Central/remote television monitoring system

Claim 1

A central/remote television monitoring system for controlling a plurality of television cameras located at a remote station, said system comprising: a central control and monitoring station having a transmitter for transmitting control signals from the central station to the remote station and a receiver for receiving audio/video information transmitted to the central station from the remote station; first selection and encoding means at said central station for generating coded selection signals for selecting a one of n television cameras at the remote station; second selection and encoding means at said central station for generating encoded control signals for controlling the operation of the selected television camera, the control signals generated by said second selection and encoding means including an enable signal for enabling said remote station; said first and said second selection and encoding means connected to said central station transmitter for transmitting the encoded selection and control signals to said remote station; utilizing means at said central station connected to an output of said audio/video information receiver for utilizing the audio/video output signals therefrom; decoder means at said central station connected to the output of said information receiver for decoding an encoded enable signal provided at the output thereof; central station switching means coupled to said utilizing means for enabling said utilizing means in response to an enable signal said switch means coupled to said second selection and encoding means and said decoding means so that an enable signal provided from either said second selection and encoding means or from said decoder means will enable said switch means to enable said utilizing means; a remote station having a plurality of television monitoring cameras connected thereto, a control signal receiver for receiving the encoded control signals transmitted from the central station transmitter, and an audio/video transmitter for transmitting audio/video information from at least one of said n cameras to said audio/video receiver at said central station; first decoder means connected to said receiver at said remote station for decoding the encoded control signals transmitted from said central station for selecting a one of said n cameras; second decoder means connected to said receiver at said remote station for decoding the encoded control signals transmitted from said central station for effecting control over the selected one of said n cameras and the encoded enable signal transmitted from said central station; remote station switching means connected to said first and second decoders and said audio/video transmitter for connecting the selected one of said n cameras to said audio/video transmitter in response to the decoded enable signal transmitted from said central station; and an enable signal encoding means coupled to the input of said audio/video transmitter and said remote station switching means for transmitting an enable signal to said central station to enable same and to enable said remote station switching means.