Video communication/monitoring apparatus and method therefor

A video monitoring/communication system, comprising:

• a videocommunication server including a plurality of telephone line ports for coupling to remotely-located sites and to at least one wide-bandwidth link;
• a plurality of video monitoring/commnunication apparatuses situated at the remotely-located sites and coupled to the videocommunication server via the telephone line ports, each of the plurality of video monitoring/communication apparatuses configured and arranged for communicating data including video data and for operating in a mode selected from a plurality of operating modes, and each including:
• a video source configured and arranged to capture images and to generate video data representing monitored images;
• a telephone line interface circuit, including a signal transceiver circuit, configured and arranged to transmit and receive data including video data over the telephone line;
• a programmable processor circuit configured and arranged for processing captured video and causing image data to be output for display, the programmable processor circuit having a DSP section, including a DSP-type processor, configured and arranged for executing compression/decompression algorithms, and further having a controller section communicatively coupled to the DSP section and configured and arranged for controlling operation of the video monitoring/communication apparatus;
• a memory circuit configured and arranged for storing executable code for controlling operation of the programmable processor circuit including executable code for compressing/decompressing video data consistent with at least one video-coding recommendation;
• means for setting the memory circuit to designate the selected mode for operating the video monitoring/communication apparatus;
• and a display driver circuit responsive to the programmable processor circuit and configured and arranged to generate video data for a display;
• and
• means for tagging captured images with identifying data relative to the video source of the respective video monitoring/communication apparatus;
• the videocommunication server configured and arranged for using the identifying data to couple the video data between selected ones of the plurality of telephone line ports and said at least one wide-bandwidth link.

A remotely-accessed video monitoring apparatus for communicating data, including video data, over a plain old telephone service (POTS) line, comprising:

• a video source configured and arranged to capture images and to generate video data representing the images;
• a POTS interface circuit, including a modem, configured and arranged to transmit and receive video and audio data over the POTS line;
• a programmable processor circuit having a first section, including a DSP-type processor, configured and arranged to encode and decode video data, including the video data generated by the video source, according to a programmed video-coding recommendation, and having a controller section, including a RISC-type processor communicatively coupled to the first section, the controller section executing a stored program for controlling operation of the videophone apparatus in response to user-generated commands;
• a memory circuit coupled to the programmable processor circuit and aranged for storing the program for controlling operation of the videophone apparatus;
• a display driver circuit responsive to the programmable processor circuit and configured and arranged to generate video data for a display.

A videoconferencing apparatus for communicating video and audio data over a communications channel, comprising:

• means for capturing images and generating video data representing the images;
• means for transmitting and receiving video and audio data over the channel;
• programmable means for processing having a first section, including a DSP-type processor, configured and arranged to encode and decode video data, including the video data generated by the video source, according to a programmed video-coding recommendation, and having a controller section, including a RISC-type processor, communicatively coupled to the first section, the controller section executing a stored program for controlling operation of the videoconferencing apparatus in response to user-generated commands;
• an EEPROM circuit coupled to the programmable means for processing and arranged for storing the program for controlling operation of the videoconferencing apparatus;
• a display driver circuit responsive to the programmable means for processing and configured and arranged to generate video data for a display;
• and
• a housing arrangement, enclosing the means for capturing images and generating video data representing the images, the means for transmitting and receiving video and audio data, the programmable means for processing, the EEPROM circuit, the display driver circuit, and constructed and arranged to mount adjustably on the top of the display.