Method and system for transmitting signals in theatres

Claim 1

A system for simultaneous communication between a central control station in a theatre and a plurality of remote stations, such theatre having installed therein a medium which links said central control station and said plurality of remote stations, comprising: a. carrier generator means in said central control station, having a plurality of carrier generators each producing an output signal of a different respective frequency, and each corresponding to one of said plurality of remote stations; b. switch means in said central control station, adapted to be placed in different states, for passing said output signals when in a first state and blocking said output signals when in a second state; c. selective coupling means in said central control station, having a plurality of station switches each corresponding to a respective one of said carrier generators, for simultaneously switchably coupling selected output signals of said carrier generators to said switch means; d. mixing and amplifying means in said central control station, operatively connected to the output of said switch means, for mixing and amplifying signals passed through said switch means; e. remote station means, comprising a plurality of remote stations, said stations communicating simultaneously with said central control station in selective response to said output signals each unit having circuitry for receiving and processing respective signals origInating in respective ones of said carrier generators; said carrier generator means, switch means, coupling means, and mixing and amplifying means cooperating to form a theatre central control means, said central control means producing theatre operation signals individually to communicate with corresponding individual remote stations in any desired relative time sequences; f. transmission means, comprising said medium for coupling signals from said mixing and amplifying means to said plurality of remote stations; and g. each such remote station having means for processing the received signals, and indicator means for indicating the state of the system as represented in the information carried on the processed signals.

Claim 2

A system for simultaneous communication between a central control station in a theatre and a plurality of remote stations, such theatre having installed therein a medium which links said central control station and said plurality of remote stations, comprising: a. carrier generator means in said central control station, having a plurality of carrier generators each producing an output signal of a different respective frequency, and each corresponding to one of said plurality of remote stations; b. switch means in said central control station, adapted to be placed in different states, for passing said output signals when in a first state and blocking said output signals when in a second state; c. selective coupling means in said central control station, having a plurality of station switches each corresponding to a respective one of said carrier generators, for simultaneously switchably coupling selected output signals of said carrier generators to said switch means; d. mixing and amplifying means in said central control station, operatively connected to the output of said switch means, for mixing and amplifying signals passed through said switch means; e. remote station means, comprising a plurality of remote stations, said stations communicating simultaneously with said central control station in selective response to said output signals each unit having circuitry for receiving and processing respective signals origInating in respective ones of said carrier generators; said carrier generator means, switch means, coupling means, and mixing and amplifying means cooperating to form a theatre central control means, said central control means producing theatre operation signals individually to communicate with corresponding individual remote stations in any desired relative time sequences; f. transmission means, comprising said medium for coupling signals from said mixing and amplifying means to said plurality of remote stations; and g. each such remote station having means for processing the received signals, and indicator means for indicating the state of the system as represented in the information carried on the processed signals.

Claim 3

A system for transmitting warn and cue signals from a central location in a theatre simultaneously to a plurality of remote cue stations, such theatre having installed therein an electric power network which links said central control station and said plurality of remote stations, comprising: a. carrier generator means in said central control station, having a plurality of carrier generators each producing an output signal of a different respective frequency, and each corresponding to one of said plurality of remote stations; b. switch means in said central control station, adapted to be placed in different states, for passing said output signals when in a first state and blocking said output signals when in a second state; c. selective coupling means in said central control station, having a plurality of station switches each corresponding to a respective one of said carrier generators, for simultaneously switchably coupling selected output signals of said carrier generators to said switch means; d. mixing and amplifying means in said central control station, operatively connected to the output of said switch means, for mixing and amplifying signals passed through said switch means; e. remote station means, comprising a plurality of remote station units located at said remote stations, said stations communicating simultaneously with said central control station in selective response to said output signals each such unit having circuitry for receiving and processing respective signals originating in respective ones of said carrier generators, and having respond circuitry for generating response signals; said carrier generator means, switch means, coupling means, and mixing and amplifying means cooperating to form a theatre central control means, said central control means producing theatre operation signals individually to communicate with corresponding individual remote stations in any desired relative time sequences; f. transmission means, comprising said installed power network, for coupling signals from said mixing and amplifying means to said plurality of remote station units, and for coupling said response signals from each of said remote station units to said central control station; g. a plurality of receiver units in said central control station, each adapted to receive a selected response signal from a corresponding one of said remote station units and to produce an output signal upon such receipt; h. indicator means in said central control station, comprising a plurality of indicator lamp groups, each such group connected to said switch means, to said coupling means, and to said receiver means, for generating indicator signals representing the state of the system; and i. each such remote station unit having means for processing the received signals, and indicator means for indicating the state of the system as represented in the information carried on the processed signals.

