Security polling transponder system
First Claim
1. For use in a security polling system having a central controller and a plurality of remote transponders, a method of transmitting security status information from a transponder to the central controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- detecting polling signals transmitted from the central controller;
determining whether each of the polling signals is intended to trigger transmission from this particular transponder; and
transmitting, in response to an affirmative decision in said determining step, a response signal indicative of at least one security status condition at the transponder site, the response signal including a plurality of sequential signal bursts, each of a preselected frequency and duration such that the response signal uniquely identifies the security status condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Transponder apparatus and a corresponding method for use in a security polling system having a central controller and a number of remotely located transponders which are polled sequentially to initiate transmission of status conditions, over telephone lines to the central controller for monitoring. The transponder detects polling signal bursts of a particular frequency from the central controller, and counts the bursts to determine its turn for response. Each response includes two sequential signal bursts of different frequencies, the durations of which define, with the frequency sequence, the status condition being transmitted. Control information is encoded into the lengths and spacings of the polling signal bursts, and is decoded by the transponder, to indicate transmission errors, transponder resetting commands, and remote control commands. Means are also provided at the transponder for transmitting a special alarm code when electrical power is first applied to the transponder, thus indicating the possible substitution of an unauthorized transponder at a protected site.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. For use in a security polling system having a central controller and a plurality of remote transponders, a method of transmitting security status information from a transponder to the central controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting polling signals transmitted from the central controller; determining whether each of the polling signals is intended to trigger transmission from this particular transponder; and transmitting, in response to an affirmative decision in said determining step, a response signal indicative of at least one security status condition at the transponder site, the response signal including a plurality of sequential signal bursts, each of a preselected frequency and duration such that the response signal uniquely identifies the security status condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. For use in a security polling system having a central controller and a plurality of remote transponders, a method of transmitting security status information from a transponder to the central controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence and absence of polling signals transmitted from the central controller as signal bursts of a first particular frequency; timing the durations of the polling signals and the durations of the periods of silence therebetween; generating transponder control signals in accordance with the nature of the received polling signals as determined by said detecting and timing steps; resetting a transponder counter in response to a reset signal generated in said generating step on detection of a silence of predetermined duration; comparing the contents of the transponder counter with a number associated with this particular transponder, on receipt of a polling signal; advancing the transponder counter in response to a signal generated in said generating step on receipt of each polling signal; and transmitting, in response to a successful comparing step, a response signal indicative of a status condition at the transponder site, the response signal including two sequential signal bursts having different frequencies chosen from second and third particular frequencies, such that the frequency sequence and durations of the two sequential signal bursts uniquely identify the status condition. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. For use in a security polling system having a central controller and a plurality of remote transponders connected to the central controller by telephone lines, a method of transmitting security status information from a transponder to the central controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence and absence of polling signals transmitted from the central controller as signal bursts of a first particular frequency; timing the durations of the polling signals and the durations of the periods of silence therebetween; generating transponder control signals in accordance with the durations of the detected polling signals and the periods of silence therebetween, the control signals including a reset signal for resetting a counter in response to a silence of a predetermined duration, an enable signal for enabling the transponder following a reset signal, a counter-advancing signal in response to any received polling signal, a coincidence signal indicating equality of the counter contents with a number associated with this transponder, and a transmission error signal in response to detection of a period of silence of predetermined duration following transmission by the transponder; resetting, enabling and advancing the counter under direction of the reset signals, enable signals and counter-advancing signals generated in said generating step; transmitting, in response to the coincidence signal, a response signal indicative of a status condition at the transponder, the response signal including two sequential signal bursts having different frequencies chosen from second and third particular frequencies, such that the frequency sequence and durations of the two sequential signal bursts uniquely identify the status condition, said transmitting step including selecting for transmission one of a possible plurality of status conditions at the transponder site, generating transmission parameters corresponding to the selected status conditions, and controlling two oscillators of the second and third particular frequencies in accordance with the generated parameters, to produce the required sequence of signal bursts comprising the response signals; and
retransmitting the same sequence of frequencybursts, if necessary, in response to the transmission error signal, and when the transponder is next triggered to respond.
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16. Transponder apparatus for use in a security polling system having a central controller and a plurality of transponders, said apparatus comprising:
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means for detecting a polling signal from the central controller, including means for determining whether the polling signal is intended to trigger transmission from this particular transponder; and transmitting means, responsive to said means for detecting a polling signal, for encoding and transmitting a security status condition at the transponder site as a plurality of sequential signal bursts, each of a preselected frequency and duration such that the response signal uniquely identifies the security status condition. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. Transponder apparatus for use in a security polling system having a central controller and a plurality of transponders, said apparatus comprising:
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polling signal detection means, for detecting the presence and absence of polling signals received from the central controller as signal bursts of a first particular frequency; timing means, for timing the durations of the polling signals and the periods of silence separating the polling signals; control means connected with said timing means, for generating transponder control signals in accordance with the durations and spacings of the polling signals; polling signal counting means, including coincidence means for comparing the count in said counting means with a transponder number associated with this particular transponder; and transmitting means for encoding and transmitting a response signal indicative of a status condition at the transponder site, the response signal including two sequential signal bursts having different frequencies chosen from second and third particular frequencies, such that the frequency sequence and durations of the two sequential signal bursts uniquely identify the status condition. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. In a transponder for use with a security polling system having central controller and a plurality of transponders, apparatus comprising:
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sensing means for sensing application of electrical power to the transponder; gating means responsive to said sensing means, for inhibiting retransmission of a response signal indicative of a status condition to the central controller, and simultaneously enabling transmission of a special response signal indicative of the sensed condition; and counting means for effecting transmission of the special response signal a predetermined number of times, said counting means being coupled to said gating means to permit normal transmission after the predetermined number of special response transmissions. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. For use in a security polling system having a central controller and at least one remote transponder, a method for detecting an unauthorized transponder substitution, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing the application of electrical power to the transponder; and
, in response to said sensing step,inhibiting transmission of a normal response signal; and enabling transmission of a special response signal indicative of application of electrical power to the transponder. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification