WO1990001851A1

WO1990001851A1 - Transmission apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1990001851A1
Application number: PCT/GB1989/000922
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Bernard Frederick Broackes-Carter
Original assignee: Broackes Carter Richard B F
Priority date: 1988-08-11
Filing date: 1989-08-11
Publication date: 1990-02-22
Also published as: GB8819088D0; AU4067289A

Abstract

Apparatus (1) is for transmitting information in condensed form as an analogue signal from a first location (2) to another or second location (3) remote from the first location. There is at the one or transmitting location or station (2) an electronic matrix or grid (4) displayable on a CRT (cathode ray tube) TV-screen or monitor. The TV-screen is connected electronically with an input device comprising in the embodiment shown a keyboard (5) and a processor (6) such as a computer.

Description

TRANSMISSION APPARATUS

The apparatus relates to transmission apparatus, particularly apparatus for transmitting information from one location to another location remote from the one location.

Much of the vast quantity of electronically transmitted messages, every moment in the world are between senders and receivers who speak a common language and indeed the contents of their messages contain largely commonly used and understood alphabet words, phrases and even complete sentences, for example a communication about computers, is more than likely to contain the words 'computer' 'byte''data' 'processor' very frequently to give bur one example.

It seems wasteful and unnecessary to have to transmit each and every digital 'bit' of these commonly understood words, phrases and sentences each;" and everytime a message is sent or received. If it is digitally encoded using for example American Standard Code for Information Exchange such a sentence as 'Her Britannic Majesty's Government' would require 210 binary bits of information to transmit processes of encipherment.

To take another example of the point when an airline is accepting a reservation from a branch office, the flight number, capacity of aircraft and timetable are already known to both sender and receiver, the only precise and uniquely new information would be the name of the passenger and the time and date proposed for travel. However the language to be used by both sender and receiver is commonly understood.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for transmitting information as an analogue signal in a condensed form, comprising an electronic matrix adapted to receive an input of information from an input device, the matrix being adapted to display a discrete item of information at a respective unique point thereon.

There may be means to scan the matrix and receive and/or scan an,image thereof.

The means may be a TV camera.

The TV camera may be associated with a device for transmitting the received image.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for displaying information transmitted in a condensed form as an analogue signal, comprising an electronic matrix adapted to display a discrete item of information at a respective unique point thereon.

The matrix may be a TV screen.

There may be a plurality of discrete points each of which may comprise pixels of the TV screen or light emitting diodes (LEDs).

There may be means for scanning the pixels or LEDs to receive an image of same and convert them into intelligible information.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a communication system for communicating information in condensed form as analogue signals from one location to another location remote from the one position, comprising at the one position an electronic matrix adapted to receive an input of information from an input device , the matrix being adapted to display a discrete item of inf ormation at a respective unique point thereon , means for scanning the matrix and transmitting an image thereof to a second electronic matrix at another position adapted to display a discrete item of information at a respective unique position thereon , the unique position corresponding on the two matrices , and means at another position to scan the matrix and convert any image thereon into intelligible information .

The conversion means may comprise an R . O .M .

The conversion means may also incorporate a means to convert an analogue signal into a digital signal of appropriate square wave-form and correspondingly vice-versa.

The use of colour signals may form the transmission means /receiving means, and by use of suitable filters and logic devices at the. receiving end, the colour signal may form the transmission means whereby discrete information may be sent.

The degree of brightness of the signals transmitted in analogue form may be converted electronically to a corresponding voltage and which after conversion to digital form may by means of logic devices in "cascade" form may be interpreted as discrete signals to give particular information.

The receiving electronic matrix may consist of a suitably designed micro-chips bonded to the outer surface of an evacuated glass tube and may therefore be an extremely small component. 851

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Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows schematically one arrangement for transmitting information in condensed form as an analogue signal from .one location to another, remote, location. The apparatus is for example only.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus 1 shown is for transmitting information in condensed form as an analogue signal from a first location 2 to another or second location 3 remote from the first location.

There is at the one or transmitting location or station 2 an electronic matrix or grid 4 displayable on a CRT (cathode ray tube) TV-screen or monitor. The TV-screen is connected electronically with an input device comprising in the embodiment shown a keyboard 5 and a processor 6 such as a computer.

There is also a scanning device such as a TV video camera 7 for scanning the matrix image 4 and a transmitter 8 for transmitting the image received by the camera 7 to the another or second location or station 3 where it is desired to receive the information. At the second location 3 there is a receiver 9 for receiving the transmission from the first location 2. The receiver 9 is connected electronically with a matrix or grid in the form of a TV screen 10 or system of light emitting diodes (LEDs) which display information in the form of dots or blips of the matrix 4. These dots or blips on the matrix or grid 10 are scanned visually by apparatus 11 which interprets them and converts them into intelligible form. The conversion apparatus 11 may comprise a ROM with a printout 12. The keyboard 5 may have any desired arrangement of keys and shifts which with the processor effectively codes the input information so that it is displayed at its own unique position on the grid 4.

Using the invention it is possible to provide a transmission system which provides "flags" or indications of information sent, instead of the full length digitally produced message as sent by other systems, thus enabling a great deal more information to be sent a great deal more quickly. The 'flag' therefore it will be understood consists of a single digital bit rather than a seven digit binary byte as heretofore.

The apparatus heretofore described would therefore be very useful for transmission of any sort of information, for example in Mail Order shopping, and in reservation bookings for say airlines, where the first location 2 could be a travel agent's office and the location 3 could be the airline reservation headquarters where all reservations are logged.

There may be a logic system at location 3 to interpret the blips on screen 10. Moreover, if the data transmitted is a 'flag' which say equals 100 bits of information, a time lapse flag may be included or a digital message might be superimposed to trigger the message sending as it is fed in.

Claims

1. apparatus for transmitting information as an analogue signal in a condensed form comprising an electronic matrix adapted to receive an input of information from an input device, the matrix being adapted to display a discrete item of information at a respective unique point thereon.

2. .apparatus according to Claim 1, there being means to scan the matrix and receive and/or scan an image thereof.

3. apparatus according to Claim 2, the means comprising a TV camera.

4. apparatus according to Claim 3, the TV camera being associated with a device for transmitting the received image.

5. .apparatus for displaying information transmitted in a condensed form as an analogue signal, comprising an electronic matrix adapted to display a discrete item of information at a respective unique point thereon.

6. -apparatus according to Claim 5, the matrix being a TV screen.

7. .Apparatus according to Claim 6, comprising a plurality of discrete points each of which cαηprises pixels of the TV screen or light emitting diodes (LEDs).

8. .apparatus according to Claim 7, including means for scanning the pixels or LEDs to receive an image of same and convert them into intelligible information.

9. A communication system for communicating information in condensed form as analogue signals from one location to another location remote from the one position, comprising at the one position an electronic matrix adapted to receive an input of information from an input device, the matrix being adapted to display a discrete item of information at a respective unique point thereon, means for scanning the matrix and transmitting an image thereof to a second electronic matrix at another position adapted to display a discrete item of information at a respective unique position thereon, the unique position corresponding on the two matrices, and means at another position to scan the matrix and convert any image thereon into intelligible information.

10. apparatus according to Claim 9, the convernsion comprising an R.O.M.