Telecommunications system for the hearing impaired utilizing Baudot-ASCII code selection

• US 3,896,267 A
• Filed: 09/21/1973
• Issued: 07/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank Cicchiello, Reynold Sachs
• Original Assignee: Frank Cicchiello, Reynold Sachs
• Inventors: Sachs, Reynold, Cicchiello, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): D'Amico, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US05/399,553
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 178/17R,17A,17C,26A,17.5 340/365S,324AD 179/2DP,2TV
• US Class Current: 379/93.17
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 5/00 Conversion of the form of the representation of individual digits

Abstract

A data terminal has a keyboard capable of encoding data. A switch determines whether a diode matrix will encode keyboard entries in Baudot or ASCII code. A modem couples the encoded keyboard data to telephone lines for transmission to another terminal station. Data may be received by the terminal in either Baudot or ASCII code. The received data is translated to alphanumeric video signals that may be displayed on a conventional television receiver.

Claims

1. In a telecommunication data terminal for selectively transmitting data in one of at least first and second codes, the terminal comprising:

code select switch means;

means for entering data into the terminal;

means connected to the data entry means for encoding the entered data in accordance with the selected code;

interface means connected between the data entering means and the encoding means, said interface means responsive to the code select switch means, for interposing a special indication when the first code is selected and there is a change from alpha to numeric characters and vice versa;

clock means connected at the input thereof to the switch means for generating timing signals which control the data rate from the encoding means in accordance with the selected code;

transducer means connected to the output of the encoding means for coupling encoded data to a telephone for transmission over telephone lines to another station at a data rate determined by the clock means;

means for visually displaying the entered data at the terminal as it is transmitted to another station, the displaying means including;

means connected to the output of the encoding means and the code select switch means for converting encoded data in the first code format to the second code format for internal processing;

memory means connected to the converting means for storing the data therefrom;

means connected to the output of the memory means for generating video data therefrom corresponding to the entered data;

means for generating video display synchronizing signals;

signal mixing means for mixing the video data with video synchronizing signals and producing a composite video signal; and

output means whereat the composite signal is present for connection to a video display which displays the entered data.

2. The telecommunication terminal for transmitting and receiving data in one of at least first and second codes, the terminal including a transmitting portion comprising;

;

code select switch means;

means for entering data into the terminal;

means connected to the data entry means for encoding the entered data in accordance with the selected code;

interface means connected between the data entering means and the encoding means, said interface means responsive to the code select switch means, for interposing a special indication when the first code is selected and there is a change from alpha to numeric characters and vice versa;

clock means connected at the input thereof to the switch means for generating timing signals which control the data rate from the encoding means in accordance with the selected code;

transducer means connected to the output of the encoding means for coupling encoded data to a telephone for transmission over telephone lines to another station at a data rate determined by the clock means;

means for visually displaying the entered data at the terminal as it is transmitted to another station, the displaying means including;

means connected to the output of the encoding means and the code select means for converting encoded data in the first code format to the second code format for internal processing;

memory means connected to the converting means for storing the data therefrom;

means connected to the output of the memory means for generating video data therefrom corresponding to the entered data;

means for generating video display synchronizing signals;

signal mixing means for mixing the video data with video synchronizing signals and producing a composite video signal; and

output means whereat the composite signal is present for connection to a video display which displays the entered data;

the terminal further including a receiving portion comprising;

second transducer means for coupling data into the terminal from a telephone, the data being transmitted from another station;

the converting means connected at inputs thereof during the receive mode to the code select switch and the coupled telephone data for converting the data in the first code format to the second code format;

the memory means being connected to the converting means when the terminal is in a receiving mode for storing the data from the converting means;

the generating means functioning during the receive mode to generate video data from the memory means;

the video display synchronizing signals operating with the signal mixing means during the receive mode for mixing the video data with video synchronizing signals to produce a composite video signal;

the output means, whereat the composite signal is present during the receive mode, serving as a connection point to a video display which displays the received data.

3. The subject matter as defined in claim 2, wherein the means for entering data comprises a keyboard for manual entry of data.

