Apparatus for powering television cameras via camera transmission lines

An apparatus for powering a television camera via an information signal transmission line, comprising:

• a television camera adapted to operate by a constant DC current fed through a transmission line terminal for connecting said transmission line to said television camera and process and output multiplexed electrical information signals including composite video signals or digital video signals;
• at least one current-consuming peripheral device connected to said television camera;
• a rechargeable battery connected to said television camera for powering said at least one current-consuming peripheral device;
• and
• a constant current supply means for feeding said television camera with said constant DC current and output said multiplexed electrical information signals;
• said transmission line connecting said television camera with said constant current supply means for feeding said television camera with said constant DC current and for feeding said constant current supply means with said multiplexed electrical information signals;
• said rechargeable battery being charged by said constant DC current fed through said transmission line terminal;
• said constant current supply means supplying said constant DC current which is equal to the sum of a constant current needed for operating said television camera and a constant current needed to charge said rechargeable battery and wherein the charged battery provides power needed to operate said at least one current consuming peripheral.

An apparatus for powering a plurality of television cameras via information signal transmission lines, comprising:

• said plurality of television cameras each adapted to operate by a constant DC current fed through transmission line terminals each for respectively connecting one of said transmission lines to a respective one of said plurality of television cameras and process and output multiplexed electrical information signals including composite video signals or digital video signals;
• at least one current-consuming peripheral device connected to each of said television cameras;
• a rechargeable battery connected to each of said television cameras for powering said at least one current-consuming peripheral device, said rechargeable battery being charged by said constant DC current fed through a respective one of said transmission line terminals;
• a plurality of constant current supply means, each corresponding to a respective television camera for feeding each respective television camera with said constant DC current and receiving said output multiplexed electrical information signals from each of said television cameras;
• said plurality of transmission lines connecting said plurality of television cameras with said plurality of constant current supply means for feeding said plurality of television cameras with said constant DC current and for feeding said plurality of constant current supply means with said multiplexed electrical information signals;
• a selector means for selecting said multiplexed electrical information signals fed by the said plurality of constant current supply means;
• and
• receiving means for receiving and displaying or recording video signals contained in said selected multiplexed electrical information signals;
• said constant current supply means supplying said constant DC current which is equal to the sum of a constant current needed for operating each of said television cameras and a constant current needed to charge said rechargeable battery, and wherein the charged battery provides power needed to operate said at least one current-consuming peripheral device connected to each of said plurality of television cameras.