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System for controlling equipment within a telephone subscriber's premises using DTMF telephone tones

  • US 5,548,635 A
  • Filed: 01/21/1994
  • Issued: 08/20/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for controlling a plurality of appliances at a station which is connected to a telephone switched network using DTMF telephone signals, wherein a number of appliances are TV appliances, said system comprising:

  • a like plurality of internal tone control devices, each for decoding a sequence of DTMF signals, verifying if said sequence of DTMF signals coincides with a preset identification code and converting said sequence into a control signal;

    a like number of receiving-switching units each associated with a TV appliance and with an associated internal tone control device, for receiving said control signal from said associated internal tone control device and for selectively coupling the associated TV appliance to a conventional TV cable network and to an optical fiber TV cable network according to said control signal;

    means for connecting each of said internal tone control devices to the telephone switched network for receiving said sequence of DTMF signals and transferring it to said internal tone control devices;

    means for coupling each of said receiving-switching units to the conventional TV cable network and to the optical fiber TV cable network; and

    means for transmitting said control signal from said internal tone control device to the non-TV appliances for activating/deactivating the non-TV appliances with said control signal wherein said internal tone control devices comprise;

    an overvoltage protection and d.c. insulation unit for receiving said sequence of DTMF signals;

    a DTMF decoder connected to said overvoltage protection and insulation unit, for decoding a first and a second signal from said sequence of DTMF signals and generating a first and a second digit therefrom;

    a first digit detector having a first identification code, connected to said DTMF decoder for comparing said first identification code to said first digit and producing a first digit valid signal;

    a second digit decoder having a second identification code, connected to said DTMF decoder for comparing said second identification code to said second digit and producing a said second digit valid signal;

    a memory unit, connected to said first digit detector for storing said first digit;

    a logic unit connected to said second digit detector and to said memory unit, for determining if said sequence of said first and second digits is valid and generating said d.c. control signal; and

    a delay timer unit for resetting said memory if said second digit valid signal is not produced after a predetermined time.

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