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:
Jan. 30, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 07, 1997
Timothy Lee Erickson, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
John Franklin Anthony Jurrius, Hercules, CA (US);
Lewis Clark McCoy, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Clear Com, Berkeley, CA (US);
Abstract
An intercom system utilizing peer-to-peer computer network hardware that shares bandwidth between digital audio transport and inter-processor data communications on a common time-division-multiplexed (TDM) parallel bus. The system hardware automates symmetric, simultaneous, variable-length data block transfers among all of the microprocessor- controlled cards in the system. These cards communicate without intervention by or assistance from a central controller or intermediary communications processor, thereby improving system throughput and reliability and decreasing system complexity. An additional benefit of the communication scheme employed herein is that all system cards automatically track changes in the population of other cards in the system. The intercom system described employs a Configuration Card connected to a configuration computer to provides the system supervisor with the ability to quickly configure the system for a particular use without altering the system's hardware configuration.