Claim 4

A system for transmitting warn and cue signals from a central location in a theatre simultaneously to a plurality of remote cue stations, such theatre having installed therein an electric power network which links said central control station and said plurality of remote stations, comprising: a. carrier generator means in said central control station, having a plurality of carrier generators each producing an output signal of a different respective frequency, and each corresponding to one of said plurality of remote stations; b. switch means in said central control station, adapted to be placed in different states, for passing said output signals when in a first state and blocking said output signals when in a second state; c. selective coupling means in said central control station, having a plurality of station switches each corresponding to a respective one of said carrier generators, for simultaneously switchably coupling selected output signals of said carrier generators to said switch means; d. mixing and amplifying means in said central control station, operatively connected to the output of said switch means, for mixing and amplifying signals passed through said switch means; e. remote station means, comprising a plurality of remote station units located at said remote stations, said stations communicating simultaneously with said central control station in selective response to said output signals each such unit having circuitry for receiving and processing respective signals originating in respective ones of said carrier generators, and having respond circuitry for generating response signals; said carrier generator means, switch means, coupling means, and mixing and amplifying means cooperating to form a theatre central control means, said central control means producing theatre operation signals individually to communicate with corresponding individual remote stations in any desired relative time sequences; f. transmission means, comprising said installed power network, for coupling signals from said mixing and amplifying means to said plurality of remote station units, and for coupling said response signals from each of said remote station units to said central control station; g. a plurality of receiver units in said central control station, each adapted to receive a selected response signal from a corresponding one of said remote station units and to produce an output signal upon such receipt; h. indicator means in said central control station, comprising a plurality of indicator lamp groups, each such group connected to said switch means, to said coupling means, and to said receiver means, for generating indicator signals representing the state of the system; and i. each such remote station unit having means for processing the received signals, and indicator means for indicating the state of the system as represented in the information carried on the processed signals.

Claim 8

A system for transmitting warn and cue signals from a central location in a theatre to a plurality of remote cue stations, such theatre having installed therein an electric power network which links said central control station and said plurality of remote stations, comprising: a. carrier generator means in said central control station, having a plurality of carrier generators each producing an output signal of a different respective frequency, and each corresponding to one of said plurality of remote stations; b. switch means in said central control station, adapted to be placed in different states, for passing said output signals when in a first state and blocking said output signals when in a second state; c. selective coupling means in said central control station, having a plurality of station switches each corresponding to a respective one of said carrier generators, for switchably coupling selected output signals of said carrier generators to said switch means; d. mixing and amplifying means in said central control station, operatively connected to the output of said switch means, for mixing and amplifying signals passed through said switch means; e. remote station means, comprising a plurality of remote station units located at said remote stations, each such unit having circuitry for receiving and processing respective signals originating in respective ones of said carrier generators, and having respond circuitry for generating response signals; f. transmission means, comprising said installed power network, for coupling signals from said mixing and amplifying means to said plurality of remote station units, and for coupling said response signals from each of said remote station units to said central control station; g. a plurality of receiver units in said central control station, each adapted to receive a selected response signal from a corresponding one of said remote station units and to produce an output signal upon such receipt; h. indicator means in said central control station, comprising a plurality of indicator lamp groups, each such group connected to said switch means, to said coupling means, and to said receiver means for generating indicator signals representing the state of the system; and i. each such remote station unit having means for processing the received signals, and indicator means for indicating the state of the system as represented in the information carried on the processed signals; j. information means in said central control station for generating signals containing alphanumeric information, said information means being connected to said transmission means for coupling signals therefrom to said plurality of remote station units, and each of said plurality of remote station units having circuitry for receiving and processing said alphanumeric signals, and means for indicating same; and k. automatic advance means, coupled to said switch means and to said information means for automatically determining the information content of the next alphanumeric signal to be provided from said information means after each previous alphanumeric signal has been transmitted.

Claim 9

A system for transmitting warn and cue signals from a central location in a theatre to a plurality of remote cue stations, such theatre having installed therein an electric power network which links said central control station and said plurality of remote stations, comprising: a. carrier generator means in said central control station, having a plurality of carrier generators each producing an output signal of a different respective frequency, and each corresponding to one of said plurality of remote stations; b. switch means in said central control station, adapted to be placed in different states, for passing said output signals when in a first state and blocking said output signals when in a second state; c. selective coupling means in said central control station, having a plurality of station switches each corresponding to a respective one of said carrier generators, for switchably coupling selected output signals of said carrier generators to said switch means; d. mixing and amplifying means in said central control station, operatively connected to the output of said switch means, for mixing and amplifying signals passed through said switch means; e. remote station means, comprising a plurality of remote station units located at said remote stations, each such unit having circuitry for receiving and processing respective signals originating in respective ones of said carrier generators, and having respond circuitry for generating response signals; f. transmission means, comprising said installed power network, for coupling signals from said mixing and amplifying means to said plurality of remote station units, and for coupling said response signals from each of said remote station units to said central control station; g. a plurality of receiver units in said central control station, each adapted to receive a selected response signal from a corresponding one of said remote station units and to produce an output signal upon such receipt; h. indicator means in said central control station, comprising a plurality of indicator lamp groups, each such group connected to said switch means, to said coupling means, and to said receiver means for generating indicator signals representing the state of the system; and i. each such remote station unit having means for processing the received signals, and indicator means for indicating the state of the system as represented in the information carried on the processed signals; j. information means in said central control station for generating signals containing alphanumeric information, said information means being connected to said transmission means for coupling signals therefrom to said plurality of remote station units, and each of said plurality of remote station units having circuitry for receiving and processing said alphanumeric signals, and means for indicating same; and k. automatic advance means, coupled to said switch means and to said information means for automatically determining the information content of the next alphanumeric signal to be provided from said information means after each previous alphanumeric signal has been transmitted.