The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1993
William M Schell, Watchung, NJ (US);
Guy A Story, New York, NY (US);
AT&T Corp., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
A method of using finite state machines (FSMs) is disclosed for controlling multiple processes in response to input signals. In an exemplary embodiment, such processes comprise facilities for providing interactive television services and multimedia signals for such services. The FSMs are arranged in a tree-like structure and communicate with each other by event messages of various types. Each FSM has multiple states and permitted state transitions. Transitions occur in response to event messages and/or input signals, and a transition can cause one or more event messages associated with such transition to be sent. At least one terminal FSM is associated with each of the multiple processes and controls that process. Status changes in each process can also cause state transitions in the FSMs. The FSMs are resident in the various processors controlling the multiple processes, which can be situated at different locations.