Patent US3878322A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3878322A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interrogated system
Assignee: Skiatron Electronics and Television Corp
•
Filing: 1973-02-28
•
Granted: 1975-04-15
•
Expires: 1993-02-28
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for selectively interrogating decoding devices which are located at remote stations. In one embodiment, a number of transponders which make up a final group within a larger group of transponders, all attached to a common line running from a central station, are selected and simultaneously caused to retransmit modified interrogation signals in accordance with certain informational characteristics and the identity of each transponder retransmitting. The final group of transponders, which include respective decoding devices, chosen to be interrogated is selected by first sending a number n of tones of a larger group of tones m down a branch line to partially activate some of the decoding devices. These tones are followed by a smaller number of tones k chosen from the group n to which only the decoding devices in the final group respond. The system is particularly designed for use in a subscriber television network and specific circuitry for accomplishing the logical and electrical functions required are described.
Inventors
- 👤 Herbert W Sullivan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:43
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q9/00; H04Q9/08; H04Q9/12; G; G08; G08B; G08B26/00; G08B26/001; G08B26/003; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/09; H04H60/14; H04H60/21; H04H60/29; H04H60/32; H04H60/35; H04H60/38; H04H60/41; H04H60/43; H04H60/76; H04H60/81; H04H60/93; H04H60/96; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N2007/17372
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A selectively actuated transponder for retransmitting interrogation signals received from a central station comprising means responsive to a group of predetermined selection signals for producing a transponder actuating signal, means for modifying the received interrogation signals in accordance with certain informational characteristics, Means responsive to said actuating signal for transmitting the modified interrogation signals back to the central station, and means for imparting to the retransmitted signals a frequency characteristic which is indicative of the transponder producing them.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A selectively actuated transponder for retransmitting interrogation signals received from a central station comprising means responsive to a group of predetermined selection signals for producing a transponder actuating signal, means for modifying the received interrogation signals in accordance with certain informational characteristics, Means responsive to said actuating signal for transmitting the modified interrogation signals back to the central station, and means for imparting to the retransmitted signals a frequency characteristic which is indicative of the transponder producing them.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
A selectively actuated transponder for retransmitting interrogation signals received from a central station comprising means responsive to a group of predetermined selection signals for producing a transponder actuating signal, means for modifying the received interrogation signals in accordance with certain informational characteristics, means responsive to said actuating signal for retransmitting the modified interrogation signals back to the central station, and means for imparting a characteristic to the retransmitted signals which is indicative of the transponder producing them.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
A selectively actuated transponder for retransmitting interrogation signals received from a central station comprising means responsive to a group of predetermined selection signals for producing a transponder actuating signal, means for modifying the received interrogation signals in accordance with certain informational characteristics, means responsive to said actuating signal for retransmitting the modified interrogation signals back to the central station, and means for imparting a characteristic to the retransmitted signals which is indicative of the transponder producing them.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A transponder system operative to retransmit in modified form interrogation pulse signals received from a station comprising means for receiving the interrogation pulse signals from the station, means for performing logical operations on the received interrogation signals, means for controlling the operation of the logical operating means in accordance with an existing condition, and circuit means operative in response to the logically modified interrogation pulse signals to produce signals having a predetermined frequency characteristic for retransmission to the station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
A transponder system operative to retransmit in modified form interrogation pulse signals received from a station comprising means for receiving the interrogation pulse signals from the station, means for performing logical operations on the received interrogation signals, means for controlling the operation of the logical operating means in accordance with an existing condition, and circuit means operative in response to the logically modified interrogation pulse signals to produce signals having a predetermined frequency characteristic for retransmission to the station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
120 words
A transponder system for actuation by a predetermined set of selection signals transmitted from a station to retransmit in modified form interrogation pulse signals also received from the station comprising means responsive to the predetermined set of selection signals for actuating the transponder to be responsive to the received interrogation pulse signals, means for receiving the interrogation pulse signals from the station, means for performing logical operations on the received interrogation signals to produce logically modified interrogation signals, means for controlling the operation of the logical operation performing means in accordance with an existing condition, and means operative in response to the logically modified interrogation pulse signals to produce signals having a predetermined frequency characteristic for retransmission to the station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
120 words
A transponder system for actuation by a predetermined set of selection signals transmitted from a station to retransmit in modified form interrogation pulse signals also received from the station comprising means responsive to the predetermined set of selection signals for actuating the transponder to be responsive to the received interrogation pulse signals, means for receiving the interrogation pulse signals from the station, means for performing logical operations on the received interrogation signals to produce logically modified interrogation signals, means for controlling the operation of the logical operation performing means in accordance with an existing condition, and means operative in response to the logically modified interrogation pulse signals to produce signals having a predetermined frequency characteristic for retransmission to the station.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of interrogating a plurality of remote stations from a central station for acquiring operating data of the station including the steps of transmitting individual interrogation signals to each of a plurality of remote stations, receiving the interrogation signals at the station corresponding to the individual interrogation signals, operating on the received interrogation signals in accordance with the operating status of the station, and retransmitting the resulting interrogation signal with a remote station identification characteristic to the central station.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of interrogating a plurality of remote stations from a central station for acquiring operating data of the station including the steps of transmitting individual interrogation signals to each of a plurality of remote stations, receiving the interrogation signals at the station corresponding to the individual interrogation signals, operating on the received interrogation signals in accordance with the operating status of the station, and retransmitting the resulting interrogation signal with a remote station identification characteristic to the central station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method of interrogating a plurality of remote stations from a central station as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of operating on the received interrogation signal comprises transmitting the received interrogation signal unmodified if the station is inoperative or transmitting a modified interrogation on signal in accordance with the operating status of the station if the station is operative.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of interrogating a receiver in a network of receivers from a central station for determining the operating status thereof, including the steps of transmitting a receiver selection signal for selecting at least a single receiver in the network to be interrogated from a central station, transmitting a receiver interrogation signal to cause the selected receiver or receivers to be responsive thereto, modifying the received interrogation signal at the receiver in accordance with the operating status of the the receiver, and retransmitting the resulting interrogation signal with a receiver identification characteristic to the central station.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of interrogating a receiver in a network of receivers from a central station for determining the operating status thereof, including the steps of transmitting a receiver selection signal for selecting at least a single receiver in the network to be interrogated from a central station, transmitting a receiver interrogation signal to cause the selected receiver or receivers to be responsive thereto, modifying the received interrogation signal at the receiver in accordance with the operating status of the the receiver, and retransmitting the resulting interrogation signal with a receiver identification characteristic to the central station.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method of interrogating a rEceiver in a network of receivers from a central station as defined in claim 7 wherein the step of modifying the interrogation signal includes modifying the signal to impart a characteristic thereto for identifying the operability or non-operability of the receiver and when operable the particular type of operation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
A transponder comprising means to receive interrogation signals transmitted by an external source, means to recode those signals in accordance with informational characteristics, and means to re-transmit the recoded interrogation signals, said transponder including means conditioned by a first set of signals transmitted from said source and fully actuated by a second set of signals transmitted from said source, said first and second sets of signals and said interrogation signals all being discrete and sequential sets of signals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
78 words
A transponder comprising means to receive interrogation signals transmitted by an external source, means to recode those signals in accordance with informational characteristics, and means to re-transmit the recoded interrogation signals, said transponder including means conditioned by a first set of signals transmitted from said source and fully actuated by a second set of signals transmitted from said source, said first and second sets of signals and said interrogation signals all being discrete and sequential sets of signals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A transponder according to claim 9 in which the second set of signals consists of signals selected from the first set.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
A transponder according to claim 9 and in which said interrogation signals are signals subsequent to said first and second signal sets and are selected from said first set of signals which did not appear in said second set of signals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
61 words
A transponder according to claim 9 and in which the interrogation signals are received as 1 and 0 bits of data and the recoding of these signals is achieved by logic circuits in the transponder which produce true and complementary bit signals corresponding to the received bit signals in accordance with the condition of apparatus being monitored by the interrogation signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
121 words
Transmission and remote decoding equipment comprising: means for providing M different frequency signals, means for selecting from said M signals a set of N different frequency signals, N being an integer less than M, means for selecting a K signal from said N signals, K being an integer less than N, means for sequentially transmitting said N and K signals, means including a set of N different frequency detecting means remotely connected to said transmitting means for providing an output signal upon detecting the receipt therefrom of said N different frequency signals within a given time, means for supplying an oscillating signal, and means responsive to said output signal and to said K signal for controlling said oscillating signal supplying means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
121 words
Transmission and remote decoding equipment comprising: means for providing M different frequency signals, means for selecting from said M signals a set of N different frequency signals, N being an integer less than M, means for selecting a K signal from said N signals, K being an integer less than N, means for sequentially transmitting said N and K signals, means including a set of N different frequency detecting means remotely connected to said transmitting means for providing an output signal upon detecting the receipt therefrom of said N different frequency signals within a given time, means for supplying an oscillating signal, and means responsive to said output signal and to said K signal for controlling said oscillating signal supplying means.
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) | 1978-04-14 | 1978-10-14 | 1979-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-14 | 1982-10-14 | 1983-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-14 | 1986-10-14 | 1987-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |