Other

Tocom Corporation

Brian E Belcher

Larry L Alexander

John G Campbell

John G Cambell

An access (utilization) controller to restrict or block visual or aural interaction between a vehicle operator/driver and mobile communications and information devices such as computers, mobile telephones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like mounted on or used in the vehicle is disclosed. The utilization controller comprises sensors to detect motion or 'potential' motion of the vehicle, a processor receiving data from the sensors and inhibitor means responsive to the processor to 'blank out' or otherwise inhibit any distracting visual or aural output from the communications or information devices while the vehicle is in motion or about to move. The sensor data such as speedometer, transmission gear position indicator, antilock brakes and others are extracted from a vehicle's internal monitoring and control systems.

Access control for vehicle-mounted communications device

Disclosed is a controller to prevent access or utilization by a vehicle operator to communications devices installed on the vehicle when the vehicle is in motion thereby reducing distractions of the operator.

Access control for vehicle mounted communications devices

In a two-way cable television communications system wherein a central or master station is coupled to a plurality of remote stations through a coaxial cable network, each remote unit is provided with means for decoding an emergency alert transmission signal from the master station to generate an internal signal to sound an annunciator, alerting a subscriber or viewer at the remote station that an emergency communication is forthcoming, switching on a television receiver at the remote station, if the television receiver is not on, and tuning the television receiver through a converter to a predetermined television channel to condition the television receiver to receive emergency communications from the master station.

Method of and apparatus for establishing emergency communications in a

A two-way cable communications system includes a master station having a transmitter for transmitting television program and interrogation signals to a plurality of remote units or transceivers through a cable network and a receiver for receiving reply signals from individual ones of the remote units. Each remote unit includes a receiver for receiving the program and interrogation information from the master station, a transmitter for transmitting reply signals back to the master station and television converter and receiver means for reproducing the television programs. A remote control means coupled to the remote unit through a mmulticonductor cable includes a channel selector and encoder means for encoding the channel selector information and a switch means to enable the channel selector to be utilized to provide viewer response information. The output of the encoder means is clocked into a storage register having its output coupled to a converter which operates a television tuner when the switch means is in a first condition. The output of the storage register is also coupled to a data readout circuit which is enabled by an interrogation signal to apply the data to the remote transmitter. The encoder output is also applied to a gating circuit which is enabled when the switch means is in a second condition to couple the output to the data readout circuit. Thus both program rating and viewer response information may be obtained from the remote channel selector control.

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Dallas, TX, United States of America

Brian E Belcher