DATA MESSAGE REPEATER SYSTEM

• US 3,772,596 A
• Filed: 10/02/1972
• Issued: 11/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carson Penrod Edwards
• Original Assignee: Carson Penrod Edwards
• Inventors: Edwards, Carson Penrod
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayer, Albert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/294,302
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 325/2,6,7,8,10,13,21,22 179/2DP,15AD 340/167
• US Class Current: 375/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/004 by using forward error control H04L1/0618 takes precedence; coding, decoding or code conversion, for error detection or correction H03M13/00

Abstract

A repeater system for receiving data messages from a transmission medium, the messages being formatted to include a start character, one or more address code characters and an endof-transmission character; the system converting the message into binary serial form and demodulating the data and storing it in a register, and then subsequently reconstituting it into a newly formatted message and retransmitting it to another station with an appropriate new address code, the illustrative embodiment using FSK transmitters and receivers operating on the same frequency; and the system being especially adapted for automatic unattended operation in which a power supply is recharged by solar cells and is turned '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' by logic means in such a way as to conserve power; and said system including means for locally monitoring the data passing through a repeater.

Claims

1. A digital data repeater for receiving a message transmitted via a signal propagating medium and for retransmitting it to another station at a subsequent time substantially without degradation, each message including data characters preceded by a start character and an encoded address character and concluded by an end-of-transmission character, comprising:

a. a power supply;

b. a transmitter for transmitting messages via said meDium;

c. a relay receiver operative except when said transmitter is operative to receive messages from said medium and responsive thereto to turn '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' said power supply to the rest of the repeater;

d. a binary data receiver and demodulator coupled to accept received messages and operative to recover characters therefrom as binary data;

e. character recognition means coupled to said demodulator and responsive to demodulation of an address character other than a predetermined desired address character to turn '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' said power supply, and including means to detect an end-oftransmission character;

f. a character storage register operative when the power supply is '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and capable of accepting and storing the demodulated characters recovered as data by the binary demodulator;

g. a binary data reformatter coupled between said register and said transmitter;

h. means responsive to detection of an end-of-transmission character by the character recognition means to turn '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the transmitter and the binary formatter and to actuate said storage register to read out said data; and

i. an end-of-message detector coupled to said formatter and responsive to an end-of-message character read-out therefrom to turn '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the power supply.

2. The repeater as set forth in claim 2, wherein said power supply is a rechargable supply, and solar cell means coupled to said supply to recharge it.

3. The repeater as set forth in claim 1, wherein said power supply has two separate power outputs, one output being selectively controllable between said turned '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and turned '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' conditions and being connected to supply power to said binary receiver and demodulator, said character recognition means, said detector, said storage register, said binary reformatter and said transmitter;

and the other output being connected to supply power to said receiver.

4. The repeater as set forth in claim 1, wherein said storage register, after recognition of said predetermined address code by said recognition means, storing the data characters and the end-of-tranmission character;

a code generator for generating the address code of said another station; and

said binary reformatter reformatting the message to be transmitted using said generated address code.

5. The repeater as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmitter and receiver and frequency-shift keyed;

and modem means coupled between the transmitter and the binary formatter on the one hand, and the receiver and the binary receiver and demodulator on the other hand, for converting between frequency-shift modulation and serial binary form.

6. In the repeater as set forth in claim 1, means for monitoring messages passing through the repeater at a first faster bit rate by reading out the data to a display device operating at a second slower bit rate, comprising auxiliary data storage and readout register means;

binary receiver means to detect binary data received by the relay receiver;

fast clock pulse generator means;

means responsive to a detected start character to enable said fast generator means to deliver clock pulses to said auxiliary register means and to enable the register means to store detected digital data;

slow clock pulse generator means;

means responsive to a detected end-of-transmission character to disable said fast-generator means and to enable said slow-generator means to deliver slow clock pulses to said auxiliary register means and to enable the register means to read out the data stored therein to said display device; and

means responsive to an end-of-transmission character when read out from said auxiliary register means to disable said slow-generator means and to disable said auxiliary register means.

7. The repeater as set forth in claim 6, wherein said monitoring means includes means coupled to said character recognition means of the repeater and responsive to detection thereby of an address character other than said predetermined desIred address character to disable said clock generator means and said auxiliary register means.