GB2410868A - Integration of 3G telephone with television set for making video calls - Google Patents

Abstract

Mobile video telephones are typically based on UMTS or Third Generation (3G) wireless systems. Mobile videophones generally have a small screen and video input which are of relatively low quality. The present invention describes the integration of a 3G UMTS Transceiver 8 with a television set 17+18 and a video camera 15 to allow a user to view and make video calls through the screen on their home TV set. A selector 14 is provided for switching between the television and video call signal, and also allows both images to be displayed on screen simultaneously.

Description

1 24 10868 Based on 3G UNITS mobile wireless system: TV set as both - TV

and videophone.

This invention relates to the 3G system based TV set - videophone apparatus.

The invention is bringing the 3G mobile handsets capabilities to the use for private videophone connection via the digital TV set.

Videophones are known so far as mobile devices based on 3G wireless systems.

Yet when the users are back at home and would like to enjoy from the same service indoor they will be forced to use the same mobile devices.

Moreover the videoconference devices so far are truly expensive for a private use. The system it is based upon is also different and fairly complicated such as 'Video over IP'.

This invention makes the videophone feature very cheap with a better quality then a usual 3G mobile phone can provide.

Providing such feature the whole family/house holds can sit and enjoy the TV and to be able to answer or make any video calls through the TV set device.

A video call on the digital TV set would gain more quality for its wide screen and static position of the apparatus. It will also allow users to capture the whole family - family video phoning using this 3G, commonly based on mobile handset, technique.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig: 1: shows the device in the world of communication, showing the ways of the device communicating to the outside world with its full operations.

Fig: 2: illustrates the control unit block diagram. The control unit to switch between the TV receiver and the UNITS transceiver Fig: 3: shows the additional implementation of the multi-mode: TV and video call sharing the screen.

Referring to the drawing using such invention this apparatus will be able to contain its usual TV and Video 19-21 capabilities and moreover to communicate with the outside world, Fig: 1, in the way the 3G mobile handsets do 7-9. E.g. using the feature for communicating with the outside mobile phone 3 or any other location point via satellite 1 or other means 1-4 depends on the type of connection and location.

The additional controls 14 will also allow the TV operation to work independently from the 3G wireless video call connection.

With this innovation the user will have different modes to operate this apparatus. Either to have one of the modes only, or interact them in the way that once the TV mode is the dominant mode or vice versa. The dominancy is illustrated in Fig: 3.

The example shows the TV mode dominant so it covers 3/4 of the screen 22.

Once the call 23 will have to be made; the speakers will lower the TV sound in favour the call process.

After the call was made the device shall also enable the typical 3G mobile handset options such as tracking the list of calls been dialled, received, missed.

The invention will make it possible to store the call 5-6 (for example in mpeg file format) on the accessible Internet database or locally on the implemented hard drive memory.

According to the present invention the digital TV set is provided.

Keeping all the current TV capabilities and video storage device, which will make the users able to store video calls as well as movies, programmes and more.

The storage abilities are available on local hard disk 5, (patent number EP1227674) as well as another option for using available database 6 an Internet based subscribed by the users via Internet connection.

General technical information: Hard disk - 5 The hard disk device (also used in patent number EP1227674) is used here to allow the users store the possibly recorded TVNIDEO data as well as recorded Video call data.

It shall interact with the TV set embedded using a control device that will be able to interact it with the usual TV properties as a memory device.

Implemented control device -14 Selector The selector will contain in it the switching block for making it possible to do auto switching from TVNideo mode to Videophone mode and vice versa using the additional properties installed in the TV sets microprocessors circuit.

The control unit will contain additional features to its already implemented TV features. The additions are: auto call alarm detection technique, auto switching device design, additional techniques adapted in current microprocessors in TV sets.

Database access - 6 The private subscribed database could be any of the Internet based databases. It should have a security and private access to the users.

Also necessary design is easy and automatic interface between the H.D.

and the DB.

Implemented RF module 3 G transceiver- 7-9 3G RF modules (UMTS) This is the core of the invention module.

A 3G-transceiver module is implemented in the TV using it advantage of being exclusively small and useful for video calls as well as for mobile devices.

The resolution could be corrected as the current TV sets contain image correction algorithms and image processing.

Such RF block 8-9 will interact between the UMTS antenna and camera and speaker as a transmit video/audio devices and TV monitor and TV speakers as a receive devices.

Microphone and Video Cam - 15-16 Microphone and Camera These are to be designed in more then one ways, so the 'N' number of users could be sitting few meters away with their individual microphones with the headphones while a camera embedded in TV set device.

Monitor and Speakers - 17-18 Saving the same applications plus there is always an option within the TV sets for using the alternative speakers and audio system as usual.

Remote Control Should also contain besides TV/Video option also a mode switch from the TVNideo to Videophone mode. It also will contain all the usual basic mobile phone keypad as well.

In addition very important option to be: an option of multi-mode: using 3/4 of the TV screen for TV use while the rest 7/4 of the screen for videophone and vice versa. Such idea will change the design of the signal switch and controller, plus add to the usual micro controlling and signal processing additional changes and various algorithms. Fig: 3. The sound source though will be decided upon which mode is the dominant by the user (either TV or the call mode).

Claims (14)

1. A 3G UMTS based TV - Videophone including an ordinary digital TV set with fully implemented 3G UMTS mobile handset hardware and software basic design, with additional interface modules that must be implemented to make this apparatus support a video call.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 must contain the following hardware solution: embedded into the TV set front panel video camera and microphone so the users would be able to make the video call altogether from the distance they sit away from the TV.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 must contain the following hardware solution: additional headphone-microphone device as known in use with mobile communication so that the user would be able to make the same call on a more private basis.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 must contain the following hardware solution: a remote control where will be added another section for the video call operation that must have at least all the control operations that exist in 3G mobile handsets so the user would be able to make a video call.

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 must contain the following hardware solution: an implemented RF module 3G transceiver. This will allow the apparatus to receive and transmit 3G UMTS signals. This addition claims all hardware design of basic 3G-handset transceiver.

Starting from its antenna port including the 'RF and Base-band systems on chip' all implemented in the 3G mobile phone handsets.

6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 must contain the following hardware solution: an implemented switch control design that will allow the apparatus to switch its modes (any of the 4 available: TV mode only/ Video call only/ TV dominant multi-mode/ Video call dominant multi-mode) both automatically and by the user.

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 must contain the following hardware solution: a LAN connection and an online database support capability in order to allow the user store any recorded video calls as well as videos and/or programmed.

8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 must contain the following hardware solution: A hardware drive embedded in order to support large scale temporary storing capabilities without connecting a video and/or DVD recorders.

9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 and in relation to all the previous Claims 2-8 must contain the following software solution: an additional user interface with video call options available through the TV screen to allow the users simply choose their options via remote control and the interface they shall see via the TV monitor.

10.An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 and in relation to Claims 2, 3 must contain the following software solution: a speech and visual software support obtained on the basis of 3G mobile handset software principles.

11.An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 and in relation to Claim 4 must contain the following software solution: the remote control video call will set the 3G embedded hardware in the TV set in the same way as the normally the keypad of mobile handsets setting their hardware for a call establishment.

12.An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 and in relation to Claim 5 must contain the following software solution: all the base band and high layer software that is usually obtained in the mobile handsets transceivers in order to support the full 3G stack operation.

13.An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 and in relation to Claim 6 must contain the following software solution: the software which shall support such hardware as mentioned in the Claim 6 shall be dependent on the type of the TV sets as they vary from different company producers. This software is not specified and defended within this invention.

14.A 3G UMTS based TV set - Videophone substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.