Abstract: A videophone system providing high resolution video transmission between videophones utilizes compressed video signals and audio signals which may be transmitted through any communications network, with the system providing real time adaptive error recovery and synchronization between the audio and video signals to produce high quality video images and sound. The system is highly resilient, adapting in real time to changing conditions in a network or to network errors due to data corruption or loss that can be produced, for example, by noise or line losses, thereby substantially eliminating fitter, signal packet loss or delay, or other errors which produce signal degradation.

Abstract: System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location.

Abstract: System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location.

Abstract: A videophone system providing high resolution video transmission between videophones utilizes compressed video signals and audio signals which may be transmitted through any communications network, with the system providing real time adaptive error recovery and synchronization between the audio and video signals to produce high quality video images and sound. The system is highly resilient, adapting in real time to changing conditions in a network or to network errors due to data corruption or loss that can be produced, for example, by noise or line losses, thereby substantially eliminating fitter, signal packet loss or delay, or other errors which produce signal degradation.

Abstract: System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location.

Abstract: A method and provides for transmitting a time reference throughout a residence or other facility for use by appliances operating within the facility. A time reference is received from the headend of a cable television (CATV) system at the subscriber converter and is retransmitted to set the internal clock timers of residential appliances throughout the house. The time reference is received by the CATV converter, then encoded and modulated for transmission on the residential AC wiring system which also carries AC power to all of the appliances in the house. Individual appliances receive the encoded time reference from the AC power line, demodulate the received signal and use the received time reference to set its internal clock timer. In such manner, a residential appliance does not need to have its internal clock set by the consumer.