COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH PORTABLE UNITS CONNECTED THROUGH A COMMUNICATION CHANNEL TO A COMPUTER FOR APPLYING INFORMATION THERETO
First Claim
1. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of points and a central station, and wherein a communication channel extends from the points to the central station, such apparatus including in combination, a plurality of portable units each including switch means, connector means, and transmitter circuit means connected to said switch means and to said connector means, said transmitter circuit means including means producing a binary signal representing the operation of said switch means of said portable unit, and code means connected to said transmitter circuit means and cooperating therewith to produce a binary signal representing the particular portable unit, a plurality of receptacles at said points and each having terminal means adapted to be connected to the communication channel, connector means for mating with said connector means of said portable unit and circuit means connected to said connector means and to said terminal means, wherein said circuit means includes code means connected to said transmitter circuit means through said connector means to provide a further binary signal for identifying the particular receptacle, each of said portable units cooperating with one of said receptacles upon interengagement of said connector means thereof to apply to said terminal means a binary signal from said transmitter circuit means, and receiver circuit means included in each of the said portable units, for receiving signals from the central station, operatively connected to cause each of said portable units to apply to said terminal means a binary signal from the said transmitter circuit means, in response to a signal from the central station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
System for indicating the condition of hotel rooms or the like having a computer coupled to a memory and to display devices, with a communication channel extending from the computer to remote points, such as individual hotel rooms. A portable unit is carried by a maid or other personnel and is adapted to be coupled to a communication channel which may be present for another purpose. For example, the communication channel may be the telephone lines which provide telephone service to the rooms, a television antenna cable, or any other communication channel which is available. The portable unit includes a circuit for transmitting and receiving signals, and switches coupled thereto. When used with a telephone line, the portable units can be coupled thereto through an acoustic coupler, or a receptacle can be provided for the unit which is directly wired to the line. The portable unit or the receptacle can also include a circuit which is uniquely wired or switched for each room, so that a signal can be sent on the line which identifies the room and the particular portable unit, and which provides information representing the operation of the switches of the portable unit. The portable unit may include batteries for energization of the circuit therein. The information supplied on the communications line is coupled to the computer and stored in the memory thereof, and selectively read out on a visible display and/or printer as desired.
26 Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of points and a central station, and wherein a communication channel extends from the points to the central station, such apparatus including in combination, a plurality of portable units each including switch means, connector means, and transmitter circuit means connected to said switch means and to said connector means, said transmitter circuit means including means producing a binary signal representing the operation of said switch means of said portable unit, and code means connected to said transmitter circuit means and cooperating therewith to produce a binary signal representing the particular portable unit, a plurality of receptacles at said points and each having terminal means adapted to be connected to the communication channel, connector means for mating with said connector means of said portable unit and circuit means connected to said connector means and to said terminal means, wherein said circuit means includes code means connected to said transmitter circuit means through said connector means to provide a further binary signal for identifying the particular receptacle, each of said portable units cooperating with one of said receptacles upon interengagement of said connector means thereof to apply to said terminal means a binary signal from said transmitter circuit means, and receiver circuit means included in each of the said portable units, for receiving signals from the central station, operatively connected to cause each of said portable units to apply to said terminal means a binary signal from the said transmitter circuit means, in response to a signal from the central station.
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2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said portable unit includes clock means and said transmitter circuit means include gating means coupled to said clock means to produce the binary signals.
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3. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of points and a computer located at a central station, and wherein telephone lines extend from the points to the computer, such apparatus including in combination, a portable unit including transmitter means, receiver means, and switch means coupled to said transmitter means, and further including interface circuit means connecting said receiver means and said transmitter means to the telephone line which includes a diode bridge having a first pair of terminals coupled to the telephone line and a second pair of terminals, and a circuit connected across said second pair of terminals including a transistor and means selectively rendering said transistor conducting in accordance with tHe potential on the telephone line, coding circuit means selectively connected to said transmitter means and providing a unique code associated with the point at which said portable unit is coupled to the telephone lines, said transmitter means of said portable unit cooperating with said coding circuit means to apply to the communication channel a signal having a first portion representing the unique code of said coding circuit means, and a second portion representing the operation of said switch means of said portable unit.
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4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said portable unit includes dial circuit means connected to said transistor for selectively rendering the same conducting to apply dial pulses to the telephone line.
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5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including means connecting said transmitter means to said transistor for controlling the conductivity thereof to thereby control the impedance applied through said diode bridge to the telephone line.
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6. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of points and a central station, and wherein a communication channel extends from the points to the central station, such apparatus including in combination, a plurality of portable units each including switch means, connector means, transmitter circuit means connected to said switch means and to said connector means, said transmitter circuit means including means producing a binary signal representing the operation of said switch means of said portable unit, each portable unit further including receiver circuit means and inter-face means connecting said receiver circuit means and said transmitter circuit means to said connector means of said portable unit, a plurality of receptacles at said points and each having terminal means adapted to be connected to the communication channel, connector means for mating with said connector means of said portable unit and circuit means connected to said receptacle connector means and to said terminal means, interface means, included in each of said portable units, for connecting said receiver circuit means and said transmitter circuit means to said connector means of said portable unit, said interface circuit means including a diode bridge having a first pair of terminals connected to said connector means of said portable unit for connection through said connector means of said receptacle to said terminal means, and a second pair of terminals connected to said receiver means for applying signals thereto, each of said portable units cooperating with one of said receptacles upon interengagement of said connector means thereof to apply to said terminal means a binary signal from said transmitter circuit means.
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7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said interface circuit means further includes a circuit including a transistor connected to said second pair of terminals of said diode bridge, and means for controlling the conductivity of said transistor to thereby control the impedance applied to said terminal means.
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8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said transmitter circuit means includes means providing frequency shift signals, and means connecting said frequency shift signals to said transistor for modulating the conduction thereof to thereby modulate the impedance applied to said terminal means.
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9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including means coupled to said terminal means and responsive to the potentials thereon derived from the communication channel to provide a control potential of a selected polarity, and means for applying said control potential to said transistor to control the conductivity thereof to selectively apply a short circuit and an open circuit to said terminal means.
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10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said portable unit includes dial pulse producing means connected to said transistor to selectively render the same conducting and nonconducting.
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11. Apparatus for providing communication between a pluraLity of separated geographic points to be serviced and a computer located at a central station, and a communication channel extending from the plurality of geographic points to the computer comprising:
- a portable unit including a receiver means and a transmitter means, first coding circuit means connected to said transmitter means for providing a first unique code representative of the geographic point at which said portable unit is located, switch means connected to said transmitter means for defining a second unique code and for initiating transmission of said first and second unique codes;
signal translating means for coupling signals from said transmitter means to said computer, and to said receiver means from said computer;
said receiver means being responsive to a computer-ready signal for providing a computer on-line control signal;
said first coding circuit means and said switch means being responsive to said computer on-line control signal for automatically applying said first and second unique codes to said transmitter means for transmission to said computer by means of said communication channel; and
said computer-ready signal being initiated in response to manual activation of said switch means for automatically applying said first and second unique codes to said communication channel.
- a portable unit including a receiver means and a transmitter means, first coding circuit means connected to said transmitter means for providing a first unique code representative of the geographic point at which said portable unit is located, switch means connected to said transmitter means for defining a second unique code and for initiating transmission of said first and second unique codes;
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12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein the receiver means further comprise clock means and gating means coupled to said clock means to receive the signals from the central station.
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13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said receiver means further include detector means coupled to said gating means to detect and shape signals from the computer and to transmit them to the gating means.
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14. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of separated geographic points to be serviced and a computer located at a central station, and a communication channel extending from the plurality of geographic points to the computer as in claim 11 wherein:
- said portable unit includes connector means and said signal translating means comprises a receptacle means located at a geographic point to be serviced; and
said receptacle means including terminal means connected to said communication channel, said connector means being adapted for interconnection with said receptacle means.
- said portable unit includes connector means and said signal translating means comprises a receptacle means located at a geographic point to be serviced; and
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15. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of separated geographic points to be serviced and a computer located at a central station, and a communication channel extending from the plurality of geographic points to the computer as in claim 11 wherein:
- said switch means comprises a first and a second section;
said first section comprising a first switch means and said second section comprising a predetermined number of manually responsive switch means for defining said second unique code;
said computer-ready signal being initiated in response to manual activation of said first switch means for automatically applying said first and second unique codes to said communication channel; and
said predetermined number of manually responsive switch means of said second section being activated to a first predetermined state prior to manual activation of said first switch means.
- said switch means comprises a first and a second section;
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16. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of separated geographic points to be serviced and a computer located at a central station, and a communication channel extending from the plurality of geographic points to the computer as in claim 15 further comprising:
- means for electrically interconnecting said first and second sections; and
said second section being responsive to activation of said predetermined number of manually responsive switch means for defining said second unique code and for activating said first section for generating said computer-ready signal.
- means for electrically interconnecting said first and second sections; and
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17. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of separated geographic points to be serviced and a computer located at a central statIon, and a communication channel extending from the plurality of geographic points to the computer as in claim 11 wherein the communication channel comprises telephone lines connected to a plurality of handsets located at each of the plurality of geographic points for communication with the computer and wherein:
- said signal translating means comprises acoustic coupler means for coupling signals between said handset and said transmitter and receiver means.
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18. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of separated geographic points to be serviced and a computer located at a central station, and a communication channel extending from the plurality of separated geographic points to the computer as in claim 17 wherein the communication channel comprises telephone lines connected to a plurality of handsets located at each of the plurality of geographic points for communication with the computer wherein:
- said transmitter and receiver means includes means for transmitting and receiving audio-frequencies, respectively.
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19. Apparatus in accordance with claim 18e wherein said transmitter and receiver circuit means includes means providing binary signals and frequency shift modulator means for providing audio frequency signals which shift between two audio frequencies.
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20. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 wherein said transmitter means includes gating means and clock means coupled to said first coding circuit means to produce binary signals representing said first unique code for identifying the geographic point of coupling of said portable unit to the telphone lines.
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21. Apparatus in accordance with claim 20 wherein said transmitter means further includes frequency shift modulator means coupled to said gating means for receiving said binary signals therefrom, said modulator means being coupled to the telephone line for applying signals thereto.
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22. Apparatus for providing communication between a plurality of separated geographic points to be serviced and a computer located at a central station, and a communication channel extending from the geographic points to the computer as in claim 11 wherein:
- said portable unit further comprises a second coding circuit means connected to said transmitter means for providing a third unique code, said first coding circuit means, said second coding circuit means, and said switch means being responsive to said computer on-line control signal for automatically applying said first, second, and third unique codes to said transmitter means for transmission to said computer by means of said communication channel; and
said computer-ready signal being initiated in response to manual activation of said switch means for automatically applying said first, second, and third unique codes to said communication channel.
- said portable unit further comprises a second coding circuit means connected to said transmitter means for providing a third unique code, said first coding circuit means, said second coding circuit means, and said switch means being responsive to said computer on-line control signal for automatically applying said first, second, and third unique codes to said transmitter means for transmission to said computer by means of said communication channel; and
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23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein said transmitter means includes gating means and clock means coupled to said first and second coding circuit means to produce binary signals representing said first and third unique codes.
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24. Apparatus in accordance with claim 23 wherein said receiver means further comprise clock means and gating means coupled to said clock means to receive the signals from the central station.
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25. Apparatus in accordance with claim 23 wherein said transmitter means further includes frequency shift modulator means coupled to said gating means and receiving said binary signals therefrom.
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26. Apparatus in accordance with claim 25 wherein said frequency shift modulator means produces audio frequency signals which shift between two frequencies, and said signal translating means includes an acoustic coupler for coupling such signals to the communication channel.
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27. Apparatus in accordance with claim 25 wherein said frequency shift modulator means produces audio frequency signals which shift between two frequencies, and further including means connected to the communication channel for receiving said portable unit which includes said signal translating meanS and said second coding circuit means.
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28. Apparatus in accordance with claim 25 wherein said receiver means further include detector means coupled to said gating means to detect and shape signals from the computer and to transmit them to the gating means.
Specification