Patent ID: 6493020
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A videophone system in communication with a communications network for presenting a videophone interface on a television, the system comprising:a remote control device comprising: an input device for receiving user selections based upon which the remote control device generates a control signal, the control signal including at least one of: a television control signal, and a videophone control signal; an infrared transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the control signal; a television system comprising: a camera; a microphone; a receiver for wirelessly receiving audio and video signals; an infrared receiver and processor for receiving the control signal from the infrared transmitter of the remote and determining if the control signal is a videophone control signal; a control signal transmitter coupled to the infrared receiver and processor for retransmitting the control signal, if the control signal is a videophone control signal; a signal processor for preparing the received audio and video signals for presentation on the television and sending the prepared audio and video signals to the television; and a transmitter coupled to the camera and microphone for wirelessly transmitting audio and video signals; a personal computer transceiver comprising: a receiver for wirelessly receiving the videophone control signal and the audio and video signals from the television system; and a transmitter for wirelessly sending audio and video signals to the television system; a personal computer coupled to the personal computer transceiver, the personal computer comprising: a memory; a processor coupled to the memory and in communication with the communications network and the transceiver; and wherein the memory includes stored program instructions to be executed by the processor for receiving audio and video data over the communications network, for receiving audio and video data from the personal computer transceiver, and for sending the audio and video data received from the personal computer transceiver to a recipient system over the communications network.