a patent is a patent. it is the Law.
A patent is a patent. But it is not the law. Believe me, there are lots of invalid or helplessly narrow and useless patents. i don't know if this is one of them. This is an excerpt from the IBM patent server:
The scope of the patent is determined by the claims, not the abstract. Claim 1 is shown below. The patent has a total of 28 claims.
patent.womplex.ibm.com
5644355 : Adaptive video subscriber system and methods for its use
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INVENTORS:Koz; Mark Christopher, Santa Clara, CA
Hata; Masato, Sunnyvale, CA
ASSIGNEES:Intelligent Instruments Corporation, Santa Clara, CAISSUED:Julyÿ1 , 1997ÿFILED: Julyÿ19, 1994SERIAL NUMBER: 140172ÿMAINT. STATUS: INTL.ÿCLASS (Ed.ÿ6):H04N 7/14; U.S. CLASS:348-017; 379-093.17; FIELD OF SEARCH:348-13,7,8,12,6,14,15,16,17,18 ; 455-3.1,4.1,4.2,5.1,6.1,6.3 ; AGENTS:Schreiber; Donald E.;
ABSTRACT:ÿÿ
The technical field of the invention generally concerns systems for receiving and transmitting compressed video and audio data. In particular, a subscriber system (10) includes a communication subsystem (12) to receive compressed data from and transmit compressed data to a ISDN primary access line (14) utilizing the "bandwidth on demand" feature of that communication channel. The communication subsystem (12) separates received compressed data into compressed video data and compressed audio data. Within the subscriber system (10), the compressed video data is transmitted to a programmable video data format conversion subsystem (28) for decompression and production of a visible image on a CRT (82). Similarly, compressed audio data is transmitted to a programmable audio data format conversion subsystem (192) for decompression and production of an audible sound on a speaker (262). Compressed data of visible images and audible sounds may also be obtained with and transmitted from the subscriber system (10).
EXEMPLARY CLAIM(s):
What is claimed is:
1. A subscriber system adapted for receiving compressed data and for generating from the received data video and audio signals respectively adapted for producing a visible image and an audible sound, said subscriber system comprising:
a control microprocessor for controlling the operation of the subscriber system;
a communication subsystem, responsive to commands from said control microprocessor, for receiving compressed data transmitted to said subscriber system, and for separating the compressed data into compressed video data and compressed audio data;
a programmable video data format conversion subsystem, responsive to commands from said control microprocessor, for receiving compressed video data directly from said communication subsystem and for converting received compressed video data into video data, said programmable video data format conversion subsystem operating under control of a video data conversion computer program selected from a plurality of video data conversion computer programs by said control microprocessor, each video data conversion computer program being capable of converting video data compressed in accordance with a particular pre-specified conversion standard into video data;
a video signal generation subsystem, responsive to commands from said control microprocessor, for receiving video data from said programmable video data format conversion subsystem, and for generating from the received video data a video signal adapted for producing a visible image;
a programmable audio data format conversion subsystem, responsive to commands from said control microprocessor, for receiving compressed audio data, and for converting received compressed audio data into audio data, said programmable audio data format conversion subsystem operating under control of an audio data conversion computer program selected from a plurality of audio data conversion computer programs by said control microprocessor, each audio data conversion computer program being capable of converting audio data compressed in accordance with a particular pre-specified conversion standard into audio data; and
an audio signal generation subsystem, responsive to commands from said control microprocessor, for receiving audio data from said audio data format conversion subsystem, and for generating from the received audio data an audio signal adapted for producing an audible sound.
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS: none
PCT FILED:02/24/1992PCT NO.:PCT/US92/01446 371 DATE: 07/19/1994 102(e) DATE: 07/19/1994PCT PUB. DATE: 09/02/1993
PRIMARY/ASSISTANT EXAMINERS: Woo; Stella;
ADDED TO DATABASE: Julyÿ1 , 1997 |
