Wireless communications platform
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a sensor interface device configured to receive a sensor signal from each of a plurality of sensor controlled devices corresponding to a predetermined condition for each of the sensors;
a processor, coupled to the interface, executing an algorithm, programmable from a remote location to actively monitor the different sensor controlled devices and responsive to the sensor signal whereby the algorithm performs at least one operation on the sensor signal and generates an output signal; and
a transceiver responsive to the output signal for outputting a control signal for the sensor controlled devices and/or establishing a two-way wireless communications link via a telecommunications network with a selected one of a plurality of remote locations upon an occurrence of the predetermined condition determined according to the algorithm comparing the output signal to a reference value.
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Abstract
A system and a method in which a sensor interface device receives a sensor signal corresponding to a monitored parameter. A processor is responsive to the sensor signal by storing information relating to the monitored in a memory and by generating a dialing signal when the monitored parameter equals a predetermined value. A transceiver is responsive to the dialing signal by establishing a two-way wireless communications link with a telecommunications network.
144 Citations
65 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a sensor interface device configured to receive a sensor signal from each of a plurality of sensor controlled devices corresponding to a predetermined condition for each of the sensors;
a processor, coupled to the interface, executing an algorithm, programmable from a remote location to actively monitor the different sensor controlled devices and responsive to the sensor signal whereby the algorithm performs at least one operation on the sensor signal and generates an output signal; and
a transceiver responsive to the output signal for outputting a control signal for the sensor controlled devices and/or establishing a two-way wireless communications link via a telecommunications network with a selected one of a plurality of remote locations upon an occurrence of the predetermined condition determined according to the algorithm comparing the output signal to a reference value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
wherein the processor is further responsive to the sensor signal by storing information relating to the predetermined condition in the memory and by generating the output signal when an attribute of the predetermined condition equals the reference value in the algorithm. -
9. The system according to claim 2, wherein the two-way communications link is an ISDN link.
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10. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a memory, and
wherein the processor is further responsive to the sensor signal by storing information relating to the monitored parameter in the memory and by generating the dialing signal when the monitored parameter equals a predetermined value. -
11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the information relating to the predetermined condition stored in the memory is sent over the two-way communications link.
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12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory, and
wherein the processor is further responsive to the sensor signal by storing information relating to the predetermined condition for each sensor in the memory, by periodically generating the output signal and by sending the information relating to the predetermined condition stored in the memory for each of the sensors over the communications link. -
13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the information received over the two-way communications link includes program information executed by the processor.
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14. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a memory, and
wherein the processor is further responsive to the sensor signal by storing information relating to the predetermined condition in the memory, by periodically generating the dialing signal and by sending the information relating to the monitored parameter stored in the memory over the two-way communications link. -
15. The system according to claim 2, wherein the processor generates the dialing signal by determining whether a predetermined condition exists, the predetermined condition related to the monitored parameter.
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16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined condition is calculated by the processor based on the sensor signal.
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17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processor determines whether the predetermined condition exists based on fuzzy logic.
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18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processor determines whether the predetermined condition exists based on Boolean logic.
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19. The system according to claim 2, wherein when a two-way wireless communications link is unavailable, the transceiver is responsive to the dialing signal by establishing a two-way wireline communications link with the telecommunications network.
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20. The system according to claim 2, wherein information is received over the two-way communications link, the received information including announcement information,
the system further comprising a speaker coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is responsive to the announcement information by generating an announcement signal that is output to the speaker. -
21. The system according to claim 2, wherein information is received over the two-way communications link, the received information including image information,
the system further comprising a display device coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is responsive to the image information by outputting an image signal to the display device. -
22. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a keyboard input device coupled to the sensor interface device, the keyboard input device generating an input signal, and
wherein the processor is responsive to the input signal by generating the dialing signal. -
23. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a global positioning system sensor coupled to the sensor interface device.
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24. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a camera coupled to the sensor interface device.
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25. The system according to claim 2, further comprising an environmental sensor coupled to the sensor interface device.
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26. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a magnetic strip reader coupled to the sensor interface device.
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27. The system according to claim 2, wherein the system is part of a vending machine.
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28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the system further comprises a telephone handset coupled to the sensor interface device;
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a touch-tone keypad coupled to the sensor interface device.
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29. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a traffic monitor coupled to the sensor interface device.
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30. A method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a sensor signal at a sensor interface configured for each of a plurality of sensors corresponding to a monitored parameter for each of the sensors;
programming a processor from a remote location to execute an algorithm and actively monitor the different sensors whereby the algorithm performs at least one operation on the sensor signal;
generating an output signal in response to the algorithm; and
outputting a control signal for the sensor controlled devices and/or;
establishing a two-way wireless communications link via a telecommunications network with one of a plurality of remote locations responsive to the sensor signal and the monitored parameter according to the algorithm using conditional logic. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
wherein the step of generating the dialing signal occurs in response to when an attribute of the predetermined condition for one of the sensors equals a predetermined value, according to the algorithm comparing a monitored signal to the predetermined value. -
40. The method according to claim 39, further comprising the step of sending the information relating to the predetermined condition stored in the memory over the communications link.