4. A telecommunication terminal for transmitting data in either Baudot or ASCII code whereby switching between alpha and numeric characters requires the insertion of a special function code in a data stream, the terminal including a transmitting portion comprising:

keyboard means for entering data into the terminal;

means connected to the keyboard means for encoding the entered data in accordance with a selected code;

keyboard interface means connected to the output of the encoding means for permitting the direct transmission of data therethrough when the terminal is transmitting in ASCII, the interface means temporarily disabling data flow and inserting a special function code in a data stream when an alpha-numeric change occurs while the terminal is operating in Baudot;

Baudot-ASCII selector switch means connected to the interface means for governing operation of the interface in accordance with a selected code;

parallel to serial converting means for serially feeding data in the selected code from the interface means to an acoustic coupler whereat the data may be further transmitted to another station from a telephone cooperating with the acoustic coupler;

the terminal further including means for visually displaying the keyboard entry data as it is transmitted to the other station, the display means including;

means connected to the output of the encoding means for converting Baudot encoded data to an ASCII code format for internal processing;

the selector switching means connected to the BaudoT-ASCII converting means for directly transmitting encoded data through the Baudot-ASCII converting means when the terminal is selected for ASCII communication;

memory means connected to the Baudot-ASCII converting means for storing the data therefrom;

means connected to the output of the memory means for generating video data therefrom corresponding to the entered data;

means for generating video display synchronizing signals;

signal mixing means for mixing the video data with video synchronizing signals and producing a composite video signal; and

output means whereat the composite signal is present for connection to a video display which displays the entered data.

5. The subject matter as defined in claim 4 wherein the terminal further includes circuitry for receiving data from another station in either Baudot or ASCII code, the receiving circuitry comprising:

means connecting the acoustic coupler to the parallel to serial converting means for communicating the received data into the terminal via a telephone at the receiving station;

the parallel to serial converting means connected at inputs thereof during the receive mode to the code select switch means and the coupled telephone data;

means connecting the output of the parallel to serial converting means to the Baudot-ASCII converting means for converting received Baudot data to ASCII format;

the memory means being connected to the converting means when the terminal is in a receiving mode for storing the data from the Baudot-ASCII converting means;

the generating means functioning during the receive mode to generate video data from the memory means;

the video display synchronizing signals operating with the signal mixing means during the receive mode for mixing the video with video synchronizing signals to produce a composite video signal; and

the output means whereat the composite signal is present during the receive mode serving as a connection point to a video display which displays the received data.

6. The subject matter as defined in claim 4 together with a utilization monitor for measuring elapsed time of terminal usage, the monitor comprising:

counter means for incrementing an accumulated count when the terminal is energized;

means responsive to receipt of data from a remote station indicating operation of the terminal in the receiving mode;

means connected to the output of the responsive means for enabling readout of the counter means to storing means when the responsive means becoms operative; and

means connected to the output of the storing means to the encoding means for encoding the count in a preselected code corresponding to elapsed time of terminal use, the count being subsequently presented to the output means as ordinary data for display on a video display.

7. The claim as set forth in claim 5 together with a utilization monitor for measuring elapsed time of terminal usage and communicating the measurement to a remote interrogating station, the monitor comprising:

counter means for incrementing an accumulated count when the terminal is energized;

means responsive to receiving a preselected signal, lasting a preselected time duration, from a remote interrogating station;

means connected to the output of the responsive means for enabling readout of the counter means to storing means when the responsive means becomes operative; and

means for connecting the storing means to the encoding means for encoding the count in the preselected code, corresponding to elapsed time of terminal use, the count being subsequently transmitted via the coupling means to the interrogating station as ordinary data.

8. The subject matter as defined in claim 5 together with an end of line indicator comprising:

means for counting the number of entries entered on the keyboard means;

switching means connected to the output of the counting means for switching to a determinative state when a prEselected count has accumulated which corresponds to an end of line condition on a video display; and

indicator means connected to the output of the switching means for altering a terminal keyboard operator of an end of line condition.

9. The subject matter as set forth in claim 5 together with a telephone ring indicator comprising:

means responsive to the ring of a telephone for generating a corresponding electrical signal;

means located in the terminal and connected to the output of the generating means for producing a carrier signal when the telephone rings;

means connecting the carrier producing means to regular house power lines for transmitting the carrier signal therealong;

receiving means located outside the terminal and connected to the house power lines for connecting the power lines to a visual indicator remote from the terminal upon receiving the carrier signal.