Patent US3429284A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0325219A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0325219A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Data collection and transmission system with real time clock
Assignee: TNC US Holdings Inc
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Filing: 1989-01-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-01-18
Abstract
Abstract A communication method and a data collection and transmission system are provided having at least one remotely located monitoring station. A central computer is arranged for bidirectional communication with each of the monitoring stations. Each of the monitoring stations includes a storage and forward unit for communicating with the central computer and at least one sensor unit for monitoring a predetermined geographically proximate variable and for processing and storing predetermined operational data. The storage and forward unit includes a real time clock that is arranged to accurately maintain a real time indicative signal. A local area network connects the storage and forward unit and each of the sensor units. A coded message having a predetermined sequential data format is used for bidirectional communications between the storage and forward unit and the sensor units. A real-time coded message is provided by the storage and forward unit to the sensor units. The storage and forward unit includes a counter for counting at a predefined rate for identifying a delay time period prior to the transmission of the real-time coded message. Each sensor unit includes a counter for counting at the predefined rate to identify a second time delay period responsive to a received real-time coded message from the storage and forward unit. The real-time coded message includes the first identified time delay period that is combined with the second identified time delay period to determine the current time value by the sensor unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerome R. Waechter
- 👤 James T. Patten
- 👤 Paul C. Kempter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 17:53
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17327; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/29; H04H60/31; H04H60/61; H04H60/66; H04H60/76; H04H60/81; H04H60/93; H04H60/95
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A data collection and transmission system comprising: at least one remotely located monitoring station for collecting and storing predetermined operational data; a central computer arranged for bidirectional communication with said monitoring station and for processing said stored predetermined operational data; each of said remotely located monitoring station including a storage and forward unit for communicating with said central computer and having a real time clock, at least one sensor unit for monitoring and storing predetermined operational data and a local area network connecting said storage and forward unit and each of said sensor units; and each of said sensor units including means for receiving a real time coded message from said storage and forward unit, and means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A data collection and transmission system comprising: at least one remotely located monitoring station for collecting and storing predetermined operational data; a central computer arranged for bidirectional communication with said monitoring station and for processing said stored predetermined operational data; each of said remotely located monitoring station including a storage and forward unit for communicating with said central computer and having a real time clock, at least one sensor unit for monitoring and storing predetermined operational data and a local area network connecting said storage and forward unit and each of said sensor units; and each of said sensor units including means for receiving a real time coded message from said storage and forward unit, and means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein said storage and forward unit and each of said sensor units includes processor means for bidirectional communications therebetween and including means for generating predefined requests.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 2 wherein said predefined requests generated by said sensor units include a current time request.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein said storage and forward unit and each of said sensor units includes means for generating a unique identification code.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein said means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value include means for identifying a transmission time delay over said local area network, and means responsive to said identified transmission time delay for adjusting said real time coded message.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein said means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value include means for identifying a first count value within said coded message; means for identifying a second count value responsive to said received real time coded message; and means for combining said first and second identified count values to identify a time delay value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 6 further including means responsive to said identified time delay value for incrementing said received real time coded message to determine the current time value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein a coded message having a predetermined sequential data format is used for bidirectional communications between said storage and forward unit and said sensor units.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 8 wherein said coded message has a variable length, said variable length determined by a coded data packet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 8 wherein said coded message begins with at least one start of message byte and ends with a data packet checksum byte.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 10 wherein said storage and forward unit includes a first duration counter established responsive to a real time data packet being created and read responsive to said start of message byte being transmitted.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 11 wherein each of said sensor units includes a second duration counter established responsive to said start of message byte being received and read responsive to a data packet checksum byte being received.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 11 wherein said first and second duration counters are incremented at a predefined rate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 13 wherein said predefined rate equals approximately ten Hertz.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said sensor units includes means for identifying an actual time of occurrence of said stored predetermined operational data responsive to said determined current time value.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said sensor units includes a real time clock and means for updating said real time clock responsive to said determined current time value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 1 wherein one of said sensor units monitors predefined operational functions of a video cassette recorder and stores predetermined operational data, said one sensor unit includes a real time clock for providing a real time clock value and means for updating said real time clock responsive to said determined current time value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A data collection and transmission system as recited in claim 17 wherein said real time clock value is stored with said stored video cassette recorder operational data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
128 words
A monitoring station for use in data collection and transmission system for the type including a central computer arranged for transmitting data to and collecting data from a plurality of remotely located monitoring stations, said monitoring station comprising: a storage and forward unit for communicating with the central computer and having a real time clock, at least one sensor unit for monitoring a predetermined geographically proximate variable, for processing and storing predetermined operational data and a local area network connecting said storage and forward unit an each of said sensor units; and each of said sensor units including means for receiving a real time coded message from said storage and forward unit, and means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
128 words
A monitoring station for use in data collection and transmission system for the type including a central computer arranged for transmitting data to and collecting data from a plurality of remotely located monitoring stations, said monitoring station comprising: a storage and forward unit for communicating with the central computer and having a real time clock, at least one sensor unit for monitoring a predetermined geographically proximate variable, for processing and storing predetermined operational data and a local area network connecting said storage and forward unit an each of said sensor units; and each of said sensor units including means for receiving a real time coded message from said storage and forward unit, and means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein said storage and forward unit and each of said sensor units includes processor means for bidirectional communications therebetween and including means for generating predefined requests.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 20 wherein said predefined requests generated by said sensor units include a current time request.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein said storage and forward unit and each of said monitoring units includes means for generating a unique identification code.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
54 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein said means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value include means for identifying a transmission time delay over said local area network, and means responsive to said identified transmission time delay for adjusting said real time coded message.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
69 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein said means responsive to said received real time coded message for determining a current time value include means for identifying a first count value within said coded message; means for identifying a second count value responsive to said received real time coded message; and means for combining said first and second identified count values to identify a time delay value.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 24 further including means responsive to said identified time delay value for incrementing said received real time coded message to determine the current time value.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein a coded message having a predetermined sequential data format is used for bidirectional communications between said storage and forward unit and said sensor units.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 16 wherein said coded message has a variable length, said variable length determined by a coded data packet.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 26 wherein said coded message begins with at least one start of message byte and ends with a data packet checksum byte.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 28 wherein said storage and forward unit includes a first duration counter established responsive to a real time data packet being created and read responsive to said start of message byte being transmitted.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
40 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 29 wherein each of said sensor units includes a second duration counter established responsive to said start of message byte being received and read responsive to a data packet checksum byte being received.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 30 wherein said first and second duration counters are incremented at a predefined rate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 31 wherein said predefined rate equals approximately ten Hertz.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein each of said sensor units includes means for identifying an actual time of occurrence of said stored predetermined operational data responsive to said determined current time value.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
36 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein at least one of said sensor units includes a real time clock and mean for updating said real time clock responsive to said determined current time value.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
59 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein one of said sensor units monitors predefined operational functions of a video cassette recorder and stores predetermined operational data, said one sensor unit includes a real time clock for providing a real time clock value and means for updating said real time clock responsive to said determined current time value.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
A monitoring station as recited in claim 19 wherein said real time clock value is stored with said stored video cassette recorder operational data.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for identifying a transmission time delay of a predefined coded message transmitted over a local area network comprising the steps of: reading a real time clock to identify a current time data value; establishing a first duration counter within a transmitting unit responsive to said indentified current time data value; transmitting a start of message byte of the predefined coded message; reading said first duration counter responsive to said transmitted start of message byte; transmitting said read first duration counter value in a predefined message header byte of the predefined coded message; establishing a second duration counter within a receiving unit responsive to a received start of message byte; reading said second duration counter responsive to a received data packet checksum byte of the predefined coded message; identifying said first duration counter value in the received message header byte; and combining said first and second duration counter values.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for identifying a transmission time delay of a predefined coded message transmitted over a local area network comprising the steps of: reading a real time clock to identify a current time data value; establishing a first duration counter within a transmitting unit responsive to said indentified current time data value; transmitting a start of message byte of the predefined coded message; reading said first duration counter responsive to said transmitted start of message byte; transmitting said read first duration counter value in a predefined message header byte of the predefined coded message; establishing a second duration counter within a receiving unit responsive to a received start of message byte; reading said second duration counter responsive to a received data packet checksum byte of the predefined coded message; identifying said first duration counter value in the received message header byte; and combining said first and second duration counter values.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method as recited in claim 37 wherein the step of establishing first duration counter within a transmitting unit responsive to said identified current time data value includes the steps of: allocating an addressable storage register for the first duration counter; reading an end-system counter within the transmitting unit; and storing said read end-system counter value within said allocated storage register.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as recited in claim 38 wherein the step of reading said first duration counter responsive to said transmitted start of message byte includes the steps of: reading said end-system counter; and subtracting said stored allocated storage register value to identify the first duration counter value.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as recited in claim 38 further including the step of: performing error checking of the current time data responsive to said allocated storage register; and deallocating said allocated storage register responsive to an identified error.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as recited in claim 37 wherein said step of establishing a second duration counter within a receiving unit responsive to a received start of message byte includes the steps of: allocating an addressable storage register for the first duration counter; reading an end-system counter within the receiving unit; and storing said read end-system counter value within said allocated storage register.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as recited in claim 41 wherein said step of reading said second duration counter responsive to a received data packet checksum byte of the predefined coded message includes the steps of: reading said end-system counter; and substracting said stored allocated storage register value to identify the first duration counter value.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for providing a current time reference value to a plurality of geographically proximate sensor units utilizing a real time clock within a storage and forward unit and a local area network connecting the storage and forward unit and each of the sensor units, said method comprising the steps of: transmitting a predefined real time coded message from the storage and forward unit over the local area network, said coded message having a predefined sequential coded format and including an identification data byte for one of the sensor units; establishing a duration counter in said identified sensor unit responsive to receiving a start of message byte within said transmitted coded message; reading said duration counter responsive to receiving a data packet checksum byte within said transmitted coded message; identifying a delay count value within said transmitted coded message; combining said read duration counter value with said identified delay count value to identify a transmission time delay; and adjusting said received real time data by said identified transmission time delay to determine the current time reference value.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for providing a current time reference value to a plurality of geographically proximate sensor units utilizing a real time clock within a storage and forward unit and a local area network connecting the storage and forward unit and each of the sensor units, said method comprising the steps of: transmitting a predefined real time coded message from the storage and forward unit over the local area network, said coded message having a predefined sequential coded format and including an identification data byte for one of the sensor units; establishing a duration counter in said identified sensor unit responsive to receiving a start of message byte within said transmitted coded message; reading said duration counter responsive to receiving a data packet checksum byte within said transmitted coded message; identifying a delay count value within said transmitted coded message; combining said read duration counter value with said identified delay count value to identify a transmission time delay; and adjusting said received real time data by said identified transmission time delay to determine the current time reference value.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method as recited in claim 43 wherein said step of transmitting a predefined real time coded message from the storage and forward unit over the local area network includes the steps of: reading a real time clock to identify a current time data value; establishing a duration counter within the storage and forward unit responsive to said identified current time data value; transmitting a start of message byte of the predefined coded message; reading said duration counter responsive to said transmitted start of message byte to provide said delay count value within the predefined coded message.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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