Patent Publication Number: US-2006005225-A1

Title: Multimedia network video device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a network video device, and particularly to a multimedia network video device.  
      2. Prior Art  
      As development of communication technology, it seems that distance between people in different places gets shorter and shorter. When you want to contact a person far away from your place, you may traditionally use a telephone or a fax. However, you cannot see his or her face and action through the traditional manner.  
      To encounter the above problem, a video conference is provided through a network. People at different places can see and talk with each other through the video conference. Therefore, the video conference makes communication easy for people at different places, which improves communication efficiency and reduces communication cost.  
      However, since a conventional network video device is connected to the network in wire communication, the video conference can only be hold at some regular places such as at office or at home for connecting to the network. Therefore, you cannot contact people through the video conference when you are not at the regular places. So, it is not convenient to use the conventional network video device at some extent.  
      Furthermore, the conventional network video device has a single function of holding a video conference. However, since people need more and more digital products with different functions nowadays, it is usually inconvenient for a user to take with many digital products for providing the different functions. So, it is required a multifunctional product.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia network video device, which is combined with a compact disc (CD) read device, a network video device and an LCD module, and uses one CPU to process multimedia audio and video (AV) data thereby expanding functions of the network video device, whereby the multimedia network video device is multifunctional.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia network video device, which has a function of a multimedia player but does not need to connect to an external CD-ROM, whereby the multimedia network video device is convenient to use and saves space.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia network video device, which is connected to a wireless network, thereby being portable and mobile.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia network video device, which is connected with an external AV signal generator, and plays external AV signals through a display device thereof, whereby the multimedia network video device is convenient to use.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia network video device, which is multifunctional thereby reducing cost relative to having the functions separately.  
      To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a multimedia network video device in accordance with the present invention includes a CPU, an I/O module connected to the CPU for transmitting data to or from CPU, a video capturing module for capturing video data and transmitting the video data to the CPU for processing, an audio capturing and playing module connected to the CPU for capturing and playing audio data, a function key module for controlling function status of the CPU, a video driving and displaying module for driving video data processed by the CPU and transmitting the video data to a display device thereof for playing, a CD read device for receiving a CD and reading data from the CD and then transmitting the data to the display device for playing, and a power supply module for providing power to the above modules. The CPU processes data transmitted from the above modules.  
      Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a chart showing a multimedia network video device of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing two multimedia network video devices of the present invention being connected to each other through network. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a multimedia network video device of the present invention includes a central processing unit (CPU)  10  which is connected with an input/output (I/O) module  12 , a video capturing module  14 , an audio capturing and playing module  16 , a function key module  18 , a video driving and displaying module  20 , and a CD read device  22 . The I/O module  12  is for transmitting data between an external device and the CPU  10  and includes an audio and video (AV) transmission port  124  which is an AV terminal in this embodiment, and a network communication device  122 . The network communication device  122  is connected to a wireless network or a wire network, such as Ethernet. The video capturing module  14  is for capturing video data and transmit the video data to the CPU  10  and includes a lens  142  and a light sensitive component  144 . The audio capturing and playing module  16  includes a speaker  162  for audio output and a microphone  164  for audio input. The function key module  18  is used to control function status of the CPU  10  through function keys thereof. The video driving and displaying module  20  receives video data processed by the CPU  10  and then drives a display device  202  thereof to play the video data. The CD read device  22  is controlled by the CPU  10 . The CD read device  22  reads data from a CD received therein and then plays the data through the display device  202 . A power supply module  24  is used to provide power to the above modules.  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , when the multimedia network video devices  26 ,  26 ″ of the present invention are connected to each other through a network  28  for having a video conference, a network video conference function of the multimedia network video device  26  is selected through the function key module  18 . The CPU  10  processes video data captured by the lens  142  and the light sensitive component  144  of the video capturing module  14  and audio data input by the microphone  164  of the audio capturing and playing module  16 . The multimedia network video device  26  connects to the network  28  through the network communication device  122  with a built-in fixed IP address or a virtual IP address and transmits data to another multimedia network video device  26 ″. At the same time, the multimedia network video device  26  receives AV data from the another multimedia network video device  26 ″ and then transmits the AV data to the CPU  10  for processing. The processed AV data are transmitted to the video driving and displaying module  20  and the audio capturing and playing module  16 . The video driving and displaying module  20  transmits video data to the display device  202  for display. The display device  202  is an LCD in this embodiment. The audio capturing and playing module  16  transmits audio data to the speaker  162  for playing. The speaker  162  may be a trumpet or an earphone.  
      When the multimedia network video device  26  is used to play CD, a CD playing function is selected through the function key module  18  and then the CD which may be a VCD or a DVD is inserted to the CD read device  22  for reading AV data. The AV data are transmitted to the CPU  10  for processing and then the processed AV data are transmitted to the display device  202  for display through the video driving and displaying module  20 .  
      When the multimedia network video device  26  is used to play AV signals from an external signal generator, a function of playing external AV signals is selected through the function key module  18  and the external AV signal generator is connected to the AV transmission port  124 . The AV signals from the external AV signal generator are transmitted to the CPU  10  for processing and then the processed AV signals are transmitted to the video driving and displaying module  20  for displaying through the display device  202 .  
      As described above, the multimedia network video device of the present invention is combined with a CD read device, a network video device and an LCD module, uses one CPU to process multimedia AV data, is connected to a network through wireless communication, and is connected to an external AV signal generator whereby the multimedia network video device is multifunctional, portable, mobile and convenient to use.  
      It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.