Zenith Radio Corporation

At&t Bell Laboratories

Johnny Collins

Melvin C Hendrickson

Meyer J Zola

Richard G Merrell

Robert R Podowski

Douglas C Dowden

Michael Hirsh Cooper

Charles H Heuer

Raymond J Gill

David A Blass

An operator or agent position, for use by a telephone assistance operator or an agent of a business, communicates with the circuit and packet switching network of a telecommunication switching system using an Integrated Devices Digital Network (ISDN) B-channel and D-channel. The switching network is connected to customers, positions, data communication paths to data bases, and a data path to control processor of the system. The B-channel is connected through a circuit switching network to a customer. The D-channel is connected through a packet switching network to the control processor and to data bases. Advantageously, the positions can be located remotely from the switching network because only a single integrated facility is required to transmit the integrated voice and data signal between a position and the network. Advantageously, a variety of data bases can be rapidly and efficiently accessed by a position.

Operator communication arrangements for operator assistance systems

A remote control system for a television receiver includes a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter being adapted for transmitting a single word multibit code identifying a selected function of the television receiver. Each bit of the transmitted multibit code comprises a first occurring data signal representing a selected logic state followed immediately in time succession by a second occurring data signal representing the complementary logic state, the first and second data signals comprising a single pulse representing a first logic state or a grouping of at least two relatively closely spaced pulses representing a second logic state, whereby each transmitted bit comprises the same number of pulses. The remote control receiver includes apparatus for testing the parity relationship of the first and second occurring data signals of each bit of the received multibit code and for controlling the selected function in response to each tested bit being characterized by a condition of parity.

IR Remote control system

A remote control system for a television receiver includes a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter being adapted for transmitting a multibit code identifying a selected function of the television receiver wherein the data bits forming the multibit code each comprise a single pulse representing a first logic state and a grouping of at least two relatively closely spaced pulses representing a second logic state. The remote control receiver includes a self-clocking detector for converting the transmitted pulses to a binary logic signal and decoding means responsive to the logic signal for operating the selected television receiver function.

A remote control receiver for selectively actuating a plurality of functions, each function uniquely corresponding to control signals lying in a respective band of frequencies. The function determining control signal is supplied to a digital counter which, during each of a continuous series of fixed duration timing intervals, develops an output count representative of the frequency of the received control signal. A portion of each count comprising the most significant bits thereof is processed for identifying the condition wherein the frequency of the received control signal lies in the same frequency band for successive timing intervals. The remaining portion of each count comprising the least significant bits thereof is processed for identifying the condition wherein a subsequent count is within a restricted range of counts centered about a prior count for successive timing intervals. Coincidence of the two conditions for a predetermined number of consecutive timing intervals results in actuation of the function corresponding to the frequency band for which the conditions were satisfied.

Digital remote control system with improved noise immunity

A continuous counting system includes a multistage binary counter for deriving the frequency of an input signal by counting the cycles thereof occurring during predetermined timing intervals. A control circuit, responsive to the input signal and to a timing reference signal, develops an output pulse during each period of the timing reference signal extending between a logical transition of predetermined polarity of the reference signal and the subsequently occurring nth logical transition of like polarity of the input signal. The output pulses are coupled for presetting the binary counter to the count n whereby counts beginning with n+1 are accumulated during the remainder of the timing interval.

Continuous counting system

A low-pass filter useful in association with a phase locked loop for controlling the frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator on the basis of an error signal resulting from a comparison between a reference signal and the oscillator's output. The low-pass filter comprises means responsive to the error signal for developing an output current for charging or discharging a capacitive network according to the frequency and phase deviations represented by the error signal. For large frequency and phase deviations extended charging or discharging currents provide high acquisition speeds whereas, as the frequency and phase deviation represented by the error signal decreases, drastically reduced charging or discharging currents result thereby effectively reducing the bandwidth of the filter for facilitating reference signal sideband supression as frequency 'lock-on' is approached and when phase lock is achieved.

Adaptive phase locked loop filter for television tuning

A wireless remote control system has a transducer coupled to a sampling frequency counter to distinguish among various actuating signals. A comparator compares present and immediately preceding measurements and a confidence counter counts the number of identical comparisons and is reset for non-identical comparisons. A decoder which is disabled until the confidence counter reaches a predetermined count is coupled to utilization means to actuate the selected function. Logic means contain a clock controlled interval counter which is activated only after the confidence counter reaches the predetermined count for establishing a timing interval. During the interval logic means render the confidence counter unresponsive to the comparator thereby maintaining actuation of selected functions. Logic means also force a preset count into the interval counter to prevent establishing the timing interval for other functions.

Remote control with reduced responsiveness to interrupted actuating

An integrated digital circuit for a wireless remote control system employs a first counter to distinguish the frequency of actuating signals and a confidence counter for establishing a minimum duration for an actuating signal. Logic circuitry responsive to an externally applied voltage level controls the operation of a three stage binary counter and a flip-flop to selectively initiate a first mode utilizing two frequencies for control of an eight step bi-directional volume function and a second mode in which the same two frequencies control a four state cyclic volume function and a bi-stable picture control.

Multi-function remote control IC

A wireless remote control system has a transducer coupled to a sampling first counter for counting the frequency of incoming signals. A portion of the count distinguishes among various control signal frequencies and is supplied to a memory and a comparator. A second counter counts the number of identical comparisons of present and immediately preceding measurements, and is reset when a non-identical comparison is detected. The memory supplies the stored portion of the count to a decoder which is disabled by the second counter until a predetermined number of identical frequency comparisons have been determined, which provides noise immunity. The decoder is coupled to utilization means to activate the control function corresponding to the frequency of the control signal.

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Oak Park, IL, United States of America

Johnny Collins