Patent · US Expired

Method and means for interactive audio and video conferencing

US4360827A · kind A · utility

206Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 2, 1981
Grant dateNov 23, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 2, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N7/152
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for establishing an interactive audio and video conference. A plurality of geographically dispersed interactive sites are connected via the ordinary message telephone system to a central conferencing bridge. The bridge mixes the audio signals received from any of the interactive sites and distributes it to all such sites. The video signal is created in a television studio and transmitted as a conventional television signal via satellite. Steps are taken to bring the moderator at the studio site into the interactive conference while avoiding the echo problems which would normally be created. Moderator audio is conveyed to the bridge site via ordinary telephone lines where it is delayed by a period sufficient to compensate for the difference between satellite and telephone transmission times. The so-delayed signal is added to the mix such that moderator audio is received at each interactive site in synchronism with the satellite received video. A mix minus moderator signal is created at the bridge site and transmitted via ordinary telephone lines to the studio for reception by the moderator and for transmission in the TV signal to non-interactive sites.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.