US3786424A — Communications system for data transmission and r…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 224 words

In a communication system for sending and receiving data, the combination including, a plurality of data transmitting groups, each group comprising a predetermined number of discrete data transmitting means adapted for data transmission, and each group being represented by a predetermined interrogation code, codeinterrogation means for generating a code signal corresponding to a selected one of the interrogation codes representing a particular one of said groups, code-operated switch means coupled between said code interrogation means and each of said data transmitting groups, each switch means having a first terminal in communicative connection with said code-interrogation means and a second terminal in communicative connection with each of said discrete data transmitting means of its associated group, said code-operated switch means having means providing a normally open return circuit between said code-interrogation means and said transmitting means of its associated group for blocking the transmission of data from said discrete data transmission means of the group unless the code signal at said first terminal of the associated code-operated switch means corresponds to said appropriate interrogation code, thereby to close said return circuit for passage therethrough of data from all operating data transmitting means of the interrogated group, and data retrieval means in communicative connection with said code-operated switch means to receive data signals from the discrete data transmitting means of the group which has been interrogated.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 224 words

In a communication system for sending and receiving data, the combination including, a plurality of data transmitting groups, each group comprising a predetermined number of discrete data transmitting means adapted for data transmission, and each group being represented by a predetermined interrogation code, codeinterrogation means for generating a code signal corresponding to a selected one of the interrogation codes representing a particular one of said groups, code-operated switch means coupled between said code interrogation means and each of said data transmitting groups, each switch means having a first terminal in communicative connection with said code-interrogation means and a second terminal in communicative connection with each of said discrete data transmitting means of its associated group, said code-operated switch means having means providing a normally open return circuit between said code-interrogation means and said transmitting means of its associated group for blocking the transmission of data from said discrete data transmission means of the group unless the code signal at said first terminal of the associated code-operated switch means corresponds to said appropriate interrogation code, thereby to close said return circuit for passage therethrough of data from all operating data transmitting means of the interrogated group, and data retrieval means in communicative connection with said code-operated switch means to receive data signals from the discrete data transmitting means of the group which has been interrogated.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 54 words

A system of claim 1 wherein each of said discrete data transmitting means within each group is identified by a discrete frequency and said retrieving means includes frequency selective means including frequency seleCtive circuits corresponding in number to said discrete data transmitting means so that data information is received only by the appropriate circuit.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

A system of claim 1 wherein said communicative connections include coaxial cable means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 128 words

A system of claim 1 wherein each of said discrete transmitting means includes switch means to insert data into parallel binary storage means, parallel-to-serial converter means for receiving the binary data, a clock pulse generator for controlling the sequence of operation of said parallel-to-serial converter, said clock pulse generator having an output connected to a predetermined number of input terminals of said parallel-to-serial converter such that the data pulse train produced by said parallel-to-serial converter will have a predetermined time interval of blanked pulses to provide a message marker along with said data pulse train, and RF transmitting means for receiving said data pulse train and transmitting the same through the associated code-operated switch means when said normally open return circuit is closed and into said retrieval means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 144 words

A system of claim 4 wherein said data retrieval means includes clock pulse extractor means to generate a clock pulse for each data pulse of said data pulse train, said clock pulse extractor having an output connected to an AND gate, and connected to the inputs of a message marker detector and an end of message detector, the outputs of said message marker detector and said end of message detector also being connected to said AND gate, shift register means for receiving said data pulse train at one input thereof and for receiving the output signal from said AND gate at another input thereof, whereby the data pulse train is stored in said shift register and the blank space within said data pulse train will disable said end of message detector and set the data stored in said shift register means for readout purposes.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 96 words

A system of claim 1 wherein each of said discrete data transmitting means includes switch means to insert data into parallel binary storage means, parallel-to-serial converter means for receiving the binary data, a binary counter for controlling the sequence of operation of said parallel-to-serial converter means to provide a data pulse train therefrom, a clock pulse generator for actuating said counter, said counter having a repeating cycle of operation and having a first output that produces a signal once during each cycle of the counter to provide a message marker along with the data pulse train.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

A system according to claim 6 in which said counter has a second output to reset said counter upon generation of said message marker.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 85 words

A system according to claim 1 in which said first terminal is in communicative connection with said code-interrogation means through a first coaxial cable, and said second terminal is in communicative connection with said discrete data transmitting means through a second coaxial cable such that said code-operated switch means is activated by the interrogation code sent through said first coaxial cable to open said circuit means to place said data retrieval means in communicative connection with said data transmitting means through said second coaxial cable.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 67 words

A system according to claim 8 in which said code-operated switch means includes a receiver connected to said first terminal, a decoder-logic circuit for receiving an output from said receiver, said logic circuit having an output for activating said circuit means in said second coaxial cable to pass signals from said discrete data transmitting means to said data retrieval means upon receipt of said appropriate interrogation code

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said data transmitting means includes keyboard means to be selectively operated to provide optional data information into said data retrieval means, said optional data information corresponding to an instruction within said data transmitting means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 38 words

A sysTem according to claim 10 wherein said data transmitting means is connected to a television receiver which receives commercial advertisements, and wherein said optional data corresponds to a purchase order of merchandise displayed during said commercial advertisement.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 222 words

In a coaxial cable communications system that includes video receivers connected to the cable for receiving video signals transmitted over the cable, the video receivers each including channel-selector means and data transmitting means associated with each receiver for supplying data indicative of the selected channel to which the receiver is tuned, the video receivers and their associated data transmitting means being in a plurality of identified groups and with each group being represented by a predetermined interrogation code, code-interrogation means for generating a code signal corresponding to a selected one of the interrogation codes representing a particular one of said groups, code-operated switch means in communicative connection with said code-interrogation means and also with data transmitting means of its associated group, said code-operated switch means providing a normally open return circuit for blocking transmission of data from said data transmitting means of a group unless the code signal to the associated code-operated switch means corresponds to the appropriate interrogation code, and data retrieval means in communicative connection with said code-operated switch means to receive data signals from said data transmitting means of the group which has been interrogated when said normally open return circuit is closed, said data retrieval means including means for ascertaining the tuned channel of each of the video receivers of the group as determined by the retrieval data.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 222 words

In a coaxial cable communications system that includes video receivers connected to the cable for receiving video signals transmitted over the cable, the video receivers each including channel-selector means and data transmitting means associated with each receiver for supplying data indicative of the selected channel to which the receiver is tuned, the video receivers and their associated data transmitting means being in a plurality of identified groups and with each group being represented by a predetermined interrogation code, code-interrogation means for generating a code signal corresponding to a selected one of the interrogation codes representing a particular one of said groups, code-operated switch means in communicative connection with said code-interrogation means and also with data transmitting means of its associated group, said code-operated switch means providing a normally open return circuit for blocking transmission of data from said data transmitting means of a group unless the code signal to the associated code-operated switch means corresponds to the appropriate interrogation code, and data retrieval means in communicative connection with said code-operated switch means to receive data signals from said data transmitting means of the group which has been interrogated when said normally open return circuit is closed, said data retrieval means including means for ascertaining the tuned channel of each of the video receivers of the group as determined by the retrieval data.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 52 words

In a system according to claim 12, each said data transmitting means of a group including RF transmission means of a known frequency, the frequencies of a number of data transmitting means in one group being substantially the same as the frequencies of a number of data transmitting means in another group.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 189 words

A communication system for sending and receiving data, comprising in combination: data retrieval means having an input, a plurality of data transmitting groups at remote locations from said data retrieval means, each group including a plurality of discrete data transmitters, and code-operated switch means connected between each said data transmitting group and the input of said data retrieval means, said code-operated switch includes, an input terminal for coupling to all of said data transmitters of its associated data transmitting group, an output terminal for coupling to said input of said data retrieval means, a normally open circuit path between said input and output terminals for blocking the passage of signals from all operating data transmitters of said associated data transmitting group, said open circuit path including band pass amplifier means for passing signals from all of said data transmitters when said normally open circuit path is closed, and means responsive to an interrogation code applied to said code-operated switch for effecting closure of said normally open circuit path, whereby all operating data transmitters of said associated ata transmitting group are coupled to said input of said data retrieval means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 189 words

A communication system for sending and receiving data, comprising in combination: data retrieval means having an input, a plurality of data transmitting groups at remote locations from said data retrieval means, each group including a plurality of discrete data transmitters, and code-operated switch means connected between each said data transmitting group and the input of said data retrieval means, said code-operated switch includes, an input terminal for coupling to all of said data transmitters of its associated data transmitting group, an output terminal for coupling to said input of said data retrieval means, a normally open circuit path between said input and output terminals for blocking the passage of signals from all operating data transmitters of said associated data transmitting group, said open circuit path including band pass amplifier means for passing signals from all of said data transmitters when said normally open circuit path is closed, and means responsive to an interrogation code applied to said code-operated switch for effecting closure of said normally open circuit path, whereby all operating data transmitters of said associated ata transmitting group are coupled to said input of said data retrieval means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-01-14	1977-07-16	1978-01-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-01-14	1981-07-16	1982-01-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-01-14	1985-07-16	1986-01-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Communications system for data transmission and retrieval

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