WO2001089187A1 - Systeme de communication pour demandes d'assistance a distance - Google Patents

Systeme de communication pour demandes d'assistance a distance Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001089187A1
WO2001089187A1 PCT/IT2000/000200 IT0000200W WO0189187A1 WO 2001089187 A1 WO2001089187 A1 WO 2001089187A1 IT 0000200 W IT0000200 W IT 0000200W WO 0189187 A1 WO0189187 A1 WO 0189187A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
power supply
line
transmission
terminal
terminals
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IT2000/000200
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Dante Giacomantonio
Fulvio Zanolo
Antonio Lo Pinto
Original Assignee
Sinelec S.P.A.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sinelec S.P.A. filed Critical Sinelec S.P.A.
Priority to PCT/IT2000/000200 priority Critical patent/WO2001089187A1/fr
Publication of WO2001089187A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001089187A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/02—Details
    • H04L12/10—Current supply arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/02—Details
    • H04L12/12—Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02D—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
    • Y02D30/00—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
    • Y02D30/50—Reducing energy consumption in communication networks in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a communications system for remote requests for assistance according to the preamble of Claim 1.
  • Prior art communications systems currently employed provide a control station supervised by one or more operators and directly connected to a plurality of user terminals to which it provides power remotely according to a general single point-to-multiple point configuration and from which it receives the requests for assistance sent by users .
  • a control station In the particular case of systems employed along roadways and motorways to receive requests for assistance from motorists suffering breakdowns, a control station is able to acquire and manage the requests for assistance which are sent from the users of the system along an associated roadway section, which may be particularly long. This configuration depends on the number of control stations chosen for monitoring the entire length of the motorway and on the number of available operators and sites .
  • each assistance terminal is programmed in dependence on the position which it occupies upon installation along the .roadway.
  • Each terminal for reasons of constructional simplicity of the system, is not independently supplied but is arranged to receive the power supply from the remote control station.
  • the distribution line for the power supply is dimensioned to allow power to be supplied to the entire plurality of terminals connected thereto without excessive losses .
  • each terminal is maintained constantly supplied and active by the control station and allows a user to send timely requests for assistance.
  • the distribution of power takes place along a main power supply line which substantially follows the track of the roadway along a carriageway and to which a first subset of terminals is directly connected, whilst a corresponding second subset, installed on the opposite side of the carriageway, is supplied indirectly from the terminals of the first subset .
  • the entire system is thus constituted by a plurality of pairs of corresponding terminals coupled together in a generally master-slave type configuration.
  • Each terminal is connected to the control station through analogue signal transmission lines for audio communication with an operator at the control station.
  • the known arrangement described is characterised by the fact that the individual terminals are constantly supplied and therefore have the disadvantage of consuming excessive energy with respect to the real needs of the system.
  • the power supply delivered to them is also defined upon design or installation of the system on the basis of the distance between terminals to be supplied and the remote source, naturally adopting criteria of over-dimensioning in such a way as to overcome any possible attenuation along the path.
  • the object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art arrangements and provide a system for remote requests for assistance which has low consumption and at the same time will be more flexible.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a system which can be used for requests for roadway assistance, which allows the transmission of images and data as well as audio communication, at high quality even in the presence of noise.
  • the subject of the invention is a communications system for remote requests for assistance as defined in Claim 1, and a system for roadway assistance requests according to Claim 13.
  • the arrangement according to the invention is characterised by the fact that a control station and the call terminals are arranged to establish between themselves a connection of point-to-point type upon transmission of a request for assistance, and the terminal from which the request originates is arranged to receive power supply only on these occasions, all the terminals of the system remaining therefore not supplied in rest conditions.
  • the terminal Upon transmission of the request for assistance the terminal commences, with the control station, a recognition procedure for the purpose of determining the power necessary to supply in dependence on the current transmission parameters of the line and the distance from the station, to enable connection to be made .
  • connection is preferably achieved by two pairs of copper conductors respectively for the transmission of audio, video and data signals in numeric form according to the ISDN standard, and for the transmission of service signals and remote power supply criteria.
  • the pairs of conductors are combined together to form a virtual circuit for the transmission of the power supply.
  • the system for roadway assistance requests comprises a remote control station able to acquire and manage calls for assistance coming from a plurality of call terminals located at predetermined intervals along a section of roadway associated with the control station, and one or more intermediate supply stations, each associated with a subset of call terminals, arranged to provide remote power supply to the associated terminals and to manage the connection thereof with the control station.
  • the system is configured as a numerical voice, image and data transmission system which utilises ISDN channels for the connection between terminals and intermediate station, and SDH fibre optic channels for the connection between intermediate station and control station.
  • the power supply to the terminals is provided remotely from the respective associated intermediate stations as described above on virtual circuits formed by the combination of the pairs of conductors provided for the transmission of information signals and service signals. Different modes of applying the power supply to the wires of the pairs of conductors are provided to signal the state of the power supply line, thus allowing a control station to acquire several calls for assistance simultaneously, whilst preventing access to the line for audio connection for more than one terminal at a time.
  • the communications system according to the invention is preferably provided with diagnostic functions of all the apparatus of which the system itself is composed.
  • the configuration of the system to obtain low consumption requires diagnostic tests of the terminals to be activated periodically, manually or automatically, from the control station. Whenever a remote diagnostic procedure is active when a request for assistance is transmitted the system is arranged to automatically interrupt the diagnostic procedure and respond to the call.
  • the modes of applying the power supply by which the system is able to recognise its configuration are preferably able to signal a state of the transmission line being free, engaged, line reset and line engaged for remote diagnosis of the terminal .
  • Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of an assembly of one preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the configuration of the control station of the system of Figure
  • FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the communications interface unit belonging to the control station of Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 is a simplified representation of a switching unit belonging to the control station of Figure 2;
  • Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of the configuration of an intermediate power supply station of the system of Figure 1;
  • Figure 6 is a block diagram of a remote power supply unit belonging to the supply station of Figure 5;
  • Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of the configuration of a management unit of the system of Figure 1, with which a pair of call terminals is associated;
  • Figure 8 is a block diagram of a first interface module belonging to the management unit of Figure 7;
  • FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a second interface module belonging to the management unit of Figure 7;
  • Figure 10 is a block diagram of a remote power supply acquisition unit belonging to the management unit of Figure 7 ;
  • Figure 11 is a block circuit diagram of a call terminal of Figure 7.
  • a control station operable to acquire and manage the requests for assistance is indicated with the reference numeral 10.
  • a plurality of intermediate supply stations 12 is connected to it by a set of transmission lines 1 .
  • These intermediate stations may, for example, be conveniently associated with toll collection stations and/or entry/exit ship roads present in certain cases at regular intervals along a motorway, so as to share with them the electrical power supply installations and possible additional services for control or maintenance operations.
  • the intermediate stations are normally located long distances from the control station 10 to which they are connected, and optical fibre transmission lines 14 and technologies for the synchronous transmission of data in digital form over long distances (SDH, Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) are conveniently adopted.
  • SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
  • Each intermediate station 12 leads to a section of roadway which has a plurality of peripheral call terminals 20 installed along it, operable to allow a user to transmit a request for assistance. These terminals are advantageously provided along both sides of the carriageway connected in pairs to a common management unit 22.
  • Each management unit 22 is, in turn, coupled to the intermediate reference station 12 by means of a complex transmission line 24 comprising two pairs of copper conductors indicated 30 and 32 respectively, for the transmission of audio, video and data signals in digital form according to the ISDN standard, and for the transmission of service signals and remote power supply criteria.
  • the pairs of conductors 30 and 32 are combined together at an end connection by means of repeating coils so as to form an independent virtual circuit or combined circuit for the transmission of the remote power supply. All this is according- to criteria widely known in the telephonic art which will therefore not be described herein.
  • a control station 10 is described in detail with reference to Figures 2 , 3 and 4. .
  • It provides a plurality of operator positions 40 equipped with a computer such as a personal computer, and a telephone handset.
  • the computer is arranged to display on its screen icons, pictograms and other graphic representations indicative of the information received from the peripheral terminals .
  • the handset is utilised to put an operator in audio communication with a user of the system who has transmitted a request for assistance.
  • Each computer is coupled to a main processing unit 42 , for example a common workstation.
  • the transmission lines 14 coming from the intermediate stations 12 are coupled to an interface circuit section 44 comprising a set of communications interface units 46 equal in number to the number of intermediate stations 12 managed by the control station.
  • the interface units 46 are selectively coupled to the workstation 42 through serial connections 48 for data transmission according to the known RS485 standard, and to the handsets at the operator positions 40 through a switching unit 50 for the transmission of the audio signals.
  • the workstation comprises a processor unit having a 133 MHz processor and 16 MB of RAM memory, and communicates with the section 44 through an asynchronous RS485 serial port and Bisync communication protocol .
  • a processor unit having a 133 MHz processor and 16 MB of RAM memory, and communicates with the section 44 through an asynchronous RS485 serial port and Bisync communication protocol .
  • a communications interface unit 46 is shown in detail in Figure 3. It comprises a processor circuit 60 such as, for example, a common 32 bit microcontroller equipped with volatile and non-volatile memory modules (not illustrated) for storing operating instructions and configuration parameters.
  • the microcontroller 60 is coupled to a first interface circuit 62 of U-standard ISDN type for the management of three full duplex communications channels (Bl and B2 at 64 kbps for the transmission of voice and data, D at 16 kbps for the transmission of control signals) to and from a transmission line comprising a pair of copper conductors .
  • This interface circuit can be coupled to the pair of conductors by means of a repeating coil (not illustrated) according to the known art.
  • the microcontroller 60 is further coupled to a second interface circuit 64 of synchronous DS0 serial type for the management of two SDH communications channels (at 64 kbps each, respectively for the separate transmission of audio and data signals) to and from the optical fibre transmission line 14.
  • a third interface circuit 66 of optoisolated asynchronous RS 85 serial type is provided for the transmission of data between the . microcontroller 60 and the workstation 42.
  • a pair of audio interface PCM coder/decoder (codec) interface modules 68, 70 is provided for connection of the unit 46 with the switching unit 50 and audio transmission to an operator position (respectively for maintenance or call management) . Each module performs the A/D and D/A conversion operations for digitisation or reconstruction of the analogue voice signal, respectively at the input and output to and from the interface unit .
  • the switching unit 50 (illustrated in detail in Figure 4) is an analogue matrix switching uni , known per se in the art . In the preferred embodiment it has a first set of balanced input audio ports 80 coming from the ISDN interface circuit 62 via the module 70, and a second set of output audio ports 82, isolated by means of transformers, intended for connection with the telephone handsets of the operator positions 40.
  • the switching of the switching unit 50 between audio ports is controlled by the workstation 42.
  • the switching unit for the transmission of audio signals can be of digital type coupled also to the workstation 42 in parallel with the interface units 46 for the selective transmission of audio signals still in digital form.
  • the workstation 42 is provided with a common audio card, microphones and loud speakers as interface to an operator in substitution for the handsets, for the processing of audio communication with a user who has sent a request for assistance.
  • a supply circuit (not shown) connected to a 220V source via a transformer and a voltage converter provides power supply to the circuits of the control stations.
  • An intermediate power supply station 12 is described in detail with reference to Figures 5 and 6.
  • Each station 12 comprises a communications interface unit 90 identical to each of the interface units 46 of the control station, and which therefore will not be further described.
  • This unit 90 can be coupled to the transmission line 14 for connection with the control station, and to the pair of conductors 30 of a corresponding complex transmission line 24 for connection to the management units 22 disposed along its associated section.
  • the communications interface circuit module will be advantageously configurable depending on the envisaged use, that it to say as an interface unit 46 of the control station 10 or as an interface unit 90 of the intermediate supply station 12.
  • a remote power supply unit 92 is coupled to the interface unit 90 (to the interface unit 66 of asynchronous RS485 serial type and to the PCM coder/decoder audio interface module 70 respectively, in the notation of Figure 3) through a pair of channels for the transfer of data and audio signals, and to the repeating coil (not shown) of the U- standard ISDN type interface circuit 62.
  • the power supply unit 92 makes available on the complex transmission line 24 the pair of conductors 32 intended for the remote transmission of service signals and power supply criteria.
  • a power supply circuit 94 provides the desired supply voltage (for example 24 volts) to the units 90 and 92.
  • the power supply unit 92 is illustrated in detail in Figure 6.
  • a DC/DC voltage converter 100 connected to the power supply circuit 94 generates a supply voltage in the range between 50 and 100 volts for the remote supply of the call terminals 20, and is coupled to the repeating coil of the interface circuit 62 via the line indicated 102.
  • the converter 100 is driven by an associated supply driving circuit 104 controlled via an interface 106 by a microcontroller 108.
  • the microcontroller 108 is coupled to the communications interface unit 90 via a respective RS485 serial interface 110 for the transmission of data, and via an audio communications module 112 for the transmission of voice response audio messages .
  • the audio communications module 112 comprises a programmable memory circuit 120 for storing predefined audio messages in digital form and a digital-to- analogue converter circuit 122.
  • the voltage converter 100 is coupled to the pair of conductors 32 intended for the transmission of service signals and remote power supply criteria through a polarity switching block 130 driven by the microcontroller 108 via interface 106.
  • the microcontroller 108 receives information signals on the state of the pair of conductors 32 via a current detector circuit 132, a voltage control circuit 134 and a call detector circuit 136.
  • the management unit 22 sends and receives information towards and coming from the call terminals and manages the communication with the control station.
  • Management unit 22 comprises a call terminal management circuit 150, a communications interface module 152 and a remote power supply acquisition unit 154 all coupled together.
  • the call terminal management circuit 150 is illustrated in detail in Figure 8. It comprises a microprocessor control logic circuit 160 which has a first terminal 162 for the exchange of data with the communications interface module 152 and a second programming terminal 164.
  • the management circuit 150 has a first section for the management of data to and from the call terminals, including a plurality of circuit blocks indicated with the references 170-176, and a second section for the management of audio signals to and from the terminals and the communications interface module 152.
  • the first section includes an interface block 170 for the acquisition of data from push buttons of a first terminal of the pair, an interface block 172 for data acquisition from the push buttons of a second terminal of the pair, a block 174 for sending signals to both terminals and an RS485 interface block 176.
  • the second section includes a telephony control circuit 178 and an input and output connection portion with the pair of call terminals 20 and the communications interface module 152 within the management unit 22.
  • the communications interface module 152 is shown in Figure 9. It has substantially the same architecture as the communications interface unit 90 provided in the intermediate power supply station 12 and, in a number greater than unity, in the control station 10, and therefore only the differences will be described hereinafter, the identical or equivalent elements to those already described being identified with the same reference numerals .
  • the module 152 does not have the DSO type synchronous serial interface circuit for the management of SDH communication channels, and includes in addition to what has already been described a parallel data interface circuit 180.
  • the remote power acquisition unit 154 operable to draw the power supply voltage from the complex transmission line 24 and to provide power to the pair of peripheral terminals 20, as well as to exchange possible control signals with them.
  • a DC/DC voltage converter circuit 200 is coupled to the pair of conductors 30 for the transmission of audio, video and data signals in digital form and, via a switch 202 driven by a use-request circuit 204, to the pair of conductors 32 for the transmission of service signals and remote power supply criteria.
