Low-powered remote sensor and telephone line transmitter

• US 4,691,344 A
• Filed: 01/21/1986
• Issued: 09/01/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aquatrol Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aquatrol Corporation
• Inventors: Ardolf, Duane R., Brown, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/821,429
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 A, 179/2 AM, 179/2 BC, 179/2 C, 179/2 DP, 379/37, 379/39, 379/49, 379/50, 379/92, 379/93, 379/97, 379/98, 379/106, 379/107, 379/413, 340/870.2, 340/870.24
• US Class Current: 379/106.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C

Abstract

A data transmitter unit (22) for transmitting data over conventional telephone lines (26) from a remote location (24) to a central location (28). The data transmitter unit (22) derives its operational power supply from the telephone lines (26) to which it is interconnected, thereby doing away with the requirement for a separate power supply. The transmitter unit (22) includes ring detect circuitry (46) for detecting a ring signal on the telephone line (26). The ring detect circuitry (46) cooperates with the stand by power supply (38) charged by a charging circuit (36) to energize a logic module (44) and analog converter circuitry (40, 42) which is interconnected to sensors (30, 32). The logic module (44) controls operation of a tone generator (48) which transmits frequency signals representative of the input received from the sensors (30, 32) over the telephone lines (20, 26) to a central location (28).

Claims

1. A data transmitter unit for transmitting data over conventional telephone lines from a remote location to a central location, the data transmitter unit deriving its operational power supply from the telephone lines to which it is interconnected, thereby doing away with the requirement for a separate power supply, the data transmitter unit comprising:

(a) ring detector means interconnected to the telephone line for detecting a ring signal sent over the telephone line to the remote location from the central location and actuating the unit in response thereto;

(b) pulse rate frequency transmitter means interconnected to the telephone line for transmitting on the telephone line from the remote location to the central location pulses of a tone where the tone comnprises signals of one or more predetermined frequencies, the rate of the pulses and the one or more frequencies representing different types of data; and

(c) charging circuit means interconnected to the telephone lines for providing power at the end of a transmission cycle to a stand-by power supply means for powering the data transmitter unit during a subsequent transmission cycle, the stand-by power supply means including capacitor means charged to a predetermined voltage.

2. A data transmitting system for transmitting data over conventional telephone lines from a remote location to a central location, the data transmitting system deriving its operational power supply from the telephone lines to which it is interconnected, thereby doing away with the requirement for a separate power supply, the data transmitting system comprising:

(a) ring detect means interconnected to the telephone lines for detecting a ring signal on the telephone lines;

(b) tone generator means interconnected to the telephone lines for transmitting tone signals on the telephone lines, said tone signals comprising signals of one or more frequencies selected from a selected from a predetermined set of frequencies and controlled by signal inputs from a logic means;

(c) the logic means being responsive to a sensor means for controlling operation of the tone generator means;

(d) the sensor means providing an analog output indicative of the sensed condition;

(e) oscillator means interconnected to the sensor means for converting the analog output of the sensor means to an output signal having a frequency representative of the analog output of the sensor means, the logic means being interconnected to the oscillator means for receipt of the output signal from the oscillator means, the logic means setting the one or more frequencies of the tone signals and pulsing the tone generator in response to the oscillator means output signal;

(f) standby power supply means cooperating with the ring detect means for energizing the oscillator means and the logic means when a ring signal is detected by the ring detect means; and

(g) charging means interconnected to the telephone lines for charging the standby power supply for the next subsequent transmission cycle.

3. A data transmitting system for transmitting data over conventional telephone lines from a remote location to a central location, the data transmitting system deriving its operational power supply from the telephone lines to which it is interconnected, thereby doing away with the requirement for a separate power supply, the data transmitting system comprising:

(a) ring detect means interconnected to the telephone lines for detecting a ring signal on the telephone lines;

(b) tone generator means interconnected to the telephone lines for transmitting signals of a plurality of predetermined frequencies on the telephone lines, said signals of said predetermined frequencies transmitted alone or in combination and corresponding to a set of input signals from a logic means;

(c) power storage means cooperating with the ring detect means for energizing the tone generator means upon receipt of the ring signal, whereby the tone generator means goes to an "off hook" condition;

(d) a source of signals of variable-frequency;

(e) logic means interconnected to the the generator means and the source of signals of variable-frequency for selectively transmitting to the tone generator means, sensor-dependent frequency signals to control selection of the predetermined frequencies and to pulse the tone generator at a rate proportional to the variable frequency and a tone-generator de-energizing signal at the end of a transmission cycle.

4. A data conversion and transmission unit for converting sensed analog signals into pulse-rate-modified signals transmittable from a remote location to a central location over conventional telephone lines and having power derived from conventional telephone lines interconnected to the unit comprising:

(a) means for generating an oscillating signal;

(b) analog sensor receiving means for receiving analog signals proportionate to a value of a characteristic sensed;

(c) frequency modifying means for modifying the frequency of the oscillating signal proportionately to the signal received at the analog sensor receiving means;

(d) logic means for converting the frequency-modified oscillating signal into a pulse-rate-modified signal output readable by a tone generator means;

(e) tone generator means interconnected to conventional telephone lines and the logic means for converting said pulse-rate-modified signal into a pulsed tone signal having a pulse rate proportionate to the value of the characteristic sensed, said logic means also selecting one or more frequencies for said tone from a predetermined set of frequencies; and

(f) charging circuit means interconnected to conventional telephone lines for providing power through leakage current during on-hook conditions at a voltage level adequate to operate the components comprising a data conversion and transmission unit.

5. The data conversion and transmission unit according to claim 4, wherein the tone generator means is further responsive to the open and closed states of a contact such that the signal output of the tone generator is further indicative of the state of the contact.

6. The data conversion and transmision unit according to claim 4, further comprising sensor selection means for selecting which analog value of a plurality of sensors is to modify the frequency of the oscillating signals at said frequency-modifying means, wherein said logic means are further responsive to said signal selecting means, said logic means generating signal readable by said tone generator such that said tone generator means generates pulse-rate-modified tones further indicative of which of the plurality of sensors has been selected.