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Information network

  • US 5,179,373 A
  • Filed: 10/26/1990
  • Issued: 01/12/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An information network comprising:

  • a central controller;

    a plurality of regional controllers connected for communication with the central controller;

    a plurality of remote communications terminals divided into regions, each region comprising a plurality of such terminals served by a regional controller by being connected for communication therewith; and

    a plurality of discrete information units, each comprising a user-inaccessible memory programmable only by means of a remote communication terminal characterized in that;

    the central controller comprises means for generating a list of unit identification numbers (U.I.N.s) each U.I.N uniquely identifying a discrete information unit, means for correlating each U.I.N. with at least one regional controller based upon past communication between the discrete information unit and remote communications terminals in the region served by the regional controller, and means for transmitting the U.I.N.s on the list to only those regional controllers with which they are individually correlated,each regional controller comprises means for storing those U.I.N.s in a regional list and means for transmitting its regional list to terminals in the region it serves andeach remote terminal comprises means for programming a user-inaccessible memory of a discrete information unit on the regional list stored thereby when that discrete information unit next communicates with that remote terminal.

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