Remote control unit for radio/television transmitter station
First Claim
1. A remote control device for use at a radio or television transmission station location separate from a control studio and being capable of (i) monitoring preset conditions, (ii) activating notification channels for communication of monitored conditions and (iii) responding to commands given remote from the device for initiating remedial and other appropriate actions, said device comprising;
- a microprocessor for locating at the transmitter station and having (i) a plurality of input ports (ii) a plurality of signal output ports, (iii) means for storing a plurality of preset station operating conditions in memory, (iv) means for comparing real-time data received through the input ports with preset operating conditions within the microprocessor and for developing and detecting responsive corresponding triggering signals with respect thereto, (v) means for storing a bank of separate action signals for each responsive triggering signal, (vi) means for generating and sending action signals to output ports in response to detection of responsive triggering signals, and (vii) means for storing coded voice signals for transmission to a voice synthesizing means;
RF filter means coupled to the input ports for filtering interfering RF ambient energy, said filter means being adapted to attenuate RF frequencies operable with respect to AM, FM or television signals;
voice synthesizing means coupled to the microprocessor and to a telephone coupler and being responsive (i) to generate preset voice sounds in accordance with transmitted coded voice signals received from the microprocessor and (ii) to transmit such voice sounds to the telephone coupler;
telephone calling means coupled to an output of the microprocessor and responsive to at least one of the action signals to generate an automatic dialing sequence for dialing a preset telephone number;
means for transmitting a signal generated at a remote telephone to the microprocessor;
answer detection means coupled to the microprocessor for sensing when a dialed telephone number has been answered at a remote telephone;
means responsive to the answer detection means for transmitting to the answered remote telephone a voice identification of the telephone call as originating with the transmitting station microprocessor;
command response means coupled to the microprocessor and responsive to corrective command signals and start/stop command generated at the remote telephone to activate corresponding action signals for modifying station operating conditions through output signals generated by the microprocessor for transmittance to one of the output ports thereof, thereby enabling a remote party to receive voice notification of occurrence of a preset condition via remote telephone and to immediately respond with selection of a command which corresponds to and is contained within the preset action codes of the microprocessor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method for remote control of a radio or television transmitting station located separate from a control studio and being capable of (i) monitoring preset conditions, (ii) activating notification channels for communication of monitored conditions (iii) responding to commands given remote from the device for initiating remedial or other appropriate actions. The method and device involve use of a microprocessor for locating at the transmitter station and for providing a plurality of input and output ports, means for storing preset conditions and comparing such conditions with status and metering data received at the input ports, and including a memory bank for storing separate action signals for initiating corrective action and for developing stored coded voice signals useful as part of voice synthesis. Alarm notification is provided by voice synthesized and transmitted over telephone lines which enable contact with the remote control device over any public telephone. The device includes a command response section which is responsive to signals generated at the telephone receiver to control corrective action or further diagnostic work utilizing the remote device under the control of an operator via remote telephone.
54 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A remote control device for use at a radio or television transmission station location separate from a control studio and being capable of (i) monitoring preset conditions, (ii) activating notification channels for communication of monitored conditions and (iii) responding to commands given remote from the device for initiating remedial and other appropriate actions, said device comprising;
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a microprocessor for locating at the transmitter station and having (i) a plurality of input ports (ii) a plurality of signal output ports, (iii) means for storing a plurality of preset station operating conditions in memory, (iv) means for comparing real-time data received through the input ports with preset operating conditions within the microprocessor and for developing and detecting responsive corresponding triggering signals with respect thereto, (v) means for storing a bank of separate action signals for each responsive triggering signal, (vi) means for generating and sending action signals to output ports in response to detection of responsive triggering signals, and (vii) means for storing coded voice signals for transmission to a voice synthesizing means; RF filter means coupled to the input ports for filtering interfering RF ambient energy, said filter means being adapted to attenuate RF frequencies operable with respect to AM, FM or television signals; voice synthesizing means coupled to the microprocessor and to a telephone coupler and being responsive (i) to generate preset voice sounds in accordance with transmitted coded voice signals received from the microprocessor and (ii) to transmit such voice sounds to the telephone coupler; telephone calling means coupled to an output of the microprocessor and responsive to at least one of the action signals to generate an automatic dialing sequence for dialing a preset telephone number; means for transmitting a signal generated at a remote telephone to the microprocessor; answer detection means coupled to the microprocessor for sensing when a dialed telephone number has been answered at a remote telephone; means responsive to the answer detection means for transmitting to the answered remote telephone a voice identification of the telephone call as originating with the transmitting station microprocessor; command response means coupled to the microprocessor and responsive to corrective command signals and start/stop command generated at the remote telephone to activate corresponding action signals for modifying station operating conditions through output signals generated by the microprocessor for transmittance to one of the output ports thereof, thereby enabling a remote party to receive voice notification of occurrence of a preset condition via remote telephone and to immediately respond with selection of a command which corresponds to and is contained within the preset action codes of the microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for remote control operation of a radio or television transmitting station utilizing a remote telephone separate from a control studio and being capable of real-time control of the transmitter and environment by means of a microprocessor capable of (i) monitoring transmitter and environment conditions such as plate voltage, temperatures, emergency conditions, and general operation parameters, (ii) activating notification channels for communication of monitored conditions and (iii) responding to commands given remote from the device for initiating remedial and other appropriate corrective actions, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) storing a plurality of present operational and environmental limiting conditions in a memory portion of the microprocessor; (b) periodically monitoring and transmitting real-time signals representing operational and environmental conditions of the transmitter at input ports of the microprocessor to ascertain real-time values; (c) filtering out ambient TV or radio RF energy from such real-time signals at the input ports; (d) comparing monitored real-time values received at the input ports with the preset limiting conditions and developing responsive, corresponding triggering signals with respect to such comparisons; (e) storing action signals within the microprocessor for use with responsive triggering signals; (f) generating and sending at least one of the action signals to an output port in response to detection of the responsive triggering signals; (g) storing coded voice signals within the microprocessor for identification of specific words and phrases; (h) assigning a unique coded voice signal to a corresponding action signal to enable automatic development of a voice response as part of notification at a remote telephone following generation of one of the action signals; (i) coupling telephone calling means to an output of the microprocessor to generate an automatic dialing sequence for dialing at least one preset telephone number in response to detection of at least one of the action signals; (j) coupling an answer detection means to the microprocessor for sensing when a dialed telephone number has been answered at a remote telephone; (k) coupling identification means responsive to the answer detection means for transmitting to the answered telephone an identification of the telephone call as originating with the transmitting station microprocessor; (l) coupling voice synthesizing means to the microprocessor for transmitting preselected verbal words and phrases to the telephone based on detection of specific coded voice signals; and (m) coupling command response means to the microprocessor to generate signals responsive to signals generated by the remote telephone to activate action signals by the microprocessor for transmittance to one of the output ports thereof, thereby enabling a remote party to receive notification of occurrence of a preset condition via remote telephone and to immediately respond with selection of a command which corresponds to and is contained within the preset action codes of the microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification