Data communications system
First Claim
1. A communications system for remote data acquisition and control comprising;
- a central data processing system, a plurality of remote data processing systems in communication with said central data processing system and a plurality of remote user terminals each in communication with one of said remote data processing sytems, wherein;
the central data processing system comprises first computer means for processing, storing and retrieving data, and first communication means having multiple channels for two-way data communication with each of said remote data processing systems;
said each remote processing system comprises second computer means for generating and processing data to monitor and control the operation of each of a group of said plurality of remote user terminals, said second computer means being programmed for generating control data to control the operation of each of said remote user terminals and processing response data from each of said remote user terminals to monitor the operation of said each of said remote user terminals, and second communication means for two-way data communication with said remote data processing system and with each of said group of said remote user terminals, including means for transmitting said control data to said each in said group of said remote user terminals and means for receiving said response data from said each in said group of said remote user terminals; and
each of said plurality of remote user terminals comprises means for receiving said control data from one of said remote data processing systems, means for generating response data in response to said control data and means for transmitting said response data to said one remote data processing system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data communications system utilizes computer control at central and remote locations to provide general data acquisition and control functions as part of a cable television network. The data system includes a central data processor communicating with a plurality of remote data processors, each of which in turn interrogates, monitors and controls a plurality of groups of remote terminal unit. Each terminal unit includes a variety of security monitoring devices as well as other data generating apparatus useful in process control and data retrieval functions. Each terminal unit communicates with its remote data processor concerning the status of the security devices and receives commands from the remote data processor to carry out data acquisition and control functions including controlling access to the cable television network by the terminals. The remote data processors communicate with the terminal units utilizing both time and frequency division multiplexing in a frequency shift key mode. Communication between the remote data processor and the home terminals is preferably on the coaxial cable utilized for transmitting commercial programming for the television network. The central data processor includes a minicomputer interfacing with input/output devices and external data links. Each remote data processor includes a microcomputer having input/output devices attached thereto and interfacing between the minicomputer and the remote terminal units.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A communications system for remote data acquisition and control comprising;
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a central data processing system, a plurality of remote data processing systems in communication with said central data processing system and a plurality of remote user terminals each in communication with one of said remote data processing sytems, wherein; the central data processing system comprises first computer means for processing, storing and retrieving data, and first communication means having multiple channels for two-way data communication with each of said remote data processing systems; said each remote processing system comprises second computer means for generating and processing data to monitor and control the operation of each of a group of said plurality of remote user terminals, said second computer means being programmed for generating control data to control the operation of each of said remote user terminals and processing response data from each of said remote user terminals to monitor the operation of said each of said remote user terminals, and second communication means for two-way data communication with said remote data processing system and with each of said group of said remote user terminals, including means for transmitting said control data to said each in said group of said remote user terminals and means for receiving said response data from said each in said group of said remote user terminals; and each of said plurality of remote user terminals comprises means for receiving said control data from one of said remote data processing systems, means for generating response data in response to said control data and means for transmitting said response data to said one remote data processing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A communications system for remote data acquisition and control comprising:
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a central data processing system, a plurality of remote data processing systems in communication with said central data processing system and a plurality of remote user terminals each in communication with one of said remote data processing systems, wherein; the central data processing system comprises first computer means for processing, storing and retrieving data, and first communication means having multiple channels for two-way data communication with each of said remote data processing system, said first computer means being programmed for generating command data to control each said remote data processing system and processing interrupt data from each said remote data processing system, and said first communication means including means for transmitting said command data to each of said remote data processing systems and means for receiving said interrupt data from each remote data processing system; each remote data processing system including second computer means for processing, storing and retrieving data, and second communication means for two-way data communication between said remote data processing system and each of a group of said remote user terminals, said second computer means being further programmed for generating control data to control the operation of each of a group of said remote user terminals, processing response data from each said remote user terminal to monitor the status of each said remote user terminal, and generating said interrupt data in response to response data from one of said remote user terminals indicative of a predetermined status of said one remote user terminal, said second communication means including means for receiving said data from said central data processing system, means for transmitting said interrupt data to said central data processing system, means for transmitting said control data to each of said group of remote user terminals and means for receiving said response data from each said remote user terminal; each of said remote user terminals having means for receiving said control data from one of said remote data processing systems, means for generating said response data in response to said control data and means for transmitting said response data to one of said remote data processing systems.
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16. A computer-operated data communications system for use in conjunction with a cable television distribution network having one or more television program sources and a plurality of remote cable television receivers communicating with said one or more sources over coaxial cable transmission lines, comprising:
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a plurality of remote data terminal means for controlling and monitoring said plurality of remote cable television receivers, each of said terminal means being connected to one of said television receivers to control access of said one television receiver to said cable television distribution network; a plurality of computerized remote data processing means for controlling and monitoring said remote data terminal means, each of said plurality of remote data processing means being in communication with a group of said remote data terminal means over the coaxial cable transmission lines used by said one or more television program sources to communicate with said remote television receivers; each of said plurality of remote data processing means having primary communication means for transmitting and receiving multiplexed data to and from said plurality of remote data terminal means, for controlling access of said television receivers to the cable television distribution network and for receiving data representative of the operation of said television receivers including nonroutine data representative of abnormal operation of said television receivers; and a computerized central data processing means in communication with each of said plurality of remote data processing means for controlling and monitoring said plurality of remote data processing means, said central data processing means including secondary communication means for receiving said nonroutine data and for transmitting said control data to said plurality of remote data processing means, said control data further including data responsive to said nonroutine data. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A communications system for remote data acquisition and control comprising a data processing system and a plurality of remote user terminals each in communication with said data processing system over a single communication channel;
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the data processing system comprising computer means for processing, storing and retrieving data, and communication means for time and frequency multiplexed communication between said computer means and each of said remote user terminals; said computer means being programmed for generating control data for said remote user terminals, said control data having an identification code representative of a common set of said remote user terminals, and processing response data from said remote user terminals; said communication means including means for transmitting said control data at a single frequency to said set of remote user terminals simultaneously over said single channel, means for receiving said response data at a plurality of frequencies from said set of remote user terminals simultaneously over said single channel, said receiving means including frequency-responsive means for processing said response data to identify the response data associated with each of said remote user terminals at which said response data was transmitted to said communication means; each of said remote user terminals comprising means for receiving said control data from said data processing system, terminal address code-responsive means for generating said response data, and means for transmitting said response data to said data processing system at a frequency unique with respect to the frequencies of the response data of the other terminals in said set; whereby said data processing system transmits said control data simultaneously to said common set of remote user terminals and receives said response data simultaneously from said set of remote user terminals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A communications systems for remote data acquisitions and control comprising a central data processing system and a plurality of sets of remote user terminals, each set being in time and frequency multiplexed data communication with said central data processing system, wherein:
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the central data processing system includes time division multiplexing means for sequentially processing data for each of said sets of remote user terminals, means for transmitting said control data simultaneously at one frequency to one of said set of remote user terminals, and means for receiving response data at a plurality of frequencies simultaneously from said set of remote user terminals, said central data processing system being programmed for generating control data for each set of said remote user terminals and for sequentially processing said response data from said set of remote user terminals; said each of said remote user terminals in each set including means for receiving said control data from said central data processing system, means for generating response data for processing by said central data processing system and means for transmitting said response data to said central data processing system at a frequency unique with respect to the frequencies of the response data of the other remote user terminals in said set.
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Specification