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41. The method according to claim 39, further comprising the steps of:
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receiving information over the two-way communications link; and
storing the information received over the two-way communications link in the memory.
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42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the information received over the two-way communications link includes program information executed by a processor.
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43. The method according to claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
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storing information relating to the monitored parameter in a memory;
periodically generating the dialing signal; and
sending the information relating to the monitored parameter stored in the memory over the two-way communications link.
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44. The method according to claim 31, wherein the step of generating the dialing signal includes the step of determining whether a predetermined condition exists, the predetermined condition relating to the monitored parameter.
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45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the step of determining whether the predetermined condition exists includes the step of calculating the predetermined condition based on the sensor signal.
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46. The method according to claim 44, wherein the step of determining whether the predetermined condition exists is based on fuzzy logic.
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47. The method according to claim 44, wherein the step of determining whether the predetermined condition exists is based on Boolean logic.
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48. The method according to claim 31, wherein when a two-way wireless communications link is unavailable, the step of establishing a two-way communications link with the telecommunications network includes the step of establishing a two-way wireline communications link with the telecommunications network.
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49. The method according to claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
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receiving announcement information over the two-way communications link; and
generating an announcement signal, the announcement signal being related to the announcement information.
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50. The method according to claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
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receiving image information over the two-way communications link; and
generating an image signal, the image signal being related to the image information.
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51. The method according to claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
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receiving an input signal from a keyboard input device; and
generating the dialing signal in response to the input signal.
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52. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sensor signal is received from a global positioning system sensor.
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53. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sensor signal is received from a camera.
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54. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sensor signal is received from an environmental sensor.
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55. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sensor signal is received from a magnetic strip reader.
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56. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sensor signal is received from a traffic monitor.
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57. In a sensor based, two way communications platform including a processor system linked to peripheral devices via a sensor interface and a plurality of remote reporting locations via telecommunication network, a method for autonomously monitoring a plurality of peripheral device sensors via the interface for predetermined conditions and performing a selected activity when a predetermined condition is detected, comprising the steps of:
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initializing parameters in the processor system from at least one of remote reporting location for monitoring the sensors and establishing two-way communication with the remote reporting locations;
programming the processor from a remote reporting location to actively monitor different entities;
receiving data from the sensors via the sensor interface;
processing the received data in accordance with an algorithm stored in the processor system;
determining whether a first predetermined condition has been detected for the sensors;
outputting a control signal for the peripheral devices and/or establishing a two way communication between the processor system and one of the remote reporting locations for reporting the detected first predetermined condition according to the algorithm; and
conducting an interaction between the processor system and one of the remote locations to resolve the detected first predetermined condition. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
determining whether a second predetermined condition has been detected for the sensors. -
59. The method of claim 57 further comprising the step of:
determining whether a third predetermined condition has been detected for the sensors according to the algorithm.
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60. The method of claim 58 further comprising the step of:
reporting and resolving the detected second predetermined condition to a second remote reporting location.
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61. The method of claim 59 further comprising the step of:
reporting and resolving the detected third predetermined condition to a third remote reporting location.
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62. The method of claim 57 further comprising the step of:
receiving data from the sensor interface after each predetermined condition has been detected, reported and resolved by one of the remote reporting locations.
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63. The method of claim 57 further comprising the step:
detecting a variable condition using fuzzy logic in the algorithm and reporting the detection to one of the remote reporting locations.
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64. The method of claim 57 wherein the first predetermined conditions may be dynamic or calculated based on recorded and/or sensed data.
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65. A sensor based, two way communications platform, comprising:
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a processor system linked to peripheral devices via a sensor interface and a plurality of remote reporting locations via telecommunication network, means for initializing parameters in the processor system from at least one of remote reporting location for monitoring the sensors and establishing two-way communication with the remote reporting locations;
means for programming the processor from a remote reporting location to actively monitor different entities;
means for receiving data from the sensors via the sensor interface;
means for processing the received data in accordance with an algorithm stored in the processor system;
means for determining whether a first predetermined condition has been detected for the sensors;
means for outputting a control signal for the peripheral devices and/or establishing a two way communication between the processor system and one of the remote reporting locations for reporting the detected first predetermined condition according to the algorithm; and
means for conducting an interaction between the processor system and one of the remote locations to resolve the detected first predetermined condition.
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Specification