Alert message communication system

• US 4,371,871 A
• Filed: 01/30/1981
• Issued: 02/01/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reuters Limited (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Reuters Limited (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Adams, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAFTON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/230,412
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 340/717, 340/825.36, 340/825.26, 340/825.29
• US Class Current: 709/240
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/153 using cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates

Abstract

A communication network (20) capable of providing a subscriber originated alert message to other designated subscribers (80B, 162, 164, 80C, 166, 168) in the network (20) which have been selected by the message originator (80A, 82). Both the content of the alert message and the designated recipients may be readily varied at will by the subscriber via a keyboard (82A) which is associated with a video display device (82B). The telephone type distribution network (20) includes a plurality of switch nodes (22-38) at different geographic locations which are interfaced with the various subscriber keystations (82, 160, 164, 166, 168) through keystation or terminal controllers (80). Each terminal controller has display control logic (304) including local display storage (310-318) for locally storing retrievable data displays (310-316) and alert message displays, (318) directed to that controller (80). Each keystation (82) has a locally storable control page containing message routing control signals corresponding to different subscriber designated keystation recipient groups, with each designated controller (80) having a unique address code in that group. These control pages are locally stored at the switch node (22-38) associated with that originating keystation with which the controller (80) is associated and may be varied in content by the originating keystation. Once a control page has been predefined, the originating keystation (82) may rapidly select different sets of keystation recipient groups for a given alert message. A keystation (82) may thus contribute retrievable data as well as alert messages and message routing data to the network (20) to facilitate rapid individually tailored information dissemination to individually tailored recipient groups.

Claims

1. In a communication network capable of providing textual data messages to a plurality of subscriber terminals throughout the said network, at least a portion of said plurality of subscriber terminals comprising keystations, each of said keystations comprising a keyboard means for requesting and inputting textual data messages and associated data control signals and display means for providing a textual display of said keyboard generated data input;

the improvement comprising a plurality of message switching node interface means operatively connected to each other at different geographic locations throughout the network and a plurality of keystation controller interface means with at least one keystation being operatively connected to one of said keystation controller interface means for each of said message switching node interface means, each of said message switching node interface means comprising message routing logic means and local storage means operatively connected to said message routing local control means for providing message routing logic control signals thereto, each of said keystation controller interface means comprising display control logic means and local display storage means for locally storing textual data to be displayed on said one connected keystation display means, said one connected keystation keyboard means comprising means for inputting a plurality of selectable message routing logic control signals to said node interface local storage means for creating a locally stored alert message routing control page comprising a plurality of different selectable message routing logic control signals, each of said keystation controller interface means having a unique address message code in said network corresponding to a unique logic control signal, each of said different locally stored alert message routing logic control signals comprising at least one of said controller interface unique address code logic control signals, different sets of said controller interface unique address code logic control signals comprising said different selectable message routing logic control signals, each of said one connected keystation keyboard means further comprising means for providing an original textual data alert message and selection control signal to said keystation controller interface means for selecting at least one of said different alert message routing logic control signals for uniquely defining a keystation recipient group for said original input textual data alert message, said keystation controller interface means comprising logic means responsive to said provided textual data alert message and selection control signals for providing said textual data alert message and selection control signal to said node interface means message routing logic means associated with said original message providing keystation, said message switching node interface logic means being responsive to said selection control signal for selecting said at least one corresponding locally stored alert message routing logic signal and for transmitting said one selected alert message routing logic signal and said original textual data alert message to at least a keystation recipient group plurality of node interface means corresponding to said controller interface unique address code logic control signals comprised in said selected alert message routing logic control signal, said keystation recipient group node interface logic means selectively routing said received textual data alert message to said connected keystation controller interface means corresponding to said node interface associated controller interface unique address code logic control signals defined in said keystation recipient group, said associated keystation controller interface means locally storing said received alert message in said local display storage means for providing a display thereof on said one connected keystation display means in said selected keystation recipient group, said message originating keystation keyboard means being capable of varying both the content of said textual data alert message to be transmitted and the recipients for said transmitted alert message by varying either the contents of said locally stored alert message routing control page or the alert message routing logic control signal selected;

whereby any of said keystations in the network can rapidly disseminate individually tailored alert messages to individually tailored recipients therefor for display thereof.

2. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 1 whereon said display means comprises video display means for providing a video display of said textual data.

3. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 2 wherein said keystation controller interface logic means further comprises means for providing an alert alarm signal to said connected keystation means for indicating reception of an alert message.

4. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 3 wherein said connected keystation keyboard means comprises means for providing an alert message display selection control signal to said keystation controller interface means display control logic in response to said alert alarm signal, said keystation controller interface means display control logic providing a display of said locally stored textual alert message on said display means in response to said alert message display selection control signal.

5. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 4 wherein said message originating keystation selection control signal providing means comprises means for providing a selection control signal for selecting a plurality of said different alert message routing logic control signals uniquely defining a plurality of different keystation recipient groups.

11. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said keystation controller interface logic means further comprises means for providing an alert alarm signal to said connected keystation means for indicating reception of an alert message.

12. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 2 wherein said connected keystation keyboard means comprises means for providing an alert message display selection control signal to said keystation controller interface means display control logic in response to said alert alarm signal, said keystation controller interface means display control logic providing a display of said locally stored textual alert message on said display means in response to said alert message display selection control signal.

13. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said message originating keystation selection control signal providing means comprises means for providing a selection control signal for selecting a plurality of said different alert message routing logic control signals uniquely defining a plurality of different keystation recipient groups.

14. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network further comprises a retrievable data base of displayable data, each of said keystation means further being capable of selectively retrieving said displayable data from said data base for display on said display means, said displayable data being storable in said keystation controller interface display storage means in addition to said textual data alert messages, said display logic control means providing a selectable display thereof on said display means in response to a display selection control signal from said keystation keyboard means, whereby both subscriber selected retrievable data and subscriber originated alert messages may be displayed at a keystation.

15. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 14 wherein said keystation keyboard means further comprises means for inputting retrievable data to said retrievable data base which may be selectively retrieved for display by other keystation means in said network.

16. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 15 wherein said alert message corresponds to a unique address code for at least a portion of said retrievable data, whereby a subscriber keystation may input retrievable data for selective retrieval by subscribers in said keystation recipient group who may rapidly be informed of its availability for retrieval.

17. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 14 wherein said alert message corresponds to a unique address code for at least a portion of said retrievable data.

18. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said keystation controller interface means and said node interface means are operatively connected in said network in a telephone line type of distribution network.

19. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said keystation controller interface means further comprises had copy printer means for selectively providing a hard copy print out of said locally storable textual data alert messages.

20. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 1 wherein said keystation controller interface means local storage means comprises means for storing a plurality of different category alert messages, said keystation controller interface means comprising means for selecting one of said alert message categories for display in response to a display selection control signal corresponding thereto.

6. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 6 wherein said network further comprises a retrievable data base of displayable data, each of said keystation means further being capable of selectively retrieving said displayable data from said data base for display on said display means, said displayable data being storable in said keystation controller interface display storage means in addition to said textual data alert messages, said display logic control means providing a selectable display thereof on said display means in response to a display selection control signal from said keystation keyboard means, whereby both subscriber selected retrievable data and subscriber originated alert messages may be displayed at a keystation.

7. An alert message communications network in accordance with claim 6 wherein said keystation keyboard means further comprises means for inputting retrievable data to said retrievable data base which may be selectively retrieved for display by other keystation means in said network.

8. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 7 wherein said keystation controller interface means and said node interface means are operatively connected in said network in a telephone line type of distribution network.

9. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 8 wherein said keystation controller interface means further comprises hard copy printer means for selectively providing a hard copy print out of said locally storable textual data alert messages.

10. An alert message communication network in accordance with claim 9 wherein said keystation controller interface means local storage means comprises means for storing a plurality of different category alert messages, said keystation controller interface means comprising means for selecting one of said alert message categories for display in response to a display selection control signal corresponding thereto.