Abb Power Td & Company

Robert G Colclaser, Iii

Robert Tracy Elms

Thomas C Matty

Gary O Hitchins

A method and apparatus for controlling the transmission of data, via a telephone network (20), between a first location (2,14,16) where data is collected and a central station (22). Data transmission is effected by: collecting and storing data (24-36) at the first location (2); providing an indication (42) of the current time at the first location; storing, at the first location, an indication (30) of a selected time which is after the present time and an indication (32-36) of selected ones of the plurality of data types; comparing (42) the indication of the present and selected times and establishing a connection (56), via the telephone network (20), from the first location (2,14,16) to the central station (22) when the present time becomes later than the selected time; and effecting a communication, via the connection, which includes a first transmission (56) of the selected ones of the stored data type from the first location (2,14,16) to the central station (22) and a second transmission (58 ), from the central station (22) to the first location (2,14,16), of an indication of a new selected time, and identification of the data to be collected and the locations from which that data will be obtained, for the next communication.

Automated data transmission system

A system for transmitting data via a telephone line by means of a data communications device (4) connected to the telephone line, at least one other communications device being connected to the telephone line and each device being switchable between an inactive state, in which the device is not in use and presents a high impedance to the telephone line, and an active state, in which the device reduces the telephone line voltage and signals can be transferred between the device and the telephone line, the system including a telephone line state detection unit (10) associated with the data communications device (4) and connected to the telephone line for electrically monitoring the telephone line to provide an indication of the state of another communications device connected to the telephone line.

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Grafton, MA, United States of America

Robert G Colclaser, Iii