Multi-function general purpose transceiver

• US 20010002210A1
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Published: 05/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Statsignal IPC LLC (Statsignal)
• Original Assignee: Statsignal IPC LLC (Statsignal)
• Inventors: Petite, Thomas D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,397,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/155
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a system and associated method for communicating information to a predetermined location. The system includes a transmitter disposed at a first location and configured to transmit a signal containing an instruction code that uniquely identifies an instruction to be carried out. The system further includes a transceiver disposed remotely from the transmitter and configured to receive the transmitted signal. The transceiver circuit includes a line interface circuit configured to interface with a telephone line that is part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and initiate a phone call over the telephone line. Finally, the system includes a central station remotely located from said transceiver but being in communication with said transceiver via the PSTN The central station further include a decoder configured to decode the instruction code. In accordance with a broader aspect, the invention is directed to a general purpose transceiver having a receiver for receiving an information signal and a transmitter configured to transmit an outgoing signal over a phone line to a central station A portion of the information signal includes an instruction code, which may be decoded by the central station and acted upon accordingly Consistent with the general purpose nature of the transceiver, the phone number of the central station may be transmitted to the transceiver as part of the information signal.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information to a predetermined location comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal containing an instruction code, the instruction code uniquely identifying an instruction to be carried out;

a transceiver configured to receive the transmitted signal, said transceiver circuit including a line interface circuit configured to interface with a telephone line that is part of the public-switched telephone network (PSTN) and initiate a phone call over the telephone line, said transceiver further including a controller configured to control the reception of the transmitted signal and to control the communication of information over the telephone line, and

a central station located remote from said transceiver but being in communication with said transceiver via the PSTN, said central station having a decoder configured to decode the instruction code.

2. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the system is a service request system.

3. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the transmitted signal further phone number for the transceiver to dial in order to establish connection with the central station.

4. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the transmitted signal further includes a logical IP address for the transceiver in order to route the message the central station.

5. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the transmitter is a RF transmitter configured to transmit a low-power RF signal.

6. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the transmitted signal further includes a transmitter identifier code.

7. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the transceiver controller is configured to communicate the transmitted signal to the central station.

8. The system as defined in

claim 7

, wherein the transceiver controller is configured to communicate a transceiver identification code to the central station.

9. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the decoder includes a look-up table.

10. The system as defined in

claim 8

, wherein the central station includes means for valuating the transceiver identification code.

11. The system as defined in

claim 10

, wherein the means for evaluating the transceiver code is configured to determine a geographical location of the transceiver, based on the transceiver identification code.

12. The system as defined in

claim 1

, further including means associated with the transmitter for sensing a service condition, and the transmitter being configured to transmit the transmitted signal in response thereto.

13. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein the central station further includes means for notifying service personnel of a service condition, in response to a communication from the transceiver.

14. The system as defined in

claim 1

, wherein said transceiver is disposed within a public, pay-type telephone.

15. A method for performing an automated service request comprising the steps of:

sensing a service condition;

notifying a transmitter of the service condition;

transmitting an information signal from the transmitter to a remotely-located transceiver, the information signal including a function code that specifies the service condition;

placing a call from the transceiver to a central station over a phone line comprising a part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN);

communicating at least the function code from the transceiver to the central station; and

decoding the function code at the central station to identify the service request.

16. The method as defined in

claim 15

, further including the step of communicating a transceiver identification code from the transceiver to the central station.

17. The method as defined in

claim 16

, wherein the decoding step more specifically includes decoding both the function code and the transceiver identification code to identify the service request.

18. The method as defined in

claim 16

, further including the step evaluating the transceiver identification code at the central station to determine a geographic location of the transceiver.

19. The method as defined in

claim 15

, wherein the information signal further includes a transmitter identification code.

20. The method as defined in

claim 15

, wherein the information signal further includes a phone number of the central station.

21. The method as defined in

claim 19

, wherein the decoding step more specifically includes decoding both the function code and the transmitter identification code to identify the service request.

22. The method as defined in

claim 19

, further including the step evaluating the transmitter identification code at the central station to determine a geographic location of the transmitter.

23. The method as defined in

claim 15

, further including the step of placing a service call in response to the decoding step.

24. The method as defined in

claim 15

, wherein the sensing step senses a failed condition of a system within an automobile, and the transmitting step includes transmitting information from a transmitter disposed within the automobile.

25. A transceiver comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an electromagnetic signal, the electromagnetic signal including an encoded instruction code;

a transmitter configured to transmit a formatted electric signal over a phone line comprising part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN);

a controller circuit including;

a first portion configured to obtain the instruction code from the received signal;

a second portion configured to establish a connection over the phone line to a predetermined location; and

a third portion configured to deliver the obtained instruction code to the transmitter for transmission over the phone line.

26. The transceiver as defined in

claim 25

, wherein the circuit is a programmable circuit, and the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are specially programmed code segments.

27. The transceiver as defined in

claim 25

, further including a look-up table for decoding the instruction code to identify an associated function.

28. The transceiver as defined in

claim 25

, further including means for decoding the instruction code to identify an associate function.

29. The transceiver as defined in

claim 27

, wherein the associated function is a service request.

30. The transceiver as defined in

claim 25

, wherein the electromagnetic signal is a radio-frequency electromagnetic signal.

31. A method for relaying an electronic message from a transmitter to a central location comprising the step of:

transmitting an information signal from the transmitter to a remotely-located transceiver, the information signal including an instruction code that uniquely specifies a message,

placing a call from the transceiver to a central station identified by a predetermined phone number over a phone line comprising a part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and

communicating the instruction code from the transceiver to the central station.

32. A transceiver comprising:

means for receiving an electromagnetic signal, the electromagnetic signal including an encoded instruction code;

means for transmitting a formatted electric signal over a phone line comprising part of the public switched telephone network (PSTN); and

means for obtaining the instruction code from the received signal and delivering the obtained instruction code to the means for transmitting for communication over the phone line to a predetermined destination.