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US5327478A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Cellular network data transmission system

Assignee: GELLMAN TOBI KAY TRUSTEE OF LEBOWITZ MAYER MICHAEL
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Filing: 1992-06-12
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Granted: 1994-07-05
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Expires: 2012-06-12
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Abstract

Abstract A data transmission network uses a cellular network as a primary telecommunications link and a backup telecommunications link. The system continuously monitors the links and switches to the back up link if the cellular link is not operative. Examples of backup links include long-range radio and fiber optics. A software package is included in a computer at a monitoring station for effecting integrity checks of the links, and RF fault modules are also included. The RF fault module can be used in conjunction with a control panel having one line output or with a control panel having two separate line outputs.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mayer M. Lebowitz

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 01:52
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W24/00; H04W24/04; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/04; H04Q; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/1301; H04Q2213/1305; H04Q2213/13092; H04Q2213/13093; H04Q2213/13098; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13106; H04Q2213/13166; H04Q2213/13167; H04Q2213/13174

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 159 words
A system for transmitting data between a subscriber site and at least one monitoring station, comprising: sensor circuitry for generating data responsive to an event at the subscriber site; first transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry and being operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a cellular telecommunication network; second transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a second telecommunications network; first fault detect circuitry coupled to said first transmission circuitry for monitoring the operation of said cellular telecommunications network and, if the monitoring station is coupled to a cellular network, second fault detect circuitry at that monitoring station for continuously monitoring the operability of the cellular telecommunications network connected to the monitoring station; and selection circuitry coupled to the first fault detect circuitry for automatically switching to said second transmission circuitry when said first fault circuitry detects a fault in said first transmission circuitry.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 159 words
A system for transmitting data between a subscriber site and at least one monitoring station, comprising: sensor circuitry for generating data responsive to an event at the subscriber site; first transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry and being operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a cellular telecommunication network; second transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a second telecommunications network; first fault detect circuitry coupled to said first transmission circuitry for monitoring the operation of said cellular telecommunications network and, if the monitoring station is coupled to a cellular network, second fault detect circuitry at that monitoring station for continuously monitoring the operability of the cellular telecommunications network connected to the monitoring station; and selection circuitry coupled to the first fault detect circuitry for automatically switching to said second transmission circuitry when said first fault circuitry detects a fault in said first transmission circuitry.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 156 words
In a system for transmitting data between a subscriber site and at least one monitoring station that is coupled to a cellular network, the improvement comprising: sensor circuitry for generating data responsive to an event at the subscriber site; first transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a cellular telecommunication network; second transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a second telecommunications network; first fault detect circuitry coupled to said first transmission circuitry for monitoring the operation of said cellular telecommunications network; second fault detect circuitry at the monitoring station for continuously monitoring the operability of the cellular telecommunications network connected to the monitoring station; and selection circuitry coupled to the first fault detect circuitry for automatically switching to said second telecommunications network when said first fault circuitry detects a fault in said cellular telecommunications network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 156 words
In a system for transmitting data between a subscriber site and at least one monitoring station that is coupled to a cellular network, the improvement comprising: sensor circuitry for generating data responsive to an event at the subscriber site; first transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a cellular telecommunication network; second transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a second telecommunications network; first fault detect circuitry coupled to said first transmission circuitry for monitoring the operation of said cellular telecommunications network; second fault detect circuitry at the monitoring station for continuously monitoring the operability of the cellular telecommunications network connected to the monitoring station; and selection circuitry coupled to the first fault detect circuitry for automatically switching to said second telecommunications network when said first fault circuitry detects a fault in said cellular telecommunications network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 52 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein said second fault detect circuitry at the monitoring station includes means for automatically switching to said second telecommunications network when said second fault detect circuitry detects a fault in said cellular telecommunications network even when no data is being transmitted over said cellular telecommunications network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 53 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein said second fault detect circuitry at the monitoring station further includes means for automatically switching to said second telecommunications network when said second fault detect circuitry detects a fault in said first transmission circuitry even when no data is being transmitted over said cellular telecommunications network.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 241 words
