductive path connecting
said first conductive path and said second conductive path, and including
a high pass filter for blocking passage of signals concentrated at
frequencies used by ordinary telephone devices, and enabling electrical
energy of said second video signal to pass substantially unaltered, for
allowing transmission of said second video signal from said first port to
said second port, while maintaining the separation of telephone
communications signals between said switching device and each of said
first port and said second port.
2. A communications system that includes a network of wiring, a plurality
of ports ordinarily used for connection of telephone equipment to said
network, and an interface to a telephone system, said ports being located
in different areas, said network comprising a plurality of 2-wire
conductive paths connecting said ports to said interface, the
communications system including a first one of said ports and a first
electronic device (1) located in a first area, and a second one of said
ports and a second electronic device (15) located in a second area, the
system further including an apparatus (2) located in said first area, said
apparatus responding to infrared light signals received from an infrared
light transmitter for determining operational modes of said apparatus,
said apparatus being out of range of said light transmitter when said
light transmitter is located in the second area, wherein:
(a) said second electronic device (15) further includes:
first converting means for converting infrared light radiation to a first
series of electrical impulses,
first representing means for representing said first series of electrical
impulses as a second series of electrical impulses, information content of
said second series being substantially the same as the information content
of said first series, substantially all of the energy of said second
series being concentrated at frequencies above the highest frequency used
for communication by ordinary telephone devices, wherein said first
representing means includes:
means for creating a weighted average signal, said weighted average signal
being a weighted average of the energy level of said first series of
electrical impulses over a preceding time period of predetermined length,
means for creating a first bi-level signal, said first bi-level signal
assuming a high state when the energy level of said first series of
electrical impulses exceeds said weighted average signal, said first
bi-level signal otherwise assuming a low state,
means for suppressing noise by creating a second bi-level signal, said
second bi-level signal assuming a high state whenever the energy level of
said first series of electrical impulses exceeds said weighted average by
a fixed factor at any time over a preceding time period of fixed length,
said second bi-level signal otherwise assuming a low state, and
means for providing an RF carrier only when both said first bi-level signal
and said second bi-level signal are at the higher of their two said
levels;
said second electronic device (15) further including first transmitting
means, connected to said second one of said ports, for transmitting said
second series of electrical impulses onto the network, said first
transmitting means comprising first filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said second series of electrical impulses to transmit
substantially unchanged, and wherein
(b) said first electronic device (1) further includes:
first recovering means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
recovering said second series of electrical impulses from the network
wiring, said first recovering means comprising second filtering means for
presenting a high impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at
frequencies below the highest frequency used for communication by ordinary
telephone devices, while allowing said second series of electrical
impulses to transmit substantially unchanged,
second representing means for representing said second series of electrical
impulses as a third series of electrical impulses, information content of
said third series being substantially the same as the information content
of said second series, and
second converting means for converting said third series of electrical
impulses to infrared light radiation, said second converting means
creating a light pattern with substantially the same characteristics as
the light pattern created by the infrared light radiation in the second
area.
3. A communication system that includes a network of wiring, a plurality of
ports ordinarily used for connection of telephone equipment to said
network, and an interface to a telephone system, said ports being located
in different areas, said network comprising a plurality of 2-wire
conductive paths connecting said ports to said interface, the
communications system including a first one of said ports and a first
electronic device (1) located in a first area, and a second one of said
ports and a second electronic device (15) located in a second area, the
system further including an apparatus (2) located in said first area, said
apparatus responding to infrared light signals received from an infrared
light transmitter for determining operational modes of said apparatus,
said apparatus being out of range of said light transmitter when said
light transmitter is located in the second area, wherein:
(a) said second electronic device (15) further includes:
first converting means for converting infrared light radiation to a first
series of electrical impulses,
first representing means for representing said first series of electrical
impulses as a second series of electrical impulses, information content of
said second series being substantially the same as the information content
of said first series, substantially all of the energy of said second
series being concentrated at frequencies above the highest frequency used
for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
first transmitting means, connected to said second one of said ports, for
transmitting said second series of electrical impulses onto the network,
said first transmitting means comprising first filtering means for
presenting a high impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at
frequencies below the highest frequency used for communication by ordinary
telephone devices, while allowing said second series of electrical
impulses to transmit substantially unchanged,
(b) said first electronic device (1) further includes:
first recovering means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
recovering said second series of electrical impulses from the network
wiring, said first recovering means comprising second filtering means for
presenting a high impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at
frequencies below the highest frequency used for communication by ordinary
telephone devices, while allowing said second series of electrical
impulses to transmit substantially unchanged,
second representing means for representing said second series of electrical
impulses as a third series of electrical impulses, information content of
said third series being substantially the same as the information content
of said second series, and
second converting means for converting said third series of electrical
impulses to infrared light radiation, said second converting means
creating a light pattern with substantially the same characteristics as
the light pattern created by the infrared light radiation in the second
area,
said communications system further comprising a television receiver located
in said second area, wherein said apparatus (2) in said first area
includes means for supplying a first video signal and wherein:
(i) said first electronic device (1) in said first area further includes:
receiving means, connected to said apparatus (2), for receiving said first
video signal, and
signal processing means for providing a second video signal, said second
video signal having a higher energy level than said first video signal and
substantially the same information content as said first video signal, and
second transmitting means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
transmitting said second video signal onto the network, said second
transmitting means comprising third filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered; and wherein
(ii) the electronic device (15) located in the second area further
includes:
second recovering means, connected to said second one of said ports, for
recovering said second video signal from the network, said second
recovering means comprising fourth filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated by ordinary telephone
devices, while allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered, and
third transmitting means, connected to said television receiver, for
transmitting one of
(1) said second video signal or
(2) an alternative video signal having substantially the same information
content as said second video signal to said television receiver.
4. A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said first electronic device (1)
further includes means for blocking the energy of said second video signal
from transmission to said second representing means.
5. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein:
substantially all of the energy of said first video signal is concentrated
at frequencies between 54 Mhz and 72 Mhz,
said signal processing means comprises amplification means for amplifying
said first video signal, so as to provide said second video signal,
the degree of amplification of said amplification means is variable and
manually adjustable, and
said second transmitting means includes a 2-conductor cord, the conductors
of said cord including one of,
(1) systematic twists about each other, and
(2) metallic shielding
for reducing RF radiation emanating from said cord.
6. A communication system as defined in claim 3 wherein:
substantially all of the energy of said first video signal is concentrated
at frequencies below 6 Mhz,
said first electronic device (1) further includes a switch with at least
first and second settings,
said signal processing means included in said first electronic device (1)
comprises RF conversion means for translating said first video signal to
provide a translated signal whose energy is concentrated at higher
frequencies, and amplification means for amplifying said translated signal
to provide said second video signal, said RF conversion means responding
to the setting of said switch to determine the frequencies at which the
energy of said second video signal is concentrated, substantially all of
the energy of said second video signal being concentrated at frequencies
between 76 Mhz and 82 Mhz when said switch is at said first setting, and
being concentrated at frequencies between 82 Mhz and 88 Mhz when said
switch is at said second setting.
7. A system as defined in claim 3 wherein:
said signal processing means included in said first electronic device (1)
comprises first RF conversion means for converting said first video signal
to a signal with a higher energy level whose energy is concentrated at
frequencies below 54 Mhz so as to provide said second video signal,
said second electronic device (15) includes second RF conversion means for
converting signals within an input band to signals whose energy is
concentrated at frequencies above 54 Mhz so as to provide a third video
signal, said input band covering the frequencies of said second video
signal, said third video signal having substantially the same information
content as said second video signal,
said third transmitting means connected to said television receiver
comprises means for transmitting said third video signal to said
television receiver.
8. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein:
said second electronic device (15) further includes adjusting means with at
least first and second settings, and
said second RF conversion means responds to the setting of said adjusting
means to determine the frequencies at which the energy of said third video
signal is concentrated, substantially all of the energy of said third
video signal being concentrated within a first output band when said
adjusting means is at said first setting, and within a second output band
when at said second setting, a width of said first and the width of said
second output bands being 6 Mhz, said first output band being adjacent to
and below said second output band.
9. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein:
said second RF conversion means comprises means for simultaneously
providing both a supplemental video signal and said third video signal,
substantially all of the energy of said supplemental video signal falling
within a 6 Mhz supplemental band, substantially all of the energy of said
third video signal being confined within a 6 Mhz band below and adjacent
to said supplemental band, said supplemental video signal having
substantially the same information content as said third video signal, and
said third transmitting means connected to said television receiver
comprises means for simultaneously transmitting both said third video
signal and said supplemental video signal to said television receiver.
10. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein:
substantially all of the energy of said first video signal supplied by said
apparatus (2) is concentrated within an initial band above 54 Mhz, the
width of said initial band being at least 12 Mhz.
said first RF conversion means comprises means comprises means for
converting substantially all signals within said initial band to signals
at a higher energy level whose energy is concentrated within an
intermediate band below 54 Mhz, so as to provide said second video signal
within said intermediate band, said intermediate band being equal in width
to said initial band,
said second RF conversion means comprises means for converting
substantially all signals within said intermediate band to signals whose
energy is concentrated within said initial band, so as to provide said
third video signal within said initial band,
said initial band being composed of all of the frequencies between one of:
(1) 60 Mhz and 72 Mhz, and
(2) 54 Mhz and 72 Mhz.
11. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein:
substantially all of the energy of said first video signal is concentrated
at frequencies below 6 Mhz, and
said first electronic device (1) further includes a switch with at least
first and second settings, and
said first RF conversion means responds to the setting of said switch to
determine the frequencies at which the energy of said second video signal
is concentrated, substantially all of the energy of said second video
signal being concentrated within a first 6 Mhz intermediate band when said
switch is at said first setting, and within a second 6 Mhz intermediate
band when said switch is at said second setting said first intermediate
band being adjacent to and below said second intermediate band, and
said second RF conversion means comprises means for converting
substantially all signals within a third intermediate band to signals
whose energy is concentrated within an output band above 54 Mhz, so as to
provide said third video signal within said output band, said third
intermediate band consisting of all frequencies within said first and said
second intermediate bands, the width of said output band being equal to
the width of said third intermediate band.
12. A system as defined in claim 7 wherein:
said first RF conversion means comprises means for simultaneously providing
both a first supplemental video signal and said second video signal,
substantially all of the energy of said first supplemental video signal
being concentrated within a 6 Mhz supplemental band, substantially all of
the energy of said second video signal being concentrated in a 6 Mhz band
above and adjacent to said supplemental band, said supplemental video
signal having substantially the same information content as said second
video signal,
said second transmitting means further comprises means for simultaneously
transmitting both said first supplemental video signal and said second
video signal onto the network,
said second RF conversion means comprises means for converting
substantially all signals within an intermediate band to signals within an
output band 54 Mhz, so as to provide said third video signal and a second
supplemental video signal within said output band, said intermediate band
consisting of the frequencies within said first supplemental band and
within the 6 Mhz immediately above, said second supplemental video signal
having substantially the same information content as said first
supplemental video signal, and
said third transmitting means connected to said television receiver
comprises means for simultaneously transmitting both said third video
signal and said supplemental video signal to said television receiver.
13. A communications system that includes a network of wiring, a plurality
of ports ordinarily used for connection of telephone equipment to said
network, and an interface to a telephone system, said ports being located
in different areas, said network comprising a plurality of 2-wire
conductive paths connecting said ports to said interface, the
communications system including a first one of said ports and an apparatus
(2) located in a first area, said apparatus (2) supplying a first video
signal, and a second one of said ports and a television receiver located
in a second area, the communications system further comprising:
(a) a first electronic device (1) located in said first area including:
receiving means, connected to said apparatus (2), for receiving said first
video signal;
first RF conversion means for converting said first video signal to a
signal whose energy is concentrated at different frequencies, so as to
provide a second video signal, substantially all of the energy of said
second signal being concentrated at frequencies below 54 Mhz, information
content of said second video signal being substantially the same as
information content of said first video signal;
amplification means for amplifying said second video signal; and
first transmitting means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
transmitting said second video signal onto the network, said first
transmitting means comprising first filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered;
(b) a second electronic device (15) located in said second area including:
recovering means, connected to said second of said ports, for recovering
said second video signal from said network, said recovering means
including second filtering means for presenting a high impedance to
signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the highest
frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices, while
allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially unaltered;
second RF conversion means for converting said second video signal to a
signal whose energy is concentrated at higher frequencies, so as to
provide third video signal, substantially all of the energy of said third
video signal being concentrated at frequencies above 54 Mhz, the
information content of said third video signal being substantially the
same as the information content of said second video signal; and
second transmitting means, connected to said television receiver, for
transmitting said third video signal to said television receiver.
14. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein:
said second electronic device (15) further includes adjusting means with at
least first and second settings, and
said second RF conversion means responds to the setting of said adjusting
means to determine the frequencies at which the energy of said third video
signal is concentrated, concentrating substantially all of the energy of
said third video signal within a first 6 Mhz output band when said
adjusting means is at said first setting, and within a second 6 Mhz output
band when at said second setting, said first output band being adjacent to
and below said second output band.
15. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein:
said second RF conversion means comprises means for simultaneously
providing both a supplemental video signal and said third video signal,
substantially all of the energy of said supplemental video signal falling
within a 6 Mhz supplemental band, substantially all of the energy of said
third video signal being concentrated within a 6 Mhz band below and
adjacent to said supplemental band, said supplemental video signal having
substantially the same information content as said third video signal, and
said second transmitting means connected to said television receiver
comprises means for simultaneously transmitting both said third video
signal and said supplemental video signal to said television receiver.
16. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein:
substantially all of the energy of said first video signal supplied by said
apparatus (2) is concentrated within an initial band above 54 Mhz, the
width of said initial band being at least 12 Mhz,
said first RF conversion means comprises means for converting substantially
all signals within said initial band to signals whose energy is
concentrated within an intermediate band below 54 Mhz, so as to provide
said second video signal within said intermediate band, said intermediate
band being equal in width to said initial band,
said second RF conversion means comprises means for converting
substantially all signals within said intermediate band to signals whose
energy is concentrated within said initial band, so as to provide said
third video signal within said initial band,
said initial band being composed of all of the frequencies between one of:
(1) 60 Mhz and 72 Mhz, and
(2) 54 Mhz and 72 Mhz.
17. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein:
substantially all of the energy of said first video signal is concentrated
at frequencies below 6 Mhz,
said first electronic device (1) further includes a switch with at least
first and second settings,
said first RF conversion means responds to the setting of said switch to
determine the frequencies at which the energy of said second video signal
is concentrated, concentrating substantially all of the energy of said
second video signal at frequencies within a first 6 Mhz intermediate band
when said switch is at said first setting, and within a second 6 Mhz
intermediate band when said switch is at said second setting, said first
intermediate band being adjacent to and below said second intermediate
band, and
said second RF conversion means comprises means for converting
substantially all signals within a third intermediate band to signals
whose energy is concentrated within an output band above 54 Mhz, so as to
provide said third video signal within said output band, said third
intermediate band consisting of all frequencies within said first and said
second intermediate bands, the width of said output band being equal to
the width of said third intermediate band.
18. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein:
said first RF conversion means comprises means for simultaneously providing
both a first supplemental video signal and said second video signal,
substantially all of the energy of said first supplemental video signal
being concentrated within a 6 Mhz supplemental band, substantially all of
the energy of said second video signal being concentrated in a 6 Mhz band
above and adjacent to said supplemental band, said first supplemental
video signal having substantially the same information content as said
second video signal,
said first transmitting means further comprises means for simultaneously
transmitting both said first supplemental video signal and said second
video signal onto the network,
said second RF conversion means comprises means for converting
substantially all signals within an intermediate band to signals within an
output band above 54 Mhz, so as to provide said third video signal and a
second supplemental video signal within said output band, said
intermediate band consisting of the frequencies of said first supplemental
band and the 6 Mhz immediately above, said second supplemental video
signal having substantially the same information content as said first
supplemental video signal.
19. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein:
said first RF conversion means comprises means for providing a supplemental
video signal in addition to said second video signal so as to provide an
alternative in the event that broadcast energy interferes with said second
video signal, substantially all of the energy of said supplemental video
signal being concentrated within a 6 Mhz supplemental band different from
the band of said second video signal, said supplemental video signal
having substantially the same information content as said second video
signal,
said second RF conversion means further comprises means for converting
substantially all signals within said supplemental band to signals above
54 Mhz, so as to provide a second supplemental video signal, the energy of
said second supplemental signal being concentrated within one of two
adjacent 6 Mhz channels above 54 Mhz. said second supplemental video
signal having substantially the same information content as said first
supplemental video signal.
20. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein:
said second electronic device (15) further includes special filtering means
for filtering one of,
(1) said second video signal, and
(2) said third video signal, said special filtering means attenuating
signal energy at one of:
(1) frequencies between 4 Mhz and 4.5 Mhz above the picture carrier, and
(2) frequencies within the 1.25 Mhz band immediately below the picture
carrier,
so as to reduce bandwidth, and so reduce a likelihood of interference from
broadcast signals.
21. A communications system that includes a network of wiring, a plurality
of ports ordinarily used for connection of telephone equipment to said
network, and an interface to a telephone system, said ports being located
in different areas, said network comprising a plurality of 2-wire
conductive paths connecting said ports to said interface, the
communications system including a first one of said ports and an
electronic device (1) located in a first area, and a second one of said
ports and a television receiver (30) located in a second area, the system
further including an apparatus (2) located in said first area, said
apparatus (2) supplying a first video signal and responding to infrared
light signals received from a first infrared light transmitter for
determining the operational mode of said apparatus, said apparatus being
out of range of said light transmitter when said transmitter is located in
said second area, wherein:
(a) said electronic device (1) located in said first area includes;
receiving means connected to said apparatus (2) for receiving said first
video signal;
signal processing means for providing a second video signal, said second
video signal having a higher energy level than said first video signal and
substantially the same information content as said first video signal: and
first transmitting means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
transmitting said second video signal onto the network, said first
transmitting means comprising first filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered;
(b) said television receiver (30) located in said second area includes:
first recovering means, connected to said second one of said ports, for
recovering said second video signal from the network, said first
recovering means comprising second filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said second video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered:
first converting means for converting infrared light radiation to a first
series of electrical impulses;
first representing means for representing said first series of electrical
impulses as a second series of electrical impulses, information content of
said second series being substantially the same as the information content
of said first series, substantially all of the energy of said second
series being concentrated at frequencies above the highest frequency used
for communication by ordinary telephone devices: and
second transmitting means, connected to said second one of said ports, for
transmitting said second series onto the network, said second transmitting
means comprising third filtering means for presenting a high impedance to
signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the highest
frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices, while
allowing said second series to transmit substantially unaltered;
(c) said electronic device (1) located in said first area further includes:
second recovering means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
recovering said second series of electrical impulses from the network
wiring, said second recovering means comprising fourth filtering means for
presenting a high impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at
frequencies below the highest frequency used for communication by ordinary
telephone devices, while allowing said second series to transmit
substantially unaltered;
second representing means for representing said second series of electrical
impulses as a third series of electrical impulses, information content of
said third series being substantially the same as the information content
of said second series, and
second converting means for converting said third series of electrical
impulses to infrared light radiation, said second converting means
creating a light pattern with substantially the same characteristics as
the light pattern created by the infrared light radiation in the second
area.
22. A communications system as set forth in claim 21, wherein:
said electronic device (1) further includes means for blocking the energy
of said second video signal from transmission to said second presenting
means.
23. A communications system as set forth in claim 21, further including:
a second infrared light transmitter that includes means to control the
parameters of said television receiver and one of:
(1) means for issuing light patterns, other than those that control the
parameters of said television receiver (30), for determining the
parameters of other devices; and
(2) means for reissuing the light patterns of other infrared transmitters
designed to control other devices, after reception of those patterns in a
cooperative learning process with said other infrared transmitters.
24. A communications system as set forth in claim 21. wherein:
said signal processing means included in said electronic device (1)
comprises first RF conversion means for converting said first video signal
to a signal with a higher energy level whose energy is concentrated at
frequencies below 54 Mhz, so as to provide said second video signal.
25. A communications system as set forth in claim 24, wherein:
said television receiver (30) further includes special filtering means for
filtering said second video signal, said special filtering means
attenuating signal energy at one of:
(1) frequencies between 4 Mhz and 4.5 Mhz above the picture carrier, and
(2) frequencies within the 1.25 Mhz band immediately below the picture
carrier,
so as to reduce bandwidth, and so reduce a likelihood of interference from
broadcast signals.
26. A communications system as set forth in claim 24, further comprising
processing means for processing said second video signal to produce a
third video signal, and wherein;
said television receiver (30) further includes special filtering means for
filtering said third video signal, said special filtering means
attenuating signal energy at one of:
(1) frequencies between 4 Mhz and 4.5 Mhz above the picture carrier, and
(2) frequencies within the 1.25 Mhz band immediately below the picture
carrier,
so as to reduce bandwidth, and so reduce a likelihood of interference from
broadcast signals.
27. A communication system as set forth in claim 24, wherein:
said first RF conversion means further comprises means for providing a
supplemental video signal for the purposes of offering an alternative in
the event that broadcast interference disrupts reception of said second
video signal by said television transceiver (30), substantially all of the
energy of said supplemental video signal being concentrated within a 6 Mhz
wide supplemental band, said supplemental band covering different
frequencies than the frequencies of said second video signal, said
supplemental video signal having substantially the same information
content as said second video signal, and
said first transmitting means further comprises means for transmitting said
supplemental video signal onto the network.
