US3751670A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Subscription communication system
Assignee: TELEBEAM CORP
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Filing: 1971-05-11
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Granted: 1973-08-07
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Expires: 1991-05-11
Abstract
Abstract A subscription communication system is described wherein each one of many subscribers has his own individual optical communications service link from a common distribution station. As a result, there is positive control over the communications service provided to each subscriber, and information as to the subscriber''s economic accountability for such service is generated right at the distribution station. A service request communications link is also provided from each subscriber station to the distribution station, preferably in the form of an optical signal, and the economic accountability of the subscriber is dependent upon receipt of the request signal. The service and request signals are affected equally by adverse weather conditions, so that the subscriber is not billed for service under weather conditions which are below the threshold of system availability.
Inventors
- 👤 S Grodner
- 👤 M Radlauer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:14
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/11; H04B10/112; H04B10/1123; H04B10/1125; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/22; H04N2007/1739
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A bidirectional subscription communication system for serving a number of subscriber stations; comprising: at least one distribution station, a plurality of said subscriber stations all being within signalling range of said distribution station, respective independently operable optical communications links for individually transmitting a communications service signal from said distribution station to each of said subscriber stations, each of said independent communications service signals having an associated information content, and means for optically transmitting service request message signals from each of said subscriber stations to said distribution station, said distribution station having respective means for receiving said request message signals, means effective in response to receipt of said request message signals to enable the respective service signal sources, at least two of said service signals being transmitted respectively to two different subscribers being at the same frequency and wavelength and having a different associated information content, said service signals being transmitted with space diversity, and means also responsive to said request message signals to record the economic accountability of the subscribers for communications service, respective equipment at said subscriber stations each having an ''''on'''' condition and an ''''off'''' condition, said request transmitting means being responsive to said ''''on'''' condition of the equipment at the respective subscriber stations to send a service request message signal, and said enabling means at said distribution station being effective to disable respective service signal sources at least when respective predetermined request message signals are not received from the respective subscriber stations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
A bidirectional subscription communication system for serving a number of subscriber stations; comprising: at least one distribution station, a plurality of said subscriber stations all being within signalling range of said distribution station, respective independently operable optical communications links for individually transmitting a communications service signal from said distribution station to each of said subscriber stations, each of said independent communications service signals having an associated information content, and means for optically transmitting service request message signals from each of said subscriber stations to said distribution station, said distribution station having respective means for receiving said request message signals, means effective in response to receipt of said request message signals to enable the respective service signal sources, at least two of said service signals being transmitted respectively to two different subscribers being at the same frequency and wavelength and having a different associated information content, said service signals being transmitted with space diversity, and means also responsive to said request message signals to record the economic accountability of the subscribers for communications service, respective equipment at said subscriber stations each having an ''''on'''' condition and an ''''off'''' condition, said request transmitting means being responsive to said ''''on'''' condition of the equipment at the respective subscriber stations to send a service request message signal, and said enabling means at said distribution station being effective to disable respective service signal sources at least when respective predetermined request message signals are not received from the respective subscriber stations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
91 words
A system as in claim 1 further comprising clock means at respective subscriber stations and at said distribution station arranged to deliver sampling signals at regular intervals, said request signal transmitter at each subscriber station being responsive to its respective clock means to send said predetermined request messages at each clock sampling interval, and said respective enabling means being responsive to said clock means to disable said service signal sources only at clock sampling intervals and only if their respective predetermined feedback messages have not been received during the preceding interval.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
A system as in claim 2 comprising an optical request signal source and optical service signal receiver at each subscriber station mounted in a first common instrument, and an optical request signal receiver and optical service signal source for each subscriber station mounted in a second common instrument at said distribution station, and each said common instrument is arranged to transmit and receive said optical signals over a common path or closely adjacent paths whereby the request and service signals can be jointly aimed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 3 wherein each said common instrument comprises contiguous signal transmitting and signal receiving sections, each of which includes respective optical focusing means having parallel optical axes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
A system as in claim 3 wherein each said common instrument comprises common optical focusing means for handling signals transmitted and received over a common path, a dichroic mirror beam splitter aligned with said focusing means, the signal source and signal receiving means of each said common instrument being located at respective focal points defined by said focusing means for the split beams of said dichroic mirror, and wherein said service and feedback signals are of different optical frequencies split by said dichroic mirror to reach said respective fOcal points.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as in claim 3 wherein said common instrument includes an alignment telescope having an optical axis parallel to said common path or closely adjacent signal paths.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system as in claim 2 wherein the service signal and request signal for each subscriber station are optical signals arranged to travel one or more open air paths sharing the same weather conditions, and the vulnerability of said request signal to degradation of its signal-to-noise ratio under adverse weather conditions is at least as great as that of said sercie signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 7 wherein said service and request signals are optical.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
240 words
A bidirectional subscription communication system for serving a number of subscriber stations; comprising: at least one distribution station, a plurality of said subscriber stations all being within signalling range of said distribution station, respective independently operable optical communications links for transmitting a communications service signal from said distribution station to each of said subscriber stations, and means for transmitting service request message signals from each of said subscriber stations to said distribution station, said service request message signals and said communications service signals having substantially identical initial signal to noise ratios at their respective points of transmission, said distribution station having respective means for receiving said request message signals, means effective in response to receipt of said request message signals for enabling the respective service signal sources and for recording the economic accountability of the subscribers for communications service, respective equipment at said subscriber stations each having an ''''on'''' condition and an ''''off'''' condition, said request transmitting means being responsive to said ''''on'''' condition of the equipment at the respective subscriber stations to send a service request message signal having said initial signal to noise ratio, and said enabling means at said distribution station being effective to disable respective service signal sources and accountability recording means when the signal to noise ratio of the received respective predetermined request message signal from the respective subscriber stations does not exceed a predetermined value with respect to said initial signal to noise ratio.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
240 words
A bidirectional subscription communication system for serving a number of subscriber stations; comprising: at least one distribution station, a plurality of said subscriber stations all being within signalling range of said distribution station, respective independently operable optical communications links for transmitting a communications service signal from said distribution station to each of said subscriber stations, and means for transmitting service request message signals from each of said subscriber stations to said distribution station, said service request message signals and said communications service signals having substantially identical initial signal to noise ratios at their respective points of transmission, said distribution station having respective means for receiving said request message signals, means effective in response to receipt of said request message signals for enabling the respective service signal sources and for recording the economic accountability of the subscribers for communications service, respective equipment at said subscriber stations each having an ''''on'''' condition and an ''''off'''' condition, said request transmitting means being responsive to said ''''on'''' condition of the equipment at the respective subscriber stations to send a service request message signal having said initial signal to noise ratio, and said enabling means at said distribution station being effective to disable respective service signal sources and accountability recording means when the signal to noise ratio of the received respective predetermined request message signal from the respective subscriber stations does not exceed a predetermined value with respect to said initial signal to noise ratio.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-06 | 1977-02-05 | 1977-08-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-06 | 1981-02-05 | 1981-08-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-06 | 1985-02-05 | 1985-08-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |