Versatile communications controller

Apparatus for communicating signals comprising:

• multiple input means for receiving respective input signals in different protocols selected from multiple protocols, the inputted signals being representative of monitoring signals at a first location being a remote station,
• first controller means for receiving the inputted signals and including means for multiplexing the input signals to a composite signal having a common protocol,
• output means for receiving the composite signal in the common protocol and for transmitting the composite signal in the common protocol through a communication medium to a second location being a control station,
• at least one second controller means at the second location, input means in the second controller means for receiving the composite signal from the communication medium, means in the second controller means for demultiplexing the composite signal into multiple output signals having the respective multiple different protocols, and
• output means for presenting the outputted signals as monitoring signals, such that the outputted signals at the central station are substantially the same as the inputted signals received by the respective multiple input means.

Apparatus for communicating signals comprising:

• multiple input means for receiving respective input signals in different protocols, the inputted signals being representative of control signals at a first location being a control station,
• first controller means for receiving the inputted signals and including means for multiplexing the inputted signals to a composite signal having a common protocol,
• output means for receiving the composite signal in the common protocol and for transmitting the composite signal in the common protocol through a communication medium to a second location being a remote station,
• at least one second controller means at the second location, input means in the second controller means for receiving the composite signal from the communication medium, means in the second controller means for demultiplexing the composite signal into multiple output signals having the respective multiple different protocols, and
• output means for presenting the outputted signals as control signals, such that the outputted signals at the remote station are substantially the same as the inputted signals received by the respective multiple input means.

Apparatus for communicating signals comprising:

• multiple means for receiving respective input signals in different protocols and outputting output signals in different protocols, the inputted signals being representative of monitoring signals and the outputted signals being representative of control signals respectively at multiple first locations,
• multiple first controller means at respective first locations for receiving the inputted signals and including means for multiplexing the inputted signals to a composite monitoring signal having a common protocol and including means for demultiplexing a composite signal in the common protocol into multiple control signals in the multiple protocols,
• output means for transmitting and receiving the composite monitoring and control signal in the common protocol through a communication medium to at least one second location,
• second controller means at the second location, input means in the second controller means for receiving the composite signal from the communication medium, means in the second controller means for demultiplexing the composite signal into multiple output signals having the respective multiple different protocols, and including means for multiplexing multiple signals in multiple protocols into a composite signal in the common protocol,
• output means for presenting the outputted signals at the second location as monitoring signals and control signals at the first location respectively, the first locations being a remote station for transmitting monitoring signals and the second location being a central station for transmitting control signals, and
• means for selectively communicating signals representative of voice between selected different first locations independently of the second locations.

Apparatus for communicating signals comprising:

• multiple means for receiving respective input signals in different protocols and outputting output signals in different protocols, the inputted signals being representative of monitoring signals and the outputted signals being representative of control signals respectively at multiple first locations,
• multiple first controller means at respective first locations for receiving the inputted signals and including means for multiplexing the inputted signals to a composite monitoring signal having a common protocol and including means for demultiplexing a composite signal in the common protocol into multiple control signals in the multiple protocols,
• output means for transmitting and receiving the composite monitoring and control signal in the common protocol through a communication medium to at least one second location,
• second controller means at the second location, input means in the second controller means for receiving the composite signal from the communication medium, means in the second controller means for demultiplexing the composite signal into multiple output signals having the respective multiple different protocols, and including means for multiplexing multiple signals in multiple protocols into a composite signal in the common protocol, and
• output means for presenting the outputted signals at the second location as monitoring signals and control signals at the first location respectively, the first locations being a remote station for transmitting monitoring signals and the second location being a central station for transmitting control signal.

Apparatus for communicating signals comprising:

• multiple means for receiving respective input signals in different protocols and outputting output signals in different protocols, the inputted signals being representative of monitoring signals and the outputted signals being representative of control signals respectively at multiple first locations,
• multiple first controller means at respective first locations for receiving the inputted signals and including means for multiplexing the inputted signals to a composite monitoring signal having a common protocol and including means for demultiplexing a composite signal in the common protocol into multiple control signals in the multiple protocols,
• output means for transmitting and receiving the composite monitoring and control signal in the common protocol through a communication medium to at least one second location,
• second controller means at the second location, input means in the second controller means for receiving the composite signal from the communication medium, means in the second controller means for demultiplexing the composite signal into multiple output signals having the respective multiple different protocols, and including means for multiplexing multiple signals in multiple protocols into a composite signal in the common protocol,
• output means for presenting the outputted signals at the second location as monitoring signals and control signals at the first location respectively, the first locations being a remote station for transmitting monitoring signals and the second location being a central station for transmitting control signals, and
• means associated with the first controller means for displaying monitored data in an integrated manner to the first locations.

A method for communicating signals having multiple different protocols as a composite signal with at least one common protocol comprising:

• inputting multiple signals in different protocols being representative of monitoring signals at multiple first locations,
• outputting multiple signals being representative of control signals at the multiple first locations,
• receiving in multiple first controller means at the respective multiple first locations the inputted monitoring signals and including multiplexing the inputted monitoring signals to a composite monitoring signal having a common protocol,
• receiving in the multiple first controller means at the respective multiple first locations a composite control signal having a common protocol and demultiplexing the composite signal in the common protocol into multiple control signals in the multiple protocols, and
• transmitting the composite monitoring signal in the common protocol through a communication medium to a second location.