  • the circuit 200 draws power from the two pairs of conductors 30, 32 and provides power supply to the peripheral terminals and the communications interface module 152 through the circuit portion indicated 210.
  • the unit 154 further includes a second circuit portion 220 for the acquisition of requests for assistance from the terminals, coupled to the use-request circuit 204, a third, diagnostic circuit portion 230 coupled to the transmission line 32, and a fourth portion 240 for signalling the presence of simultaneous requests for assistance, also coupled to the transmission line 32.
  • FIG 11 is shown a block circuit diagram of a peripheral call terminal 20 in which are shown the devices intended for the management of the transmission of audio signals (to put a user in contact with an operator at the control station) and control and/or warning signals (signals generated by pressing call request push buttons provided at the terminals, which are provided for example to distinguish between medical, mechanical or fire-assistance requests, and possible optical signals by LEDs or other warning lamps) .
  • audio signals to put a user in contact with an operator at the control station
  • control and/or warning signals signals generated by pressing call request push buttons provided at the terminals, which are provided for example to distinguish between medical, mechanical or fire-assistance requests, and possible optical signals by LEDs or other warning lamps
  • the terminal 20 is connected to the management unit 22 via a plurality of pairs of conductors 280.
  • a control interface 300 is arranged for connection of the terminal 20 to the management circuit 150 for the pair of terminals.
  • a first circuit section 302 of the terminal is provided for management of the audio signals from a set of microphones 304 or to a loud speaker 306 via an enblement circuit 308.
  • a second circuit section 310 of the terminal is provided for the management of the push buttons (input data to the system) and the signalling LEDs (output data) , push buttons and LEDs being identified in the user interface block 312.
  • a serial interface 314 is provided for possible transmission of video signals.
  • the terminal 20 may conveniently be equipped with additional devices for the provision of accessory services (fax communication, printer and personal computer connection) or for enhancing the functions of surveillance of the area adjacent to the terminal (field sensor devices) .
  • power supply to the call terminals is potentially available in the virtual circuit formed with the combination of the pairs of conductors 30 and 32, but interrupted because of the open state of the switch 202 of the remote power supply acquisition unit 154.
  • the circuits for supplying power to the terminals i.e. the converter 200 and the circuits downstream therefrom
  • a conductor of the line 32 has a voltage of 50 volts with respect to the reference potential assumed at zero volts present on the other conductor of the pair and on both conductors of the transmission line 30.
  • the call terminal management circuit 150 and the remote power acquisition unit 154 acquire this information.
  • Pressing a push-button activates the use-request circuit 204 via the circuit portion 220, which controls the switch 202.
  • the unit 154 activates the converter 200 through closure of the switch 202 permitting it to draw supply voltage from the line 32 constituting part of the power supply virtual circuit.
  • the converter 200 is thus able to supply the pair of terminals 20 and the communications interface module 152.
  • the management circuit 150 communicates the call request received via the block 170 or 172 to the remote power supply unit 92 of the intermediate power supply station 12 with which the terminal is associated, via the terminal 162 and the communications interfaces 152 and 90.
  • the information is received by the microcontroller 108 which arranges to drive the voltage converter 100 in such a way as to bring the conductors of the line 32 to an identical positive potential (preferably lying between 50 volts and 100 volts) .
  • the state of equipotentiality of the conductors of the line 32 with respect to the reference potential (0 volts) present on the virtual conductor corresponding to the line 30 represents the "line engaged" condition recognised by all the peripheral terminals belonging to the same section. In these conditions, in fact, the potential difference which allows the converter 200 of the units 154 of other management units 22 to be activated is no longer present, with the immediate effect of preventing access to the line by more than one terminal .
  • the equipotential voltage present on the conductors of the line 32 of the management unit to which the terminal from which the call was sent belongs allows, on the other hand, the connection of the converter 200 to the reference potential present on the virtual conductor corresponding to the line 30 for acquisition of the energy necessary for supply of the circuits .
