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AssigneeBell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
InventorsDonald W. Darling, Thomas M. Dennis, Stevan J. Thayer, Bonnie A. Zimmer
Estimating the term…
A voiceband data set network includes a control data set (10), a plurality of tributary data sets (4a, 4b . . . 4n) and a diagnostic control device (5). User-provided data is communicated between the control data set and the tributary data sets via a primary channel within a four-wire private telephone line (11, 12). Diagnostic and control information is communicated between the control data set and the tributaries via a secondary channel within the private line. Diagnostic and control information is communicated between the diagnostic control device and the control data set, with which it is co-located, via a control channel. Each data set includes a data set diagnostic unit (50), or DDU, via which it transmits and receives the diagnostic and control information. Communications among the DCD, DDUs, and primary controllers within the data sets, are carried out on a link-by-link basis, with the DDUs serving as message switching nodes and with communications over each link being principally comprised of requests and reads. The DCD, DDUs and primary controllers communicate in a hierarchy in which requests and reads are always directed downstream. The tributary data sets provided, however, with a way of directing request-type message texts upstream.
A first data set adapted to be connected to at least a second data set via a communication link, said first data set including
A first data set adapted to be connected to at least a second data set via a communication link, said first data set including
A control data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a first data processing device which communicates with a plurality of terminal data processing devices, said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said first device to each terminal device via a voiceband telephone link associated with said each terminal device and a tributary data set associated with said each terminal device, and each tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from the associated terminal device to said first device via the associated link and said control data set, said control data set including
A control data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a first data processing device which communicates with a plurality of terminal data processing devices, said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said first device to each terminal device via a voiceband telephone link associated with said each terminal device and a tributary data set associated with said each terminal device, and each tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from the associated terminal device to said first device via the associated link and said control data set, said control data set including
A tributary data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a first data processing device which communicates with at least a first terminal device, said tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from said terminal device to said first device via a voiceband telephone link and a control data set, and said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said first device to said terminal device via said link and said tributary data set, said tributary data set including
A tributary data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a first data processing device which communicates with at least a first terminal device, said tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from said terminal device to said first device via a voiceband telephone link and a control data set, and said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said first device to said terminal device via said link and said tributary data set, said tributary data set including
A method for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a computer, a plurality of terminals, a plurality of tributary data sets each associated with a respective one of said terminals, and a control data set adapted to transmit data from said computer to each terminal via a voiceband telephone link associated with said each terminal and via the associated tributary data set, each tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from the associated terminal to said computer via the associated link and said control data set, and said control data set being adapted to transmit to at least one of the tributary data sets at least a first downstream text identifying a command to be executed by said one tributary data set, said method comprising the step of
A method for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a computer, at least a first terminal, a control data set, and a tributary data set adapted to transmit data from said terminal to said computer via a voiceband telephone link and said control data set, said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said computer to said terminal via said link and said tributary data set, and said tributary data set being adapted to execute at least a first command in response to a downstream text identifying same transmitted to said tributary data set from said control data set, said method comprising the step of
A control data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a computer which communicates with a plurality of terminals, said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said computer to each terminal via a voiceband telephone link associated with said each terminal and a tributary data set associated with said each terminal, and each tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from the associated terminal to said computer via the associated link and said control data set, said control data set including,
A tributary data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a computer which communicates with at least a first terminal, said tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from said terminal to said computer via a voiceband telephone link and a control data set, and said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said computer to said terminal via said link and said tributary data set, said tributary data set including
A method for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a computer, a plurality of terminals, a plurality of tributary data sets each associated with a respective one of said terminals, and a control data set adapted to transmit data from said computer to each terminal via a voiceband telephone link associated with said each terminal and via the associated tributary data set, each tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from the associated terminal to said computer via the associated link and said control data set, and said control data set being adapted to transmit to at least one of the tributary data sets at least a first downstream text identifying a test to be initiated by said one tributary data set, said method comprising the step of
A method for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a computer, at least a first terminal, a control data set, and a tributary data set adapted to transmit data from said terminal to said computer via a voiceband telephone link and said control data set, said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said computer to said terminal via said link and said tributary data set, and said tributary data set being adapted to initiate at least a first test in response to a downstream text identifying same transmitted to said tributary data set from said control data set, said method comprising the step of
A method for use in a control data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a first data communication device which communicates with a plurality of terminal devices, said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said first device to each terminal device via a voiceband telephone link associated with said each terminal device and via a tributary data set associated with said each terminal device, and each tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from the associated terminal device to said first device via the associated link and via said control data set, said control data set including means for reading diagnostic information from an individual one of said tributary data sets by transmitting to at least said one tributary data set over the associated link a poll which includes a first address, said first address identifying said one tributary data set as the intended recipient of said poll, said method comprising the steps of
A method for use in a tributary data set adapted for use in a telephone voiceband data communication system comprised of a first data communication device which communicates with at least a first terminal device, said tributary data set being adapted to transmit data from said terminal device to said first device via a voiceband telephone link and a control data set, and said control data set being adapted to transmit data from said first device to said terminal device via said link and said tributary data set, said tributary data set including means operative in response to a poll which includes an address identifying said tributary data set as the intended recipient of said poll for transmitting diagnostic test results to said control data set over said link, said method comprising the step of
A first data set adapted to be connected to connected to at least a second data set via a communication link, said first data set including
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.