VIDEO COMMUNICATION/MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREFOR

In one embodiment, a cost-effective videophone device acts as a security monitor and includes a programmable processor circuit capable of communicating over a conventional communications channel, such as a POTS line, and of generating video data for display on a television set. The device includes a video source, an interface circuit, including a modem transmitting and receiving video and audio data over the channel; an EEPROM circuit for storing a program to control the videophone apparatus; and a display driver circuit for generating video data to the display. The programmable processor circuit includes a DSP-type processor for processing video data and a general-purpose processor for executing the stored program and controlling the operation of the videophone apparatus. Further, a code is used to designate one of multiple operations for various interacting processor circuits communicating in the same system.