  • the voltage supply with constant current and voltage variable between 50 and 100 volts is obtained from the supply voltage (for example 24 volts) provided at the DC/DC converter 100 from the supply circuit 94 of the station 12.
  • the polarity and amplitude of the voltage applied to the supply line from the supply unit 92 are controlled, as is the current on the line, respectively by the polarity switching block 130, the current detector circuit 132 and the voltage control circuit 134 which feed back the relative information to the driving circuit 10 .
  • the remote power supply unit 92 receives at its microcontroller 108 the operating instructions sent from the workstation 42 to the communications interface unit 90 along the SDH data transmission channel, and from this latter transmitted through the corresponding serial interface circuits 66 and 110.
  • the intermediate station 12 which has activated the remote power supply of a terminal is arranged to analyse the energy consumption along the power supply line (virtual circuit) and to adapt the power delivered (the current) in dependence on the attenuation detected on the line so as to optimise the efficiency of the system and the energy saving.
  • the supply of power to the circuits starts a data exchange process with the control station 10 to establish the connection.
  • the communications interface module 152 behaves as a "transparent" information vector to transfer the data which arrives at its input through the parallel data interface circuit 180 on the transmission line 30 by means of the ISDN interface circuit 62.
  • the data transmitted by the terminal 20 identifies the type of service request and the location of the terminal itself.
  • This data once received by the communications interface unit 90 of the intermediate station 12, are sent to the control station 10 on an SDH channel of the line 14 and there managed, in a serial manner, by the workstation 42 which provides for their interpretation and graphic representation for communication to an operator at position 40.
  • the remote power supply unit 92 of the intermediate station manages the response to the call by sending to the terminal 20 one or more previously recorded courtesy messages by means of its audio communications module 112.
  • the communication between the call terminal and the control station takes place substantially by analogue and digital telephony through the microphones 304, the audio section of the call terminal management circuit 150, the communications interface module 152 (in particular the coder/decoder module 70 and the ISDN interface circuit 62) the transmission line 30, the communications interface unit 90 of the intermediate station 12 (in particular the ISDN interface circuit 62, the microcontroller 60 and the SDH interface circuit 64) the transmission line 14, a communications interface unit 46 of the control station 10 (in particular the SDH interface circuit 64, the microcontroller 60 and the coder/decoder module 70) and the switching unit 50, to a handset of an operator position 40; and, in the opposite direction, along the same path to the loud speaker 306 of the terminal 20.
  • An embodiment is envisaged in which video communication between the control station 10 and the call terminal 20 takes place, for example by means of a video camera arranged in the vicinity of the call terminal and connected to it via radio, or directly connected to the communications interface module 152 of the management unit by serial means (RS485 standard and Bisync protocol) .
  • serial means RS485 standard and Bisync protocol
  • the transmission of the images is managed in a manner known to those skilled in the art along data transmission channels and exploiting the most convenient instruments for data compression/decompression (not described in the embodiment analysed in detail here) .
  • the operator When a second request for assistance coming from a second call terminal belonging to the section already in use is superimposed at the control station, the operator has the ability to interrupt the conversation in progress and switch the audio connection to the second terminal, or to wait for the end of the request in progress before accepting the new call. This is possible simply by commanding the switching unit 50, for example through the control workstation 42 (the connection is not illustrated) .
  • the remote power supply unit 92 of an intermediate power supply station 12 is arranged temporarily to bring the transmission line 32 into a reset state by forcing a voltage of zero volts on both the conductors. Therefore, the absence of a potential difference with respect to the conductors at the transmission line 30 disactivates all the circuits, cleaning the memory devices and disconnecting the management unit 22 from the line.
  • the diagnostic procedure of the system has similar characteristics to he procedure for management of the calls for assistance.
  • the beginning of a diagnostic operation is established by the control station 10 which sends a command to the intermediate supply stations 12.