28. A communications system as set forth in claim 24. wherein:
said television receiver (30) further includes second RF conversion means
for converting said second video signal to a signal whose energy is
concentrated at different frequencies, so as to provide a third video
signal, and tuning means for tuning to signals above 54 Mhz, said tuning
means being separate and distinct from said second RF conversion means,
said third video signal having the same information content as said second
video signal, substantially all the energy of said third video signal
being concentrated at one of:
(a) frequencies above 54 Mhz, and
(b) frequencies below 6 Mhz.
29. A communications system that includes a network of wiring, a plurality
of ports ordinarily used for connection of telephone equipment to said
network, and an interface to a telephone system, said ports being located
in different areas, said network comprising a plurality of 2-wire
conductive paths connecting said ports to said interface, the
communications system further including a first one of said ports and a
first apparatus located in a first area, said first apparatus providing a
first video signal, a second one of said ports and a second apparatus
located in a second area, said second apparatus providing a second video
signal, the energy of said first video signal concentrated at
substantially the same frequencies as the energy of said second video
signal, and a third one of said ports and a television receiver located in
a third area, said communications system further comprising:
(a) a first electronic device located in said first area including:
means, connected to said first apparatus, for receiving said first video
signal;
first signal processing means including a first amplifier for providing a
third video signal, said third video signal having a higher energy level
than said first video signal and substantially the same information
content as said first video signal:
first transmitting means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
transmitting said third video signal onto the network, said first
transmitting means comprising first filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said third video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered,
(b) a second electronic device located in said second area including:
means, connected to said second apparatus, for receiving said second video
signal;
second signal processing means including a second amplifier for providing a
fourth video signal, said fourth video signal having a higher energy level
than said second video signal and substantially the same information
content as said second video signal; and
second transmitting means, connected to said second one of said ports, for
transmitting said fourth video signal onto the network, said second
transmitting means comprising second filtering means for presenting a high
impedance to signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the
highest frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices,
while allowing said fourth video signal to transmit substantially
unaltered;
(c) a third electronic device located in said third area including:
recovering means, connected to said third one of said ports, for recovering
said third and fourth video signals from the network, said recovering
means comprising third filtering means for presenting a high impedance to
signals whose energy is concentrated at frequencies below the highest
frequency used for communication by ordinary telephone devices, while
allowing said third and said fourth video signals to transmit
substantially unaltered;
third transmitting means, connected to said television receiver, for
transmitting said third and fourth video signals to said television
receiver;
and wherein at least one of said first electronic device and said second
electronic device further includes one of;
(1) filter means having at least first and second operational settings, for
blocking transmission of electrical energy concentrated within a
particular frequency band to the network when at said first operational
setting, and permitting transmission of electrical energy concentrated
within said particular frequency band to the network when at a second
operational setting, said filter means further including means for
detecting DTMF (dual tone multi-frequency) signals, said filter means
adopting one of said first and second operational settings in accordance
with detection of special sequences of DTMF signals and
(2) switching means including first and second operational modes, said
means preventing the supply of power to the amplifier included in the
electronic device that includes said switching means when at a first
operational mode, and permitting the supply of power to the amplifier
included in the electronic device that includes said switching means when
at a second operational mode. said switching means further including means
for detecting signals transmitted across standard electrical power wiring
and adopting said first or said second operational mode in accordance with
information contained in said signals transmitted across said power
wiring.
30. A communications system that includes a network of wiring, a plurality
of ports ordinarily used for connection of telephone equipment to said
network, and an interface to a telephone system, said ports being located
in different areas, said network comprising a plurality of 2-wire
conductive paths connecting said ports to said interface, the
communications system further including a first one of said ports and a
first apparatus located in a first area, said first apparatus supplying a
first video signal, and a second one of said ports and a television
receiver located in a second area, said communications system further
including:
(a) a first electronic device located in said first area and including:
receiving means, connected to said first apparatus, for receiving said
first video signal,
signal processing means for providing a second video signal, said second
video signal having a higher energy level than said first video signal and
substantially the same information content as said first video signal, and
first transmitting means, connected to said first one of said ports, for
transmitting said second video signal onto the network, said first
transmitting means comprising first filter | | |
