| 摘要 |
In conjunction with the dial-up public telephone system, voice quality lines carry videophone signals for monitoring a multitude of locations from at least one central station for use in a variety of applications, such as for security, surveillance, quality control and inspection, regulation of food and/or other standards in food-related and other facilities, market research, remote monitoring of deposit and withdrawal of funds at bank vaults, grocery chains, convenience stores, and the like. At the central station, telephonic interface apparatus is actuated by a control unit to selectively accomplish a telephonic connection with a remote location. Displays include the scene at the remote location and related graphic data. During routine operation, remote locations are displayed in sequence to at least one operator. Such operation may be interrupted either from a remote location or central station in the event of an urgency. In such an event, the concerned scrutiny location is displayed for further communication involving status, camera selection, camera configuration, audio, video and so on. Incoming calls from scrutiny stations imply an urgent situation for immediate display. The called number, by dialed number identification system (DNIS) may indicate the status while the calling number identifies the location by automatic number identification (ANI) signals. Alternative signaling and code techniques afford flexible operation as with respect to various graphic and status indications available for displays.;A traffic control system selectively interfaces members of plural groups, as buyer groups and vendor groups, for video communication through a dial-up telephone system, for analyzing and compiling data, scheduling appointments, implementing conferences, consummating sales and the like. The traffic-control system comprises a telephonic interface apparatus for interfacing remote telephonic terminals of the dial-up telephone system identified with the members of plural groups, a video recording unit for recording and playing video transcriptions, a storage memory for storing data on the members, including telephonic terminal numbers and area-of-interest codes and a control computer to selectively interconnect the video recording unit with the remote telephone terminals through the telephonic interface apparatus to record and receive video communication. |
| 主权项 |
1. A method for controlling a remotely located device comprising:
receiving, from a first electronic device located at a first location and having at least video display capability and data input capability from at least a personal computer keyboard, one or more commands at a control computer, such commands directing the control computer to establish communications with a select one of a plurality of second electronic devices each located at remote locations to the first electronic device and having at least video display and data communication capability, addressing a memory associated with the control computer to fetch identifying information for the select second electronic device, utilizing at least certain of the identifying information to establish a communications link between a communication device associated with the control computer and the select second electronic device, using the communications link to send one or more commands from the first electronic device to the select second electronic device at its remote location to control transmission of information from the select second electronic device at its remote location to the first electronic device, receiving, at the communication device, information from the select second electronic device, the information including data facilitating display of one or more images to a human and representing at least certain color video information generated by the select second electronic device at the remote location, transmitting data to facilitate display of the color video information on the first electronic device together with text data relating to the select second electronic device, and receiving control data from the first electronic device intended for the select second electronic device, the control data responsive to a mouse in communication with the first electronic device and at least certain of the control data causing manipulation of the select second electronic device. |
