Abstract: Means are provided for storing videotex-type graphics information in a server center (10) connected to a telephone network (14), with said graphics information relating to at least one image, and for modifying the stored graphics information in response to instructions transmitted from terminals (18) connected to the telephone network and provided with screens (18a) on which at least a portion of said image can be displayed. The graphics information stored in the server center is converted into television-type video signals so as to enable an image to be displayed on one or more television receiver screens (34) or television image projectors, with the displayed image corresponding, at least in part, to the image represented by the graphics information stored at any instant in the server center. As a result, each change made to the graphics information from a terminal such as a "Minitel" appears immediately in the image displayed by the screen of a television receiver.

Abstract: A communication controller in a home bus system comprises a single pulse transformer having two secondary windings connected respectively to a coaxial cable and a pair of wires, to which a personal computer, a television receiver, a sensor, etc. are connected. The controller is provided for transmitting a communication packet to the coaxial cable or the pair of wires and the system automatically transmits the communication packet from the pair of wires to the coaxial cable or vice versa.

Abstract: In a television transmission system, for example, a community antenna television system the transmitter station transmits a teletext page in an information channel, which page indicates in which TV channels this transmitter station transmits programmes. A receiver associated with this system is directly tuned, after switching on, to this information channel or starts a searching action for this channel. Once tuned to this information channel the relevant teletext page is captured and the information regarding the TV channels is separated therefrom, decoded and stored in the form of tuning data in a tuning data memory. Each tuning datum corresponds to one of these TV channels. In this manner the tuning data memory is automatically programmed, i.e. without the users' interposition, for all receivable TV programmes.

Abstract: A low-powered remote sensor is achieved by capacitively isolating a long duration perpetual timer which is powered by removing inductively coupled AC power from telephone lines or other long lines. Three embodiments are described using this concept. The first embodiment is a remote utility sensor designed to periodically dial and transmit data to a central site via telephone lines and report its functionality on a periodic basis. The second embodiment of the remote utility sensor is used for reporting utility usage for common utilities such as gas meters, water meters, electric meters and water softeners on a periodic basis over telephone lines. The third embodiment is a remote utility sensor which continually records utility usage and can be read by a portable recording device through a remote cabled interface.

Abstract: A telephone control system connects to the telephone line from a telephone exchange. The control system includes a detector for detecting signals on the line, a signal generator for producing and applying control signals to the telephone line, memory for storing electronic signals and a central processor for monitoring signals on the line as detected by the detector, accessing the memory to produce and apply control signals to the signal generator. The control system is programmable to provide a variety of controllable functions to a remote user including activation of the conferencing/transferring function provided by the telephone exchange to allow a user to sequentially complete successive phone calls through the control system without the user hanging-up, or to redirect calls to pre-programmed, remotely controllable numbers. In addition, the control system is capable of receiving, storing and redirecting messages to pagers.

Abstract: In a system for distributing CATV signals to multiple customer locations, each location is connected to a remote terminal via a dedicated optical fiber. The tuner associated with each customer TV set is located in the remote terminal. Channel-selection signals are sent over the fiber from the customer location to the remote terminal. Only the single selected channel is then transmitted over the fiber from the remote terminal to the associated TV set.

Abstract: A facsimile machine having a function of calculating a service charge for transmitting an image data to a remote receiver facsimile and displaying the thus calculated charge in a display. The image data is transmitted to the receiver facsimile only when at least part of said charge is paid by the user. The facsimile machine is provided with a charge collecting unit for paying the charge. Such a facsimile machine defines an attendance-free communication terminal for document transmission service, which may be used in a manner similar to a pay phone.

Abstract: A station for use in a teleconferencing system is disclosed. The station includes an arrangement comprising a plurality of image sensing devices, each of which provides a sub-image. The sub-images are joined to form a single high resolution video display. Illustratively, the arrangement comprises a plurality of image sensing devices and one or more mirrors to insure that the fields of view of the image sensing devices are contiguous at all relevant distances. Alternatively, an array of image sensing devices may be utilized wherein the horizontal and vertical scans of the devices are cropped.

Abstract: A market research system is shown for substituting stored television programs for regularly scheduled, broadcast television programs having a particular identification code wherein the substitute television programs may be transmitted via telephone lines to the households of cooperating panelists for storage. The substitute television programs may be stored and/or transmitted to the panelists's home in compacted or noncompacted form. In compacted form, a memory stores the first frame of video information for the substitute television program and for subsequent frames, stores only the video information representing a change from the video information stored for a previous frame. In one embodiment, the stored video information represents the difference between each frame and the first frame. In a second embodiment, the video change information represents the differences between each frame and the immediately preceding frame.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system that can monitor occupied or unoccupied buildings, and annuciate to a distant point, e.g. a digital pocket paper, emergency events such as burglaries, fires, high or low temperature, high or low flow rate in such devices as boilers and many more. The system has a circuit that makes interfacing with most commercial field detectors especially easy, and a circuit that enables the system to easily access telephone lines, so as to transmit annunciation messages.

