Sensor interface for computer-based notification system
First Claim
1. For a computer-based notification system having a plurality of sensors installed at selected locations within defined area being monitored by said computer-based notification system and a computer system for determining whether an event requiring an issuance of a notification to a selected recipient has occurred, a sensor interface for interconnecting said plurality of sensors and said computer system, comprising:
- a system bus;
a level register coupled to said system bus, said level register having a single bit block corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors;
a status register coupled to said system bus, said status register having a flag bit corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors;
a computer processor coupled to said system bus and to each of said plurality of sensors, said computer processor including;
means for repeatedly polling each of said plurality of sensors to determine its state;
means for storing, each time said plurality of sensors are polled, the state of each of said plurality of sensors in said corresponding bit block of said level register;
means for determining changes in the state of each of said plurality of sensors between successive pollings thereof;
means for setting said flag bits of said status register corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors determined to have changed state between successive pollings thereof;
saidmeans for peroidically transferred the contents of said level register and said status register to said computer system;
wherein said computer system determines whether an event requiring an issuance of a notification has occured based upon the contents of said level register and said status register transferred thereto.
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Abstract
A notification system for reporting events occurring within a defined area being monitored thereby. The notification system includes a plurality of sensors installed at selected locations within the defined area and a sensor interface coupled to each of the sensors. The sensor interface periodically polls the sensors and stores status information received therefrom. Coupled to the sensor interface is a computer system for receiving and analyzing the stored status data. Upon determining from the status data that an event requiring issuance of a notification has occurred, the computer system issues a series of notifications for which each recipient of a notification receives a selected message regarding the event.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. For a computer-based notification system having a plurality of sensors installed at selected locations within defined area being monitored by said computer-based notification system and a computer system for determining whether an event requiring an issuance of a notification to a selected recipient has occurred, a sensor interface for interconnecting said plurality of sensors and said computer system, comprising:
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a system bus; a level register coupled to said system bus, said level register having a single bit block corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors; a status register coupled to said system bus, said status register having a flag bit corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors; a computer processor coupled to said system bus and to each of said plurality of sensors, said computer processor including; means for repeatedly polling each of said plurality of sensors to determine its state; means for storing, each time said plurality of sensors are polled, the state of each of said plurality of sensors in said corresponding bit block of said level register; means for determining changes in the state of each of said plurality of sensors between successive pollings thereof; means for setting said flag bits of said status register corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors determined to have changed state between successive pollings thereof;
saidmeans for peroidically transferred the contents of said level register and said status register to said computer system; wherein said computer system determines whether an event requiring an issuance of a notification has occured based upon the contents of said level register and said status register transferred thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification