US4380009A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Message communication system
Assignee: AMTEL SYSTEMS CORP
•
Filing: 1980-02-29
•
Granted: 1983-04-12
•
Expires: 2000-02-29
Abstract
Abstract A message communication system which provides instant messages and memoranda at a telephone user's desk. In an office complex, a message is transmitted over pre-existing office power lines to printers located in a user's office and is automatically posted with time of day, date and sequence number. When a telephone call cannot be completed, messages are entered at the terminal by a telephone operator or message attendant. A computer automatically formats message forms and stores the text on a magnetic diskette. Messages are transmitted to outlying printers and can be recalled for display or resending at any time.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest L. Long
- 👤 William S. Duvall
- 👤 Donald P. Allen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:37
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L27/00; H04L27/10; H04B; H04B3/00; H04B3/54; H04B3/542; H04B2203/00; H04B2203/54; H04B2203/5404; H04B2203/5416; H04B2203/542; H04B2203/5425; H04B2203/5429; H04B2203/5437; H04B2203/5445; H04B2203/5462; H04B2203/5483; H04B2203/5491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising: means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one or more of the plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting said message signal from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations, and message display means each having one or more unique destination address means corresponding to said specified information and responsive to said transmitted message signal for displaying said message.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising: means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one or more of the plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting said message signal from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations, and message display means each having one or more unique destination address means corresponding to said specified information and responsive to said transmitted message signal for displaying said message.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
155 words
A message communication system comprising means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting said modulated carrier signal from a central location to a plurality of remote locations, each of said remote locations including a message receiver where one of said message receivers has one or more unique address means corresponding to said specified addresses, said message receivers each including means responsive to said modulated carrier signal for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, control means responsive to said data signal for generating drive control signals corresponding to said message, and means responsive to said drive control signals for displaying said message.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
155 words
A message communication system comprising means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting said modulated carrier signal from a central location to a plurality of remote locations, each of said remote locations including a message receiver where one of said message receivers has one or more unique address means corresponding to said specified addresses, said message receivers each including means responsive to said modulated carrier signal for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, control means responsive to said data signal for generating drive control signals corresponding to said message, and means responsive to said drive control signals for displaying said message.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one or more of the plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting said phase coherent message signal from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations and message printer means located at each of said remote locations, each of said message printer means having one or more unique destination address means corresponding to said specified information and responsive to said transmitted phase coherent message signal for displaying said message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one or more of the plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting said phase coherent message signal from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations and message printer means located at each of said remote locations, each of said message printer means having one or more unique destination address means corresponding to said specified information and responsive to said transmitted phase coherent message signal for displaying said message.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as in claim 3 wherein said transmitter means include means for generating a carrier signal and means for modulating said carrier signal with a message signal such that said message signal is phase coherent with said carrier signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as in claim 4 wherein said transmitter means include means for generating a carrier signal and means for digitally modulating said carrier signal with a message signal such that said message signal is phase coherent with said carrier signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 5 wherein said carrier signal includes a sinusoidal signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 6 including means for frequency modulating said carrier signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 4 including means for forming a frequency shift keyed signal having first and second states representing said message.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as in claim 4 including switchable filter means responsive to said modulated carrier signal for generating sinusoidal signals below a predetermined frequency and corresponding to said modulated signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 4 including VMOS power driver means for generating a power output signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
A system as in claim 3 wherein said printer means include means responsive to a transmitted modulated carrier signal representing a message for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, control means responsive to said data signal for generating control signals corresponding to said message, and means responsive to said control signals for displaying said message.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein said carrier signal is frequency modulated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system as in claim 12 wherein said modulated carrier signal is sinusoidal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein said data stream is in serial format.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein said control means include microprocessor means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein said printer means includes a line printer for printing said message in hard copy form.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as in claim 11 wherein said printer means include a thermal printer for printing said message in hard copy format.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 17 including means for sequentially printing said message in columns of text.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
110 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising means for transmitting a message signal having specified information including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations, and message printer means located at each of the remote locations, each of said message printer means having one or more unique destination address means corresponding to said specified information and responsive to said transmitted message signal for displaying said message, said message printer means including a low Q input filter for filtering said transmitted message signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
110 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising means for transmitting a message signal having specified information including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations, and message printer means located at each of the remote locations, each of said message printer means having one or more unique destination address means corresponding to said specified information and responsive to said transmitted message signal for displaying said message, said message printer means including a low Q input filter for filtering said transmitted message signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system as in claim 11 including means for generating a frequency variable control signal, tone decoder means for comparing the phase of the receiver carrier signal with said control signal to obtain phase coherency corresponding to said transmitted phase coherency, and means for checking said phase coherency for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one or more of the plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting a message signal having specified information including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations and message printer means located at each of said remote locations, said message printer means having one or more unique addresses corresponding to said specified information responsive to said transmitted message signal for displaying said message.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, said digital message signal including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one or more of the plurality of remote locations, means for transmitting a message signal having specified information including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations from a first central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations and message printer means located at each of said remote locations, said message printer means having one or more unique addresses corresponding to said specified information responsive to said transmitted message signal for displaying said message.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
79 words
In an office complex, a message receiver comprising means connected to an office power line responsive to a message signal transmitted over said power line representing a message for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, control means responsive to said data signal for generating control signals corresponding to said message, means responsive to said control signal for displaying said message, said means for generating including a low Q input filter for filtering said transmitted message signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
79 words
In an office complex, a message receiver comprising means connected to an office power line responsive to a message signal transmitted over said power line representing a message for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, control means responsive to said data signal for generating control signals corresponding to said message, means responsive to said control signal for displaying said message, said means for generating including a low Q input filter for filtering said transmitted message signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
114 words
In an office complex, a message receiver comprising filter means responsive to a transmitted modulated carrier signal representing a message where said message is phase coherent with said carrier signal for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, means for generating a frequency variable control signal, tone decoder means for comparing the phase of the receiver carrier signal with said variable control signal to obtain phase coherency corresponding to said transmitted phase coherency, means for checking said phase coherency for a predetermined period of time, control means responsive to said digital data stream for generating control signals corresponding to said message, and means responsive to said control signals for displaying said message.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
114 words
In an office complex, a message receiver comprising filter means responsive to a transmitted modulated carrier signal representing a message where said message is phase coherent with said carrier signal for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, means for generating a frequency variable control signal, tone decoder means for comparing the phase of the receiver carrier signal with said variable control signal to obtain phase coherency corresponding to said transmitted phase coherency, means for checking said phase coherency for a predetermined period of time, control means responsive to said digital data stream for generating control signals corresponding to said message, and means responsive to said control signals for displaying said message.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
66 words
In an office complex, a message receiver comprising means connected to an office power line responsive to a phase coherent message signal transmitted over said power line representing a message for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, control means responsive to said data signal for generating control signals corresponding to said message, and means responsive to said control signal for displaying said message.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
66 words
In an office complex, a message receiver comprising means connected to an office power line responsive to a phase coherent message signal transmitted over said power line representing a message for generating a digital data stream corresponding to said message, control means responsive to said data signal for generating control signals corresponding to said message, and means responsive to said control signal for displaying said message.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
A receiver as in claim 24 wherein said message signal is frequency modulated.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
A receiver as in claim 25 wherein said modulated message signal is sinusoidal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
A receiver as in claim 24 wherein said data stream is in serial format.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
A receiver as in claim 24 wherein said control means include microprocessor means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
A receiver as in claim 24 wherein said display means include printer means for printing said message in hard copy form.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
A receiver as in claim 29 wherein said printer means include a thermal printer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
17 words
A receiver as in claim 30 including means for sequentially printing said message in columns of text.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
54 words
A receiver as in claim 24 including means for generating a frequency variable control signal, tone decoder means for comparing the phase of the receiver carrier signal with said control signal to obtain phase coherency corresponding to said transmitted phase coherency, and means for checking said phase coherency for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
159 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising memory means, operator controllable key word terminal means located at a central location in said complex for entering one or more operator controllable message signals each having specified information including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations into said memory means, means for generating and transmitting specified ones of said message signals from said central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations, said means for generating including means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, message display means having one or more unique address means corresponding to the specified information in a specified one of the transmitted message signals, and control means for controlling the operation of said system.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
159 words
In an office complex, a message communication system comprising memory means, operator controllable key word terminal means located at a central location in said complex for entering one or more operator controllable message signals each having specified information including information identifying a unique address or set of unique addresses of one of a plurality of remote locations into said memory means, means for generating and transmitting specified ones of said message signals from said central location over an office power line to a group of remote locations, said means for generating including means for generating an analog carrier signal, means for modulating said analog carrier signal with a digital message signal such that said digital message signal is phase coherent with said analog carrier signal, message display means having one or more unique address means corresponding to the specified information in a specified one of the transmitted message signals, and control means for controlling the operation of said system.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as in claim 33 including line printer means for displaying a record of said stored message signals.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as in claim 33 wherein said keyboard terminal means include means for displaying a predetermined message format and means for entering information together with said predetermined message format thereby forming a message signal.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
50 words
A system as in claim 33 wherein each of said locations includes means for indicating the status of the respective location and wherein said keyboard terminal means include means for displaying the status of one or more users of said message display means located at each of said remote locations.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as in claim 33 wherein said keyboard terminal means includes means for recalling and displaying selected ones of said messages, and means for transmitting selected ones of the displayed messages to selected ones of said one or more remote locations.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as in claim 33 wherein said keyboard terminal means includes means for temporarily routing selected ones of said messages for one or more users of said remote message display means to one or more additional remote locations.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as in claim 33 wherein said keyboard terminal means includes means for transmitting party holding notification messages to selected ones of said message display means located at said remote locations.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 33 wherein said keyboard terminal means includes means for displaying a directory of users of said remote message display means and means for modifying said directory.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 33 including means for displaying predetermined calendar messages at one or more of said remote locations.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-04-11 | 1986-10-11 | 1987-04-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-04-11 | 1990-10-11 | 1991-04-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-04-11 | 1994-10-11 | 1995-04-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |