Communications systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A reconfigurable electrical unit comprising:
- an ambient condition sensor;
at least first and second sets of prestored data sequences;
circuitry for storing a multi-element identifier for specifying an ordered subset group of data sequences from among the prestored sets for current use in the operation of the electrical unit.
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Abstract
The members of a multi-processor communication system can be loaded with a common set of control programs. Subsequently, the functionality of the various processors can be specified by providing linking information to the respective processors. The linking information specifies which control programs, in which order, are to be executed by a respective processor. Processors can be associated with or bound to a respective system using encrypted control codes. The functional integrity of one or more modules at a respective processor can be verified.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A reconfigurable electrical unit comprising:
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an ambient condition sensor;
at least first and second sets of prestored data sequences;
circuitry for storing a multi-element identifier for specifying an ordered subset group of data sequences from among the prestored sets for current use in the operation of the electrical unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of specifying a plurality of prestored sequences, at least some of which include executable instructions, comprising:
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providing a plurality of sequences, at least some of which can be associated with one another to carry out at least one predetermined function including sensing one or more ambient conditions;
providing an identifier which specifies a subset from the plurality of sequences whereby a first predetermined function comprising carrying out a first ambient condition sensing process can be carried out; and
carrying out the predetermined function. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
providing a second identifier which specifies a second subset from the plurality whereby a second predetermined function can be carried out; and
carrying out the second predetermined function.
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20. A method as in claim 19 which includes carrying out the first function at a first location and carrying out the second function at a second, different location.
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21. A method as in claim 19 wherein the second function comprises carrying out a second ambient condition sensing process, which is different from the first ambient condition sensing process.
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22. A method as in claim 18 which includes providing security indicia which can be used to determine that at least one of the provided sequences can be properly carried out.
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23. A method as in claim 18 which includes providing integrity indicia which can be used to determine that at least one of the sequences has been provided with a predetermined degree of integrity.
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24. A method as in claim 18 wherein the security indicia includes an authorizing password.
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25. A method as in claim 22 which includes encrypting the security indicia.
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26. A method as in claim 23 which includes in the sequence providing step, providing at least one binary sequence usable to assess the integrity of a provided sequence.
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27. A method as in claim 26 which includes comparing the provided binary sequence to a pre-stored sequence and carrying out the predetermined function only if the compared sequences exhibit a predetermined relationship.
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28. A configurable electrical unit comprising:
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an ambient condition sensor;
a plurality of prestored routines; and
circuitry for storing an alterable identifier for specifying an ordered subset group of sequences from among the set of prestored routines for use in controlling the operation of the electrical unit. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for monitoring ambient environmental conditions comprising:
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one or more ambient condition detectors wherein each detector includes a plurality of prestored data sequences, an identifier having one or more linking indicators for selecting a subset of the prestored data sequences wherein at least some of said selected prestored data sequences include executable instructions, and a processor for executing the executable selected prestored data sequences; and
a programmer communicatively coupled to said one or more ambient condition detectors for supplying the values of the one or more linking indicators.
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44. A system as in 43 wherein each of the one or more ambient condition detectors include at least one of a gas sensor, a smoke sensor, a fire sensor, a heat sensor, a humidity sensor, a light sensor, a motion sensor, and a position sensor.
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45. A system for monitoring environmental conditions comprising:
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one or more configurable sensor devices including a processor having a non-volatile memory space for storing a plurality of executable subroutines and for storing subroutine linkage information including a sequence of one or more program specifying indicators, and an interface circuit for receiving subroutine linkage information and supplying status information; and
a programmer, communicatively coupled to said one or more configurable sensor devices, including an interface circuit for loading subroutine linkage information into the one or more configurable sensor devices;
wherein the processor in the configurable sensor device executes the selected executable subroutines as identified by the subroutine linkage information, and if more than one executable subroutine are selected, the selected executable subroutines are executed in the sequential order determined by the subroutine linkage information. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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46. A system as in 45 wherein said programmer is incorporated as part of one or more of a system control unit, a display unit and a monitoring unit.
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47. A system as in 45 wherein said programmer is selectively couplable to said one or more configurable sensors, and wherein said programmer is coupled to said one or more sensor devices while loading subroutine linkage information into the one or more configurable sensor devices and is de-coupled from said one or more sensor devices after the loading of the subroutine linkage information into the one or more sensor devices is complete.
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48. A system as in 45 wherein the system further comprises one or more signal conductors coupled to the interface circuits of each of the one or more configurable sensor devices and the programmer for communicating the subroutines linkage information from the programmer to the one or more configurable sensor devices.
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49. A system as in 48 wherein the one or more signal conductors are wires for transmitting electric signals.
- 50. A system as in 45 wherein the interface circuits of each of the one or more configurable sensor devices and the programmer include circuitry for electromagnetically communicating the subroutine linkage information between the programmer and the one or more configurable sensor devices.
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52. A system as in 45 wherein said processor is implemented at least in part as one of a microprocessor, a minicomputer or a computer.
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53. A system as in 45 wherein said processor is implemented at least in part as a custom-designed integrated control circuit.
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54. A system as in 45 wherein at least one of the one or more configurable sensor devices includes a plurality of sensors.
- 56. A system as in 45 wherein each of the one or more configurable sensor devices is predetermined to internally select the set of subroutines and identify the order in which the subroutines are executed according to the program specifying indicators, thereby forming an executable non-volatile operating software program for use in the one or more configurable sensor devices.
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58. A system as in 45 wherein the communications within the system is bi-directional.
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59. A system as in 45 further comprising a first communication path for communicating subroutine linkage information between the programmer and the one or more configurable sensor devices, and a second communication path, distinct from the first communication path, for communicating status information from the one or more configurable sensor devices.
Specification