Abstract: A cellular backup system is provided for a standard security alarm network, so that upon the inoperativeness of the telephone land line, automatic switch over to the cellular system is achieved, so that a digital communicator or telephone tape dialer may still transmit its distress call to a central alarm station, via the cellular system. A line fault monitor is provided which automatically detects the outage of the land-based telephone system which, in turn, provides an output signal to a latching relay which causes the activation of a pair of switching relays to automatically switch the connection of the alarm communicator from the DB-8 cord of the land-based system to a cellular interface coupled to a conventional cellular transceiver of a cellular system. The switching relays are latched in the state connecting the alarm communicator to the cellular backup system and held in such a state, regardless of the state of the land-based system, as long as a manual rest switch has not been used.

Abstract: A system and methods are disclosed for monitoring a home TV viewing system which may include a TV, a VCR and one or more cable converters. The system obtains information for identifying the source of video displayed or being recorded, i.e., off-air antenna, satellite antenna, cable converter tuner, VCR, personal computer, video game, etc. The system also obtains information identifying the video path of the video being displayed and/or recorded. The system "fingerprints" video recorded by the VCR so that the played back video may be identified as having been previously recorded. The system may record the date and time of recording and the video source of the video being recorded. The system includes probe/detector devices which obtain signals related to the frequency to which the TV, VCR, and cable converter are tuned, and a higher level processor which receives and processes those signals to identify channel tuning of the TV, VCR, and cable converter.

Abstract: A remote control device stores commands which are received through a telephone line and transmits command signals to operate designated apparatus according to the stored commands. These command signals may be transmitted by infrared light or supersonic waves through one or more transmitters.

Abstract: The invention, which can be used with AT&T SKYNET.RTM. digital satellite communications service allows a conference director to control a teleconference between several conference rooms. In this invention there are two transmitting channels, one being identified as a broadcast channel and the other is identified as an auxiliary channel. The conference director can assign the broadcast channel to any room and the auxiliary channel to any other room. The video signal on the broadcast channel is sent to a first satellite dish for frequency division multiple access transmission via a satellite to all of the other conference rooms. The video signal on the auxiliary channel is sent to a second satellite dish for frequency division multiple access transmission via the satellite to the conference room from which the broadcast channel originates.

Abstract: An automatic emergency locator system detects tone dialing of an emergency number, such as 911. Upon detecting this number the system turns on a visual signalling device, such as a flashing strobe light. The signalling device helps personnel responding to the emergency call locate the emergency. The visual signalling device remains on for a set period. Authorized persons can reset the system and turn off the signalling device by dialing a predetermined reset number.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating responses to broadcast programs, such as television programs, for the selling of merchandise includes a modifiable instructional signal modulated onto a voice signal transmitted concurrently with a television program, or time-multiplexed with a television transmission. At each of a plurality of remote receiving stations, one or more members of a remote shopping audience has the opportunity to respond to a situation presented in the television program by entering a response on a keyboard. The system includes, at each remote receiving station, a memory responsive to the instructional signal for storing desired responses, and a comparison circuit for comparing responses entered at the keyboard with those stored in the memory. Also provided is electronic circuitry for scoring the responses in accordance with commands from the instructional signal, and a recording device for providing a permanent record of the audience score at each of the remote receiving stations.

Abstract: A control unit is inserted in the power lines that serve a vehicular telephone and an audio system. A power monitoring circuit detects current increases related to operation of the telephone, either from an incoming "ring" signal or the "off hook" condition in preparation for an outgoing call. The monitoring circuit generates a control signal which is applied to an electronic switching circuit that interrupts the flow of power to the audio system circuits. So long as the telephone is in use, the audio system is disabled. When the telephone returns to the quiescent or stand-by state, the current drawn by the telephone drops substantially below a threshold level of the monitoring circuit and the switching circuit restores the power to the audio system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmission of alarm signals by utilization of an entrance telephone set system connected to a public telephone network, of the type including a selectively addressable telephone number dialing device, preferably of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,641, the telephone number dialing device being connected to one or a number of manually or automatically operable alarm indicators, which when operated initiate dialing of predetermined telephone numbers.

Abstract: A device and method for remote control of a radio or television transmitting station located separate from a control studio and being capable of (i) monitoring preset conditions, (ii) activating notification channels for communication of monitored conditions (iii) responding to commands given remote from the device for initiating remedial or other appropriate actions. The method and device involve use of a microprocessor for locating at the transmitter station and for providing a plurality of input and output ports, means for storing preset conditions and comparing such conditions with status and metering data received at the input ports, and including a memory bank for storing separate action signals for initiating corrective action and for developing stored coded voice signals useful as part of voice synthesis. Alarm notification is provided by voice synthesized and transmitted over telephone lines which enable contact with the remote control device over any public telephone.

Abstract: A dynamically configurable array of communication nodes capable of wide area networking utilizing existing communications lines is provided wherein any node possessing a transmitted data string comprising a message and identification information also possesses control of the network and generally is provided with a plurality of data paths to choose from. A setup mode initially sets up a data path among a network of nodes while a data mode subsequently permits data communication among the subnetwork of nodes.