Communication system and method

• US 4,560,978 A
• Filed: 06/19/1984
• Issued: 12/24/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US06/622,109
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/505, 340/506, 340/525, 340/531, 340/534, 340/692, 340/825.36, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/286 R, 340/286 M, 340/293, 340/298, 340/345 , 340/346, 340/350, 340/52 F, 340/524, 381/51, 381/53, 364/550, 179/5 R, 179/5 P, 455/53, 455/54, 455/67, 455/352, 455/353
• US Class Current: 340/539.22
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations

Abstract

A communication system for communicating information between one or more sensors and a remote location which may be fixed or portable wherein the information received is converted to synthetic speech so as to verbally indicate or warn a person or persons at or near the receiver as to the condition sensed or a condition which is developing at a known or indicated remote location as indicated by the output of one or more sensors. The system may also contain a fixed data receiving station and one or more portable units for receiving signals from such fixed station and/or remote sensors wherein the fixed station serves not only to relay the information to the portable receivers but also to process the information it receives. In a particular form of the invention, the fixed station includes a computer or circuits which process the data or signals received from the sensor or sensors and generates synthetic speech signals which are short wave transmitted to one or more satellite or portable stations and generate synthetic speech thereat warning or indicating to a person or persons at or near the satellite receiver or receivers of the condition sensed.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a monitor station having signal transmitting and receiving means,

a portable monitoring device having signal generating and transmitting means and signal receiving means,

a plurality of sensors remote from said monitor station and said portable monitoring device,

means associated with each sensor operable to generate a different code when the sensor senses a variable condition and means for transmitting said codes to said receiving means of said monitor station,

means at said monitor station for generating coded electrical signals on the output of said receiving means defining the information received from said sensors,

means at said monitor station for computer analyzing the signals generated on the output of said receiving means and generating speech signals indicative of the conditions sensed, and

means for transmitting said speech signals to said receiving means of said portable device, and

means at said portable device for transducing the speech signals received by said receiving means to sounds of words of speech which intelligibly indicate the conditions sensed by said sensors.

2. A communication system in accordance with claim 1 including means associated with said plurality of sensors for generating and transmitting code signals to the receiving means of said monitor station which code signals identify the sensors, said computer analyzing means including means for analyzing the code signals received by the receiver of said monitor station and generating synthetic speech signals of words of speech identifying the conditions sensed by said sensors.

3. A communication system in accordance with claim 1 including means associated with each of said sensors for generating code signals identifying the location of the sensor, and means at said monitor station for generating synthetic speech signals in response to said latter code received, which speech signals define words of speech indicative of the locations of the sensors associated with the code signals generated and transmitted to said monitor station, and means at said monitor station for transducing said speech signals to words of speech indicative of the locations of said sensors.

4. A communication system in accordance with claim 3 including code signal generating means supported by said portable device for generating different code signals under the control of a person carrying said portable device to permit said person to generate different select code signals, means for short wave transmitting said latter code signals, receiving means for said code signals and means connected to said latter receiving means responsive to the received codes for effecting a control operation associated with a condition sensed by one of said sensing means.

5. A communication system in accordance with claim 1 including a variably operable device associated with the condition sensed by one of said sensing means for varying said condition, means for controlling said variably operable device including a signal responsive means, and means associated with said portable device for generating and short wave transmitting control signals to said signal responsive means for remotely controlling the operation of said variably operable device.

6. A communication system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said variably operable device includes a servo mechanism.