US 4,048,620 AGranted

Central station to addressed point communication system

AssigneeKinney Safety Systems, Inc.

InventorsRichard E. Crandall, Denny E. Morgan

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Abstract

A communication system for the transfer of information between a central station and an addressed point has the points organized in decimal groups at different remote stations, and selects a point for communication after enabling the group thereof with a unique station address. The central station equipment produces multiple-level addressing signals in serial sequence appropriate for transmission on a pair of conductors with other signals having a different frequency characteristic. All remote stations can be coupled in common with the central station, but the many points are normally inactive with regard to communication with the central station. An addressed remote station activates a selected point therein for transferring information with the central station.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A multiple point communication system having a central station, a plurality of communication points organized into groups, each group being associated with a different remote station, and wherein communication can take place between the central station and each communication point, said system comprising:

A. address signal generating means at said central station for producing address signals including at least first signals identifying the remote station to be addressed and second signals identifying the communication point of the group within the remote station which is addressed, said generating means including means for producing said address signals using a total of at least three different values in frequency and/or voltage to identify the remote station address information and communication point address information,
said address signals comprising a plurality of pulses, each pulse being an independent information carrier and being identifiable with a portion of said address signals, said pulses being generated serially,
B. address responsive means associated with each remote station, each said address responsive means
1. applying power to an associated response generating means in response to said first address signals identifying the associated remote station, and
2. coupling to said powered response generating means, in response to said second address signals, the associated communication point identified with said second address signals,
C. signal transmission means for communicating said address signals from said central station to each remote station over a common transmission path and for communicating from said remote stations a report signal to the central station,
D. response generating means associated with each remote station, each said response generating means being normally unpowered and when powered, producing an analog valued report signal, responsive to an electrical parameter present at an associated point coupled therewith, and
E. sensing means at said central station for receiving over said transmission means the output of said response generating means and for producing an output manifestation in response to said report signal.

5 more elements

In an electrical signal communication system having a central station and plural communication points organized in groups, each said communication point having terminal means associated with it and each said group being associated with a different remote station, and having signal transmission means for communicating signals between said central station and each remote station, and wherein communication can take place between the central station and at least one communication point at any remote station, the improvement comprising

A. central station means for receiving a binary signal set identifying a communication point at a remote station,
B. central station means responsive to said signal set received thereat and producing in response thereto
1. a first binary-coded decimal signal sequence identifying a remote station,
2. a second binary-coded decimal signal sequence identifying a communication point, and
3. a further signal designating at least one of said signal sequences,
C. normally unpowered reporting means associated with each remote station, each reporting means producing when powered an analog valued report signal responsive to an electrical parameter present at one associated terminal means electrically coupled therewith, and
D. decoder means associated with each remote station, each decoder means being
1. responsive to a first signal sequence identifying that station for applying power to the associated reporting means, and
2. responsive to a second signal sequence for coupling said terminal means of that station which is identified by said second signal sequence with said powered reporting means.

6 more elements

In a multiple point communication system having a central station and plural communication points organized in groups, and wherein communication can take place between the central station and at least one communication point, the improvement comprising

A. means at said central station
1. for producing an address signal set identifying a group of points and identifying a point in the addressed group thereof, and
2. for processing a report signal and for identifying it with the group and the point identified by an address signal set produced prior to receipt of that report signal,
B. a report generator associated with each said group, each said report generator having an unpowered quiescent state and a powered actuated state, said generator producing when actuated a signal with a parameter thereof having an analog value responsive to an impedance coupled thereto, and
C. means associated with each said group
1. for applying power to the report generator thereat only in response to selected group-identifying address signals in a set thereof, and
2. for coupling said powered report generator to an electrical impedance associated with the communication point identified by point-identifying address signals in said same set thereof.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.