Remote control system providing calls with different priority and scanning of remote stations

Claim 2

In a remote control system including a central console having a plurality of controls thereon, and a plurality of remote stations interconnected to the console by electrical conductors, the combination including, a control circuit associated with each remote station, digital counter means having a plurality of outputs providing signals associated with a plurality of numbers, means selectively connecting said outputs to said control circuits of the remote stations whereby each station is associated with a particular number, said counter means being operative to selectively energize said outputs to enable said control circuits in turn, selector means at the console connected to said counter means and having means for setting the number of a particular remote station, said selector means being operable to automatically stop said counter means at the number set to thereby activate said control circuit for a particular remote station, and control means at the console for causing predetermined operations at said control circuit associated with a selected remote station.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 including indicator means at the console connected to said counter means for indicating the station selected by said counter means.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein said control circuits provide a plurality of modes of operation and said control means is operative to cause a selected control circuit to operate in a particular mode.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3 including indicator means at the console connected to said control means for indicating the mode of operation of the selected one of said control circuits.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 including audio means at the console and at each remote station, and a single audio channel interconnecting said audio means for providing audio communication therebetween.

Claim 7

The system of claim 5 wherein each control circuit includes means for establishing an operative connection between said audio means at the associated remote station and said audio means at the console.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1 wherein said selector means includes pushbutton controls at the console for operating the same.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 2 wherein said counter means produces signals representing the digits of a number associated with a particular remote station and said indicator means produces a visual indication of the digits of such number.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 wherein said control circuit for each remote station has call means for operating said control circuit to initiate operation of said counter means, and circuit means coopErating with said call means to apply a signal to said central control for a priority call from such station, and said central control causes said console to indicate the presence of a priority call.

Claim 11

The system of claim 1 wherein each remote station has switch means connected to the control circuit for providing emergency calls and said console has means connected to said control circuits of said remote stations for indicating the presence of an emergency call.

Claim 12

A nurse call system including in combination, a console having a plurality of controls thereon, a central control connected to said console, and a plurality of remote stations connected to said console and to said central control by electrical conductors, said central control including counter means having outputs selectively connected to said remote stations and operative to enable said stations in turn, said console including selector means connected to said counter means for causing the same to select a particular remote station, and control means for causing predetermined operations at a selected remote station, said control means including switch means cooperating with means at said remote stations for setting the same for a predetermined type of operation, and for causing said counter means to operate to scan all of said remote stations and to stop at stations which are set for such predetermined operation.

Claim 13

A nurse call system including in combination, a console having a plurality of controls thereon, a central control connected to said console, and a plurality of remote stations connected to said console and to said central control by electrical conductors, said central control including counter means having outputs selectively connected to said remote stations and operative to enable said stations in turn, said console including selector means connected to said counter means for causing the same to select a particular remote station, and control means for causing predetermined operations at a selected remote station, said control means including switch means cooperating with means at said remote stations for setting the same for a predetermined type of operation, and for causing said counter means to operate to scan all of said remote stations and to stop at stations which are set for such predetermined operation.

Claim 14

A system of claim 11 wherein said switch means acts to set control means at said remote stations for priority operation, and said console includes means for indicating the numbers of the stations set for priority operation when said counter means is stopped at such stations.

Claim 15

The system of claim 11 wherein said switch means is operative to set control means at said remote stations for reminder operation, and said console includes means for indicating the numbers of the stations set for reminder operation when said counter means is stopped at such stations.

Claim 16

A nurse call system including in combination, a console having a plurality of controls thereon, a central control connected to said console, a plurality of remote patient stations, a plurality of control circuits individually associated with said remote patient stations and connected to said console and said central control by electrical conductors, said central control including counter means having outputs selectively connected to said control circuits and operative to enable said remote stations in turn, said console including selector means connected to said counter means and having a setting for each remote station for stopping said counter means to thereby select a particular remote station, said central control including a first fast clock and a second slow clock, and means for controlling said clocks whereby said fast clock applies pulses to said counter means for operating the same to scan said remote stations rapidly and said slow clock applies pulses to said counter means for operating the same to hold a station selected for a predetermined time interval, said control circuits associated with said remote stations applying signals to said central control for stopping said fast clock and starting said slow clock.

Claim 17

A nurse call system including in combination, a console having a plurality of controls thereon, a central control connected to said console, a plurality of remote patient stations, a plurality of control circuits individually associated with said remote patient stations and connected to said console and said central control by electrical conductors, said central control including counter means having outputs selectively connected to said control circuits and operative to enable said remote stations in turn, said console including selector means connected to said counter means and having a setting for each remote station for stopping said counter means to thereby select a particular remote station, said central control including a first fast clock and a second slow clock, and means for controlling said clocks whereby said fast clock applies pulses to said counter means for operating the same to scan said remote stations rapidly and said slow clock applies pulses to said counter means for operating the same to hold a station selected for a predetermined time interval, said control circuits associated with said remote stations applying signals to said central control for stopping said fast clock and starting said slow clock.

Claim 18

A nurse call system including in combination, a console having a plurality of controls thereon, a central control connected to said console, a plurality of remote patient stations, a plurality of control circuits individually associated with said remote patient stations and connected to said console and said central control by electrical conductors, said central control including counter means having outputs selectively connected to said control circuits and operative to enable said remote stations in turn, said console including selector means connected to said counter means and having a setting for each remote station for stopping said counter means to thereby select a particular remote station, each remote patient station having call means for operating the associated control circuit to initiate Operation of said counter means to enable said stations in turn, said control circuit operating in response to the outputs from said counter means to stop said counter means at each station having said call means thereof operated, said console including switch means for causing said central control to automatically apply signals received thereby to a remote station selected by said selector means to indicate the presence of a call from another remote station.

Claim 19

A nurse call system including in combination, a console having a plurality of controls thereon, a central control connected to said console, a plurality of remote patient stations, a plurality of control circuits individually associated with said remote patient stations and connected to said console and said central control by electrical conductors, said central control including counter means having outputs selectively connected to said control circuits and operative to enable said remote stations in turn, said console including selector means connected to said counter means and having a setting for each remote station for stopping said counter means to thereby select a particular remote station, each remote patient station having call means for operating the associated control circuit to initiate Operation of said counter means to enable said stations in turn, said control circuit operating in response to the outputs from said counter means to stop said counter means at each station having said call means thereof operated, said console including switch means for causing said central control to automatically apply signals received thereby to a remote station selected by said selector means to indicate the presence of a call from another remote station.

Claim 20

The system of claim 15 further including means for applying a tone signal to the selected remote station, with the tone signal being interrupted to indicate the priority of the call.