Patent · US Expired

Media interface device

US6978474B1 · kind B1 · utility

101Cited by
36References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 15, 2000
Grant dateDec 20, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 15, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N7/108
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A Residential Gateway (RG) for distributing video, data and telephone services to multiple devices within a residence is disclosed. The RG receives signals from a telecommunications network, converts the signals to formats compatible with the multiple devices, and transmits the appropriate signals to the appropriate devices. Wireless remote control devices (RCs) associated with remotely located televisions (TVs) transmit channel select commands to the RG as wireless signals. The wireless signals are received by Remote Antennae Packages (RAPs) coupled to the remotely located TVs. The RAPs transmit the wireless signals over coaxial cable to a Media Interface Device (MID) coupled to the RG. The MID extracts the channel select commands and forwards them to the RG. The MID is also capable of combining and splitting TV signals, and adjusting the impedance of network signals so that they can be transmitted over the coaxial cable.

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