Remote control system for franking machines
First Claim
1. A remote control system for a set of franking machines (1) which are geographically dispersed in accordance with user requirements and which comprise franking heads (8) whose use is under the control of a remote central organization, said system being characterized in that each franking head (8) is connected to a concentrator local station (4) via a data transmission link, and each local station (4) is in turn connected via a telephone switching network to a remote controlling central station (2) belonging to the central organization, said local stations serving firstly to monitor the franking machines and collect operating information taken from the franking heads via bases, secondly to communicate said operating information to the central station via a link through said telephone switching network initiated by said local station station in accordance with instructions previously provided thereto by said central station via said telephone switching network, and thirdly to receive control information from said central station via a link through said telephone switching network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control system for a set of machines (1) for franking mail, which machines are geographically dispersed in accordance with user requirements and include franking heads whose use is monitored by a distant central organization. Each franking head is connected to a local concentrator station (4) via a data transmission link (11), and each local station is in turn connected via a telephone channel (3) to a central remote monitoring station (2) belonging the central organization. Each local station monitors the machines connected thereto and collects operating information supplied by their heads, and it interchanges data with the central station in differed time.
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Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A remote control system for a set of franking machines (1) which are geographically dispersed in accordance with user requirements and which comprise franking heads (8) whose use is under the control of a remote central organization, said system being characterized in that each franking head (8) is connected to a concentrator local station (4) via a data transmission link, and each local station (4) is in turn connected via a telephone switching network to a remote controlling central station (2) belonging to the central organization, said local stations serving firstly to monitor the franking machines and collect operating information taken from the franking heads via bases, secondly to communicate said operating information to the central station via a link through said telephone switching network initiated by said local station station in accordance with instructions previously provided thereto by said central station via said telephone switching network, and thirdly to receive control information from said central station via a link through said telephone switching network.
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8. A remote control system for a set of franking machines (1) which are geographically dispersed in accordance with user requirements and which comprise franking heads (8) whose use is under the control of a remote central organization, each franking machine including a base (7) on which a respective franking head (8) is mounted, said system being characterized in that:
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each franking head (8) is connected to a concentrator local station (4) via a data transmission link connecting the local station to the base on which the franking machine is mounted to permit data interchange between said local station and base, and each local station (4) is in turn connected via a telephone switching network to a remote controlling central station (2) belonging to the central organization to permit data interchange between said local station and said central station; each local station (4) comprises firstly a synchronous or asynchronous transmitter/receiver unit (45) connected via an access interface (46) to said data transmission link serving a base to which said local station is connected, and secondly a telephone coupler (49) and a modem (6Y) connected in parallel to a common telephone line (30) giving access to said telephone switching network (3) giving access to said central station (2), together with a control logic circuit (40 to 44, LB4) for managing and temporarily storing said data interchanges; said local stations serving firstly to monitor the franking machines and collect operating information taken from the franking heads via bases, secondly to communicate said operating information to the central station via a link through said telephone switching network initiated by said local station station in accordance with instructions previously provided thereto by said central station via said telephone switching network, and thirdly to receive control information containing said instructions from said central station via a link through said telephone switching network; and said system being further characterized in that at least one local station (4) is clocked by an oscillator (43) and includes a timing means (44) for real time operation, said at least one local station also including a watchdog device (42) driven by an independent oscillator (43A) and suitable for generating an interrupt for a processor (40) of the control logic circuit of said at least one local station in order to provide self-checking, and in that said processor (40) provides cyclic individual interrogation of each base under its surveillance in order to cause each corresponding franking machine to lock up if its base does not respond directly to being interrogated, said franking machine locking up on its own accord if it is erroneously interrogated or if it is not interrogated under predetermined conditions.
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9. A remote control system for a set of franking machines (1) which are geographically dispersed in accordance with user requirements and which comprise franking heads (8) whose use is under the control of a remote central organization, each franking machine including a base (7) on which a respective franking head (8) is mounted, said system being characterized in that:
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each franking head (8) is connected to a concentrator local station (4) via a data transmission link connecting the local station to the base on which the franking machine is mounted to permit data interchange between said local station and base, and each local station (4) is in turn connected via a telephone switching network to a remote controlling central station (2) belonging to the central organization to permit data interchange between said local station and said central station; each local station (4) comprises firstly a synchronous or asynchronous transmitter/receiver unit (45) connected via an access interface (46) to said data transmission link serving a base to which said local station is connected, and secondly a telephone coupler (49) and a modem (6Y) connected in parallel to a common telephone line (30) giving access to said telephone switching network (3) giving access to said central station (2), together with a control logic circuit (40 to 44, LB4) for managing and temporarily storing said data interchanges; said local stations serving firstly to monitor the franking machines and collect operating information taken from the franking heads via bases, secondly to communicate said operating information to the central station via a link through said telephone switching network initiated by said local station station in accordance with instructions previously provided thereto by said central station via said telephone switching network, and thirdly to receive control information containing said instructions from said central station via a link through said telephone switching network; and wherein the control logic circuit of each local station includes a program memory portion and a data memory portion, said system further comprising a longitudinal parity test means for comparing a longitudinal parity calculated in said program memory portion during a test with its previously stored value, together with data memory write means for writing the inverse of the contents of each memory cell of said data memory portion into said cell, for verifying that said write operation has been performed, and then for returning the cell concerned to its initial state, said test means being regularly activated in the absence of other tasks to be performed.
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Specification