A system for transmitting data between a subscriber site and at least one monitoring station, comprising: sensor circuitry for generating data responsive to an event at the subscriber site; first transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a cellular telecommunication network and including a cellular transceiver that transmits to and receives from said cellular telecommunications network radio frequency signals, a digital communicator connected to said sensor circuitry for receiving data therefrom, and a cellular interface connected to said digital communicator; second transmission circuitry directly connected to said digital communicator and being operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a second telecommunications network; fault detect circuitry including a first lead line connected to said digital communicator and a second lead line connected to said cellular interface for continuously monitoring the operability of the system and the integrity of said cellular telecommunication network, said fault detect circuitry including circuitry operable to detect the loss of a cellular radio frequency data link transmitted by said cellular telecommunications network and to generate a lost radio frequency link signal responsive to a loss of the cellular radio frequency link; circuitry coupled to said fault detect circuitry for acknowledging the loss of cellular radio frequency link signal and initiating the transmission of that data to the monitoring station using said second telecommunication network to indicate a lack of integrity in said cellular telecommunication network.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 241 words
A system for transmitting data between a subscriber site and at least one monitoring station, comprising: sensor circuitry for generating data responsive to an event at the subscriber site; first transmission circuitry responsive to said sensor circuitry operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a cellular telecommunication network and including a cellular transceiver that transmits to and receives from said cellular telecommunications network radio frequency signals, a digital communicator connected to said sensor circuitry for receiving data therefrom, and a cellular interface connected to said digital communicator; second transmission circuitry directly connected to said digital communicator and being operable to transmit the data from the subscriber site using a second telecommunications network; fault detect circuitry including a first lead line connected to said digital communicator and a second lead line connected to said cellular interface for continuously monitoring the operability of the system and the integrity of said cellular telecommunication network, said fault detect circuitry including circuitry operable to detect the loss of a cellular radio frequency data link transmitted by said cellular telecommunications network and to generate a lost radio frequency link signal responsive to a loss of the cellular radio frequency link; circuitry coupled to said fault detect circuitry for acknowledging the loss of cellular radio frequency link signal and initiating the transmission of that data to the monitoring station using said second telecommunication network to indicate a lack of integrity in said cellular telecommunication network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said sensor circuitry comprises a plurality of alarm sensors each operable to detect the occurrence of an event.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said first transmission circuitry comprises digital communication circuitry operable to receive data generated at the subscriber site and generate signals to be transmitted using said cellular telecommunication network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said digital communication circuitry comprises: a digital dialer operable to dial a plurality of different telephone numbers, each of said numbers associated with at least one monitoring station; and memory circuitry for storing dialing information including said plurality of different telephone numbers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 25 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said digital communication circuitry comprises a microprocessor operable to control the transmission of data through said cellular telecommunications network.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein said second telecommunications network includes a long-range radio network.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein said second telecommunications network includes a landline network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 44 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said first transmission circuitry further comprises a cellular transceiver coupled to digital communication circuitry and operable to transmit to and receive from said cellular telecommunications network radio frequency signals including said signals generated by said digital communication circuitry.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system of claim 12 further including a programmable read only memory connected to said first transmission circuitry and to said second transmission circuitry.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 56 words
The system of claim 1 further including a cellular transceiver and digital communication circuitry connected to said first transmission circuitry and further including a cellular interface coupled between said digital communication circuitry and said cellular transceiver and operable to convert data received from said digital communication circuitry into a form transmittable using said cellular telecommunication network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising circuitry coupled to said first fault detect circuitry for transmitting data to
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 29 words
the monitoring station using said second telecommunications network responsive to a signal received from said first fault detect circuitry indicating a lack of integrity in said cellular telecommunication network.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
the monitoring station using said second telecommunications network responsive to a signal received from said first fault detect circuitry indicating a lack of integrity in said cellular telecommunication network.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 30 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said fault detect circuitry comprises: circuitry at the monitoring station for constantly interrogating said cellular telecommunication network to establish the integrity of said network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein said second transmission circuitry includes a fiber optic telecommunications network.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system defined in claim 1 wherein said second transmission circuitry includes a satellite direct communication network.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system defined in claim 1 further including an alarm control panel connected to said sensor circuitry.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system defined in claim 19 wherein said alarm control panel includes a single output line.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system defined in claim 20 further including a dual line selector module connected to said single output line.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system defined in claim 21 wherein said alarm control panel includes a 24-hour trouble zone system.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 23 words
The system defined in claim 22 wherein said second fault detect circuitry includes an auxiliary relay connected to said 24-hour trouble zone system.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system defined in claim 1 further including a power source connected to said first fault detect circuitry.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US4887290A Cited
US4825457A Cited
US4993059A Cited
US5125021A Cited
US5146486A Cited
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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) 1997-07-04 1998-01-03 1998-07-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-07-04 2002-01-03 2002-07-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-07-04 2006-01-03 2006-07-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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