Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/18—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
  • H04N7/183—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast for receiving images from a single remote source
  • H04N7/186—Video door telephones
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H20/00—Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast
  • H04H20/53—Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers
  • H04H20/61—Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
  • H04H20/63—Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
  • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
  • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
  • H04L12/283—Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
  • H04L12/2834—Switching of information between an external network and a home network
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
  • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
  • H04L12/2838—Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
  • H04M11/02—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with bell or annunciator systems
  • H04M11/025—Door telephones
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/10—Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable
  • H04N7/106—Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable for domestic distribution
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
  • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
  • H04L2012/2847—Home automation networks characterised by the type of home appliance used
  • H04L2012/2849—Audio/video appliances

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a system for the distribution of a plurality of television and/ or video and/ or audio and/ or data signals belonging to different transmission standards, i.e. multimedia signals.
• This distribution may take place in apartments of an apartment block, in single houses, in groups of one or more offices and in general within a building consisting of a number of housing units wherein the multimedia signals are made available to various users.
• Fig. 1 shows a typical spectral distribution, or frequency allocation, of said multimedia signals in their original form, i.e. in the form in which they are made available by the various service providers and broadcasters and then received, for example, by the central control unit of a centralized system.
• Reference number Ia indicates the spectrum occupied by a typical video intercom signal, ranging from 0 to 15 MHz and including the video intercom DC supply. This range may also include the so-called domotic signals for controlling functionality of the house.
• Reference number Ib indicates the spectrum occupied by CDM (Cable Data Modem) signals, VoIP (Voice over IP) signals and generic data signals such as Ethernet network. This range may also include the so-called domotic signals for controlling functionality of the house.
• Reference number Ic indicates a possible control signal, i.e. the so-called return channel, for digital TV signals.
• Reference number Id indicates the spectrum occupied by the radio FM signal.
• Reference number Ie indicates the spectrum occupied by QAM modulated television signals for cable digital television and COFDM (Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulated television signals for digital terrestrial TV, or CATV S2...S10 analog channels.
• Reference number Ig indicates the spectrum occupied by multimedia data, e.g. QAM modulated data.
• Reference number Ii indicates the UHF spectrum occupied by COFDM modulated analog and/ or digital terrestrial television signals.
• Reference number 11 indicates the spectrum occupied by analog and/ or digital TV signals being broadcast via satellite.
• the signals of closed-circuit television can be modulated in any channel up to 862 MHz.
• the above-described signals are received, e.g. in an apartment block, through cables and aerials, and are then distributed to apartments and/ or offices by the centralized system.
• a distribution system is known wherein the central control unit are routed in the apartment block and distributed to each apartment through a single coaxial cable.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a signal distribution system which, by overcoming the above drawbacks, simplifies the system installation and maintenance works while reducing its costs, and which allows to communicate within an apartment or an office while respecting the users' privacy.
• the present invention relates to a distribution system having the features described in the annexed claims, which form an integral part of the present description.
• Fig. 1 shows a typical spectral distribution of multimedia signals.
• - Fig. 2 shows a multimedia signal distribution system according to the invention.
• Fig. 3 shows a variation of the distribution system according to the invention.
• Fig. 4 shows a second variation of the distribution system according to the invention. Note that the blocks identified by same reference number in the different figures perform the same functions.
• Fig. 2 illustrates the distribution of signals in an apartment according to the invention; for clarity, the bold lines represent the coaxial cable which transports the signals to be distributed, whereas the thin lines represent the connections which route the control and switching signals.
• a coaxial cable, designated 13 comes from an apartment block central control unit, designated 12, and carries the signals described in Fig. 1 (except for those broadcast via satellite) to an apparatus, comprised within the dashed line having reference number 14; said apparatus controls the distribution of the signals, by means of the cable having reference number 30, to an apartment (or group of apartments) including, for instance, the block 27 representing a video intercom, the block 28 representing a Set Top Box (STB) for satellite signals, and the block 29 representing a multimedia terminal for CDM signals.
• the coaxial cable 13 also includes a direct voltage for supplying the video intercom terminals.
• the apparatus 14, which is typically located at the entrance of each apartment, comprises the following devices:
• the block 15 represents a high-pass filter which blocks the direct voltage and the video intercom signals coming from the cable 13 or from an internal terminal, thereby ensuring the users' privacy, as described later.
• the block 16 represents a switching block, i.e. a switch, that distributes to the apartment the television and multimedia signals being present on the cable 13, added to one of the satellite television signals designated 17 a,b,c,d, which represent, for example, the signals of the four output bands of a Low Noise Block of the satellite reception system, i.e. high band and low band, horizontal polarization and vertical polarization.
• the block 25 represents a switch through which the video intercom signal and the direct voltage supplying the respective terminal is sent to the apartment.
• the block 22 represents a microprocessor which controls the distribution of the multimedia signals depending on the signals received through the connections designated 18, 20 and 23 as described below.
• a satellite reception system may comprise two, three, ...
• the apparatus 14 will receive eight, twelve, ... satellite television signals.
• the switch 25 may be preceded by a low-pass filter. Not shown in the drawing.
• the latter may be called a "multiswitch apparatus".
• a typical video intercom system comprises at least one station being external to the building, designated 5 in Fig. 2, and one power supply block designated 7, which is normally located near the station 5; as explained below, said power supply block generally provides more than just power generation and distribution functions for video intercom terminals.
• the power supply block 7 receives various signals, e.g. the doorbell signals, the video intercom signal consisting of the video signal of the camera, e.g. with FM modulation, and the audio module, and the connections for controlling the opening of doors and gates from within an apartment.
• the connection 6 between the external station 5 and the power supply block 7, may take place through one or more coaxial cables, one or more duplex cables, or a mix of these two cable typologies.
• the power supply block analyses the received signals and sends them to the central control unit 12 together with a direct voltage, e.g. comprised between 18 V and 24 V depending on the system, for supplying the video intercom terminals of the various apartments.
• the signals are sent from the power supply 7 to the central control unit 12 by using the coaxial cable 13 which, as said, distributes the signals in the apartment block and therefore certainly passes close to the power supply; in this case, because the video intercom signal must be distributed to the various apartments in the 0- 15MHz band, the video intercom signal sent to the central control unit 12 by the power supply 7 must be frequency-converted, e.g. into a range around 900 MHz, through a known circuitry not shown in Fig. 2; as a consequence, in the central control unit 12 the signal received from the power supply block 7 needs to be converted again into the original 0-15MHz band, possibly amplified and/ or processed, and then mixed in the coaxial cable 13 .
• the video intercom signal may be sent to the central control unit by the power supply block by using one of the four coaxial cables 17 of satellite TV which, as shown in Fig. 1, have no signal to be distributed within the 862-950MHz range; in the central control unit 12, the signal is extracted, then amplified and/ or processed, and then mixed in the distribution cable 13.
• the video intercom system of Fig. 2 operates as follows.
• the power supply block 7 will identify the requested apartment and will send a 1.2kHz control signal to the central control unit 12 , as described above, and then over the cable 13; said signal will be received through a connection 18 by all microprocessors 22 associated with the apparatus 14 being present in the apartment block, but it will be recognized as a valid signal only by the microprocessor included in the apparatus associated with the apartment with which the user wants to communicate.
• the microprocessor 22 will send the call signal to the video intercom terminal 27 through the connection 24; if the request is accepted, e.g.
• the terminal 27 will send a confirmation consisting of, for example, a 31.25kHz ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) modulated signal to the microprocessor 22 through the connection 23.
• the microprocessor 22 will then close the switch 25 through the connection 26 in order to send the video intercom signal to the terminal 27.
• the terminal 27 will send a suitable opening command, still being a 31.25kHz ASK-modulated signal, to the microprocessor 22, and the microprocessor 22 will forward the signal to the power supply block through the connection 21 and the screened cable 13.
• a 31.25kHz message will be sent to the microprocessor 22, which then will keep the switch 25 open to ensure the highest level of privacy in this case too.
• the little current needed to operate the audio system is provided through a known circuitry, not shown in Fig. 2, under the control of the microprocessor 22.
• the microprocessor 22 also controls the transmission of satellite TV signals to the apartment.
• the microprocessor 22 decodes the DiseqC protocol or the 22kHz signal sent by the STB 28 and, through the connection 19, appropriately controls the switching to the desired signal by the switching block 16;
• the 14V or 18V direct voltage which is normally present at the STB output, must be removed (e.g. through an AC coupling) in order to avoid electrical conflicts with the video intercom supply voltage being present along the cables 13 and 30.
• the apparatus 14 may be separate ones; as an alternative, some apparatus may be inserted into a single container, outputs of which, one per apparatus, are routed, for example, to all the apartments on the same floor.
• the telephone signal may be included in the system as well, but since this signal and that of the video intercom share the initial portion of the frequency spectrum, these two signals cannot be routed simultaneously along the same coaxial cable, and therefore one of the two signals must, for example, be kept waiting while the user is using the other signal.
• An example of this inclusion is shown in Fig. 3.
• the telephone signal along the duplex cable is balanced to ground, in order to be able to carry it along the coaxial cable it is necessary to unbalance it, e.g. through a circuitry known as balun, reference number 33.
• a user can receive along the coaxial cable 36 the video intercom signal when the switch 35 is in position A or the telephone signal when the switch 35 is in position B, in addition to the various television and multimedia signals.
• the telephone line may be switched on, for example, when a user picks up the telephone receiver.
• the stations at the boundary of the building, where the camera, the audio module and the doorbells are located may be connected to the power supply through one or more coaxial cables, one or more duplex cables, or a mix of these two typologies of cables.
• a broad-band transmission medium such as coaxial cable (which can route signals from 0 to 2500 MHz)
• coaxial cable which can route signals from 0 to 2500 MHz
• an optical fibre cable, reference number 38 carries related services through a bidirectional optical/ electrical interface, reference number 37, to a coaxial cable being present in the connection 6 and routed to the power supply 7, from which, as described, it can get to any room of the building reached by the coaxial cable 13.
• the above interactive services have a relatively low frequency (from 0 up to, for example, 65 or 88 MHz), one may use for their inclusion, as an alternative to the coaxial cable, a duplex cable being present in the connection 6; in this case, as previously described for the telephone signal, it will be necessary to employ a balun both for carrying the external signal along the duplex cable and for connecting the duplex cable to the coaxial cable which distributes the signals within the apartment block. Thanks to the proposed solution, operators can reach private houses with their interactive services while remaining on public ground and by using an apparatus being accessible from the outside of the building, thus causing no inconvenience to users.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Computing Systems (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)
• Closed-Circuit Television Systems (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=37087385

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2005
  • 2005-04-13 IT ITTO20050244 patent/ITTO20050244A1/it unknown
• 2006
  • 2006-03-27 EP EP06727362A patent/EP1875735A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-03-27 WO PCT/IB2006/000691 patent/WO2006109119A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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