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Apparatus and method for communicating textual and image information between a host computer and a remote display terminal

DC
  • US 5,235,680 A
  • Filed: 09/17/1991
  • Issued: 08/10/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An automatic multi-user rapid response real estate property information exchange system for interactively acquiring, retrieving and displaying both graphical and textural information corresponding to real estate properties by a plurality of user simultaneously from separate remote locations, said system permitting images of real estate properties to be provided by plural remote data terminals to a multi-user host computer system over telephone lines for storage into a database for subsequent automatic retrieval from said database for subsequent automatic retrieval from said database by said plural remote data terminals on a real time interactive basis, said system comprising:

  • a multi-user host computer system for storing a data base including data representing text corresponding to real estate properties and data representing images corresponding to said properties and for permitting automatic retrieval of stored data substantially simultaneously on a real time interactive basis by plural remote data terminals; and

    said plural remote data terminals connectable to said host computer system via telephone lines, said plural remote data terminals accessing and retrieving said text and image data stored by said host computer system, each said remote data terminal including;

    means for receiving video signals representing an image of a said property;

    means coupled to said receiving means for converting said video signals to digital video signals representing said image,means for compressing said digital video signal to form compressed digital video signals,means for providing digital textural information signals corresponding to said property,means for transmitting said compressed digital video signals, said digital textural information signals, and an associated multiple-listing service number, to said host computer system over said telephone lines,means for receiving compressed digital video signals and digital textual information signals over said telephone lines from said host computer system, andmeans for displaying images and text in response to received digital video signals and digital textural information signals received over said telephone lines,wherein said host computer system includes;

    communications means for substantially simultaneously connecting with said plural remote data terminals via said telephone lines, including database means for receiving and storing, in said database, said compressed digital video and textural information signals transmitted by said plural remote data terminals over said telephone lines, andproviding means for automatically retrieving from said database, based on multiple listing service number, on a real time interactive basis, said received compressed digital video signals representing an image of said property and for efficiently providing said retrieved compressed digital video signals and said textural information signals over said telephone lines on a real time interactive basis, to said remote data terminals.

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