Audiovisual communications terminal apparatus for teleconferencing and

Abstract

An audiovisual communications terminal apparatus is adapted for interconnection to at least another audiovisual communications terminal apparatus by a communications medium to form an audiovisual teleconferencing network. The audiovisual communications terminal apparatus includes an interface device, producing and transmitting means and receiving and broadcasting means. The interface device is operative to condition input audiovisual signals received from the at least another audiovisual communications terminal apparatus and to condition output audiovisual signals for processing by the at least another audiovisual communication terminal apparatus. Conditioning occurs by using an available one of a digital video communications standard and an analog video communications standard. The producing and transmitting means produce the output audiovisual signals and transmit the produced output audiovisual signals through the interface device and into the communications medium. The receiving and broadcasting means receive the input audiovisual signals from the interface device and broadcast the received input audiovisual signals thereby creating an audiovisual teleconference between two users so that the users can both see and hear each other. A method of processing output audiovisual signals is also described.