Digitally controlled intercommunications system
First Claim
1. An intercommunications system for the selective establishment of two-way communications between a multiplicity of stations, said intercommunications system comprising:
- a terminal located at each of said stations, each terminal being capable of being configured to operate in a mode for calling other terminals, each terminal also being capable of being configured to operate in a mode for being called by other terminals and operate in a "hands off" mode;
a communications network comprising a predetermined number of lines for interconnecting any one of said terminals to at least one other of said terminals;
each of said terminals comprising;
an audio subsystem operatively coupled to said communications network, said audio subsystem including squelch means capable of disabling a predetermined portion of said audio subsystem, said audio subsystem further including slave enable means capable of configuring said terminal to a slave condition such that communications may be carried on in a "hands off" mode at the called terminal;
means for generating coded address information to be transmitted to all terminals over said communications network, said coded address information being a digital signal which is capable of being coded to be recognized by a particular one of said terminals and capable of causing the particular one of said terminals to be configured for a "hands off" mode of operation;
means for decoding said coded address information when received over said communications network and providing address signals after decoding said received coded address information at the terminal being addressed;
logic means operatively connected to said audio subsystem, said means for decoding and said means for generating coded address information, said logic means being structured to provide an operative signal to said squelch means upon receipt of an output signal from said means for generating coded address information, said logic means further being structured to provide an operative signal to said slave enable means upon receipt of an output signal from said means for decoding.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intercommunications system for the selective establishment of two-way communications between a multiplicity of stations is disclosed and comprises a terminal located at each station and a communications network including a predetermined number of lines for interconnecting any one of the terminals to at least one other of the terminals. Each terminal comprises an audio subsystem, apparatus for generating digitally coded control words for selecting a particular terminal and for selecting a particular unused line to be used in the two way communications, apparatus for transmitting the control words over a selected line to all the terminals, apparatus for receiving the digitally coded control words, decoding the control words and operatively connecting the desired terminals to the selected line, a monitor enable device for listening to the communications on a particular line without being part of the communications and display devices which show which lines and which terminals in the intercommunications system are in use.
11 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An intercommunications system for the selective establishment of two-way communications between a multiplicity of stations, said intercommunications system comprising:
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a terminal located at each of said stations, each terminal being capable of being configured to operate in a mode for calling other terminals, each terminal also being capable of being configured to operate in a mode for being called by other terminals and operate in a "hands off" mode; a communications network comprising a predetermined number of lines for interconnecting any one of said terminals to at least one other of said terminals; each of said terminals comprising; an audio subsystem operatively coupled to said communications network, said audio subsystem including squelch means capable of disabling a predetermined portion of said audio subsystem, said audio subsystem further including slave enable means capable of configuring said terminal to a slave condition such that communications may be carried on in a "hands off" mode at the called terminal; means for generating coded address information to be transmitted to all terminals over said communications network, said coded address information being a digital signal which is capable of being coded to be recognized by a particular one of said terminals and capable of causing the particular one of said terminals to be configured for a "hands off" mode of operation; means for decoding said coded address information when received over said communications network and providing address signals after decoding said received coded address information at the terminal being addressed; logic means operatively connected to said audio subsystem, said means for decoding and said means for generating coded address information, said logic means being structured to provide an operative signal to said squelch means upon receipt of an output signal from said means for generating coded address information, said logic means further being structured to provide an operative signal to said slave enable means upon receipt of an output signal from said means for decoding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An intercommunications system for the selective establishment of two-way communications between a multiplicity of stations, said intercommunications system comprising:
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a terminal located at each of said stations, each terminal being capable of being configured to operate in a mode for calling other terminals, each terminal also being capable of being configured to operate in a mode for being called by other terminals and operate in a "hands off" mode; a communications network comprising a predetermined number of lines for interconnecting any one of said terminals to at least one other of said terminals; each of said terminals comprising; an audio subsystem operatively coupled to said communications network, said audio subsystem including squelch means capable of disabling a predetermined portion of said audio subsystem, said audio subsystem further including slave enable means capable of configuring said terminal to a slave condition such that communications may be carried on in a "hands off" mode; means for generating address data for selecting a particular terminal to be called; means for generating line select data for selecting a particular line in said communications network to be used for the transmission of audio signals in the two-way communications; encoder and register means operatively connected to receive said address data and said line select data and combine same into a control data word; means for transmitting said control data word over a designated line in said predetermined number of lines in said communications network to all terminals; line select means operatively configured for connecting the terminal to the particular line in said communications network which was selected to be used for the transmission of audio signals in the two-way communications; control means operatively connected between said means for generating line select data and said line select means, said control means being structured to decode said line select data and provide said line select means with the correct enable signal causing said line select means to connect the terminal to the particular line which was selected; and decoder means operatively connected to said designated line in said communications network and to said control means, said decoder means structured to decode said control data word and provide said line select data to said control means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification