Re-linked portable data terminal controller system
First Claim
1. A communication system for use with a computer and comprising a control unit, a base station, and a plurality of portable units, each portable unit having a unique address code and including means for receiving intelligence signals, means for transmitting intelligence signals in response to a command from the control unit, means for manually generating intelligence signals, means for storing said received signals and said manually generated signals, means for automatically generating status signals, means for detecting the respective address code in the received signals, means for responding to detection of the address code with one of the manually generated signals and status signals, the base station including means for two-way RF communication with the portable unit, and means for coupling intelligence signals to and from the control unit, the control unit having at least one unique address code and including means for coupling information signals to and from the base station for the portable units, means for coupling information signals to and from the computer, means for detecting the respective address code in received signals, means for decoding signals from the computer, means for encoding said signals for the portable units, means for decoding signals from the portable units, means for encoding said signals for the computer, memory means for storing the encoded signals in accordance with the respective destinations of the signals, means for establishing a queue of portable unit address codes, means responsive to the status signals received from each portable unit for establishing a sequence of transmissions to the portable units in accordance with said queue and said status signals.
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Abstract
A two-way communications system for use with a host computer includes a control unit, a base station and multiple radio/data terminal units. The control unit interfaces directly with the computer but uses a radio link to the portable units. Voice and data signals can be transmitted and data between units is decoded, sorted, stored, encoded, and sent to its destination in accordance with predetermined protocol in queue discipline. An extensive self-diagnostic system is included. An active redundancy arrangement switches between two control units/base stations on a regular schedule if both units are up, and instantaneously if the "on" unit goes down.
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Citations
12 Claims
- 1. A communication system for use with a computer and comprising a control unit, a base station, and a plurality of portable units, each portable unit having a unique address code and including means for receiving intelligence signals, means for transmitting intelligence signals in response to a command from the control unit, means for manually generating intelligence signals, means for storing said received signals and said manually generated signals, means for automatically generating status signals, means for detecting the respective address code in the received signals, means for responding to detection of the address code with one of the manually generated signals and status signals, the base station including means for two-way RF communication with the portable unit, and means for coupling intelligence signals to and from the control unit, the control unit having at least one unique address code and including means for coupling information signals to and from the base station for the portable units, means for coupling information signals to and from the computer, means for detecting the respective address code in received signals, means for decoding signals from the computer, means for encoding said signals for the portable units, means for decoding signals from the portable units, means for encoding said signals for the computer, memory means for storing the encoded signals in accordance with the respective destinations of the signals, means for establishing a queue of portable unit address codes, means responsive to the status signals received from each portable unit for establishing a sequence of transmissions to the portable units in accordance with said queue and said status signals.
Specification