Security terminal for use with two-way interactive cable system

Patent 4361730 Issued on November 30, 1982. Estimated Expiration Date:

August 29, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Communications TV monitoring and control system
Patent #: 4057829
Issued on: 11/08/1977
Inventor: Moorehead

Central station system including secondary communication path established through commercial telephone network Patent #: 4119815
Issued on: 10/10/1978
Inventor: Frankfort , et al.

Inventors

Assignee

Warner Amex Cable Communications Inc.

Application

No. 06/182627 filed on 08/29/1980

US Classes:

348/14.01, TWO-WAY VIDEO AND VOICE COMMUNICATION (E.G., VIDEOPHONE)379/31, Of line signalling generator (e.g., dial, tone code generator)379/40, Automatic dialing379/42, Plural conditions379/46, Called line or station condition responsive (e.g., recall if busy)725/108, Alarm system using television network725/114, Server or headend725/122, Return path via telephone network725/131Receiver (e.g., set-top box)

Examiners

Primary: Popek, Joseph A.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Gottlieb, Rackman & Reisman

International Class

H04M 11/04 (20060101)

Abstract

A security terminal for use with a two-way interactive cable system. The security terminal develops alarm and supervisory signals, and controls their transmission over the cable when polled by a central station. The terminal discriminates between four different types of alarm condition (burglary, fire, medical and general emergency), and transmits respective coded signals over the cable, or over a switched telephone network if cable transmission is not successful. To further insure that alarm signals are properly transmitted in the event of a cable outage, the terminal responds to a cable-sent test command from the central station by causing the dialer to dial the central station over the switched telephone network; in this way, the dialer mechanism can be tested periodically to insure that it will be operative if needed.