  • the remote power supply unit 92 of each intermediate station then starts a selective call procedure of the associated terminals on the transmission line 32, establishing at the terminals of its conductors a potential difference of about 100 volts for a short time interval (diagnostic pulse) .
  • the pulse is recognised by the diagnostic circuit portion 230 of the remote power supply acquisition portion 154 of the terminal management units 22.
  • the unit 154 activates the corresponding call terminals 20 to simulate a normal request for assistance.
  • the microcontroller 60 of the interface unit 90 of each station controls the selective activation in sequence of the terminals of the section through the transmission line 30.
  • the same interface unit 90 receives diagnostic data from the terminals and transmits them onto the workstation 42 of the control station for subsequent processing. Between activation of one terminal and activation of the next it is arranged that the remote power supply unit temporarily brings the transmission line 32 into a reset state.
  • the system has great constructional simplicity and low maintenance costs. It is not necessary to supply the peripheral terminals continuously nor to provide them with bulky solar cells and batteries to reduce energy consumption of the system.
  • the digital technology used in remote communication between a user and an operator of the system allows an efficient functioning even in the presence of high noise, as well as the simultaneous bi-directional transmission of audio, video and data signals for a better management of the requests for assistance.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Small-Scale Networks (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système comprenant : un poste (10) de contrôle, destiné à l'acquisition et à la gestion des demandes d'assistance, qui est relié à au moins un terminal (20) d'appel à partir duquel l'utilisateur peut envoyer une demande ; des lignes (14, 24) de communication servant à la transmission des informations entre le poste (10) et le terminal (12) ; et des circuits (30, 32) de couplage assurant le couplage du terminal (20) à une unité (12) d'alimentation électrique éloignée. Le terminal (20) d'appel est associé à un module (154) circuit d'acquisition d'alimentation électrique qui peut être couplé, via une ligne (30, 32) d'alimentation électrique, à l'unité (12). Ce module (154) est conçu pour passer, à la suite d'une demande d'assistance, d'un état de repos où le module est déconnecté de la ligne (30, 32) d'alimentation électrique de manière à ne pas consommer d'énergie, à un état de fonctionnement où le module est connecté à ladite ligne (30, 32) de manière à établir la connexion avec l'unité (12) et à permettre ainsi l'alimentation, et vice-versa. Le terminal (20) d'appel est également associé à un module (150, 152) circuit de gestion des communications, qui sert à gérer les communications avec le poste (10) de contrôle, lequel module est conçu pour être activé dès la connexion de l'unité (12) d'alimentation électrique.
PCT/IT2000/000200 2000-05-18 2000-05-18 Systeme de communication pour demandes d'assistance a distance WO2001089187A1 (fr)

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PCT/IT2000/000200 WO2001089187A1 (fr) 2000-05-18 2000-05-18 Systeme de communication pour demandes d'assistance a distance

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Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0078862A1 (fr) * 1980-06-28 1983-05-18 Neumann Elektronik GmbH Dispositif d'appel de secours
FR2610467A1 (fr) * 1987-02-02 1988-08-05 Area Autoroutes Rhone Alpes Installation d'appels d'urgence sur route ou autoroute
DE19653625A1 (de) * 1996-12-20 1998-06-25 Siemens Ag Verfahren und Anordnung zur Fernspeisung mehrerer gleichartiger Verbraucher aus einer Energiequelle

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0078862A1 (fr) * 1980-06-28 1983-05-18 Neumann Elektronik GmbH Dispositif d'appel de secours
FR2610467A1 (fr) * 1987-02-02 1988-08-05 Area Autoroutes Rhone Alpes Installation d'appels d'urgence sur route ou autoroute
DE19653625A1 (de) * 1996-12-20 1998-06-25 Siemens Ag Verfahren und Anordnung zur Fernspeisung mehrerer gleichartiger Verbraucher aus einer Energiequelle

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