Microprocessor base for monitor/control of communications facilities

• US 4,400,694 A
• Filed: 12/03/1979
• Issued: 08/23/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles L. Rahm, Raphael W.H. Wong, Robert R. Ryason
• Original Assignee: Charles L. Rahm, Raphael W.H. Wong, Robert R. Ryason
• Inventors: Wong, Raphael W. H., Ryason, Robert R., Rahm, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US06/099,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 340/505, 340/506, 340/517, 340/518, 340/501, 340/503, 340/514, 340/152 T, 340/150, 340/151, 340/519-525, 340/147 LP, 340/825.06, 340/825.07 , 340/825.1-825.13, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 340/825.52, 340/825.54, 340/825.55, 179/5 R, 179/2 R
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A monitor/control system for a communications network with an independent microprocessor at each repeater station and at the terminal, and in which alarms and monitored conditions are detected on an interrupt basis.

Claims

1. A system for providing monitor, alarm and control functions for a communications network wherein said communications network comprises at least one main terminal and a plurality of repeater stations, said system comprising:

a main terminal microcomputer located at said main terminal;

a repeater station microcomputer located at each of said repeater stations;

means for communicating between each of said repeater station microcomputers and said main terminal microcomputer;

control and test means for enabling said main terminal microcomputer to cause a selected repeater station microcomputer to perform selected control and test functions at a selected repeater station;

sensor means at each of said repeater stations for sensing the presence of alarm conditions at said repeater station and for immediately communicating said alarm conditions to said repeater station microcomputer;

monitoring means at each of said repeater stations for continuously monitoring selected operational conditions at said repeater station and for communicating said operational conditions to said repeater station microcomputer;

means, within each of said repeater station microcomputers, for immediately assigning a different priority value to each of said sensed alarm conditions and said sensed operational conditions in accordance with predetermined priority criteria;

processor means, within each of said repeater station microcomputers, for continuously processing said sensed alarm conditions and said sensed operational conditions in order of said assigned priority value;

storage means, within each of said repeater station microcomputers, for storing said processed alarm conditions and operational conditions; and

interrupt means for immediately communicating to said main terminal microcomputer processed alarm conditions and operational conditions with a priority value above a predetermined value.

2. A system, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

interrogation means at said main terminal microcomputer for interrogating each of said repeater station microcomputer storage means at periodic intervals or upon command, to communicate to said main terminal microcomputer said alarm conditions and said operational conditions stored in said repeater station microcomputer storage means.

3. A system, as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

display means at said main terminal microcomputer for displaying said communicated alarm conditions and operational conditions.

4. A system, as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

storage means at said main terminal microcomputer for storing said communicated alarm conditions and operational conditions.

5. A system, as recited in claim 4, wherein said main terminal microcomputer comprises a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor whereby said communicated alarm conditions and operational conditions are divided between said first and second microprocessors.

6. A system, as recited in claim 1, wherein the main terminal microcomputer further comprises interrupt control means for receiving and processing said communicated alarm and operational conditions, including:

priority assignment means for assigning to the received alarm and operational conditions, respectively, different priority values in accordance with predetermined priority criteria; and

processing means for continuously processing the received alarm and operational conditions in order of the assigned priority values.

7. A system, as recited in claim 6, wherein the main terminal microcomputer includes a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor, and the interrupt control means of the main terminal microcomputer further comprises:

microprocessor selecting means for selecting one of the two microprocessors for processing each received alarm or operational condition;

timing means for determining the processing time of each alarm and operational condition within the operating microprocessor; and

microprocessor changing means for changing the operating microprocessor whenever the processing time of any alarm or operational condition exceeds a predetermined maximum processing time, indicating a microprocessor malfunction.