System for recognizing and managing codes for accessing multiple services

Abstract

 System for recognizing and managing codes for accessing multiple services, comprising at least one transmission unit (1) and at least one receiving unit (6); the transmission unit (1) is adapted to generate a code and to send a signal, coded according to the code, by means of multimode transmission media (3); the receiving unit (6) is adapted to receive the coded signal transmitted by the multimode media and to reconstruct the sequence of logic levels that constitute the code for access to one or more services; a control and decoding (10) section is associated with the receiving unit (6) and is adapted to process the logic level sequence, extract therefrom the specific code of the transmission unit (1) from which it originates, and send it to a storage logic unit (11) in which the clearance code of the service is stored; a service control unit (12) is connected to the control and decoding section.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for recognizing and managing codes for accessing multiple services.

[0002] It is known that the systems currently used to access a service include a transmitter which transmits a coded signal and is operatively associated with a receiver that is provided with a logic controller which activates the service if the received signal corresponds to the signal set on said receiver.

[0003] This method has limitations, especially as regards the possibility of controlling access to different services or to hierarchically differing services within the same installation.

[0004] A technical aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a system that obviates the above mentioned drawbacks and therefore allows to recognize and manage codes for accessing multiple services.

[0005] Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a system in which the clearance codes of the logic unit assigned to service control can be programmed by acting on the transmission medium used in the recognition process, by operating from a remote station which is capable of interfacing with the receiver, and also by acting only on the logic unit, which is interfaced with a computer equipped with dedicated software.

[0006] With this aim and objects and others that will become apparent hereinafter there is provided, according to the present invention, a system for recognizing and managing codes for accessing multiple services, which is characterized in that it comprises at least one transmitting unit and at least one receiving unit, said transmitting unit being adapted to generate a code and to send a signal, coded according to said code, by means of multimode transmission media, said receiving unit being adapted to receive said coded signal transmitted by said multimode media and to reconstruct the sequence of logic levels that constitute the code for access to one or more services, a control and decoding section being associated with said receiving unit and being adapted to process said logic level sequence, extract therefrom the specific code of the transmitting unit from which it originates, and send it to a storage logic unit in which the clearance code of the service is stored, a service control unit being connected to said control and decoding section.

[0007] Further particularities of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a block diagram of the system; and

figures 2 and 3 are two flowcharts related to the operating method of the receiving unit.

[0008] With reference to figure 1, the system comprises a plurality of transmitting units 1, each comprising a code generator 2, the output signal of which is sent to a transmitter 3.

[0009] The code generator 2 consists of a generator that produces a sequence of pulses of known length, with a duty cycle that can vary according to the logic level to be represented. Each transmitting unit 1 is characterized by a different code. The reference numeral 4 designates a carrier generator, the output signal of which, together with the signal at the output of the code generator 2, is sent to a modulator 5 of the ON-OFF type, i.e. capable of producing a modulation which consists in the presence or absence of carrier at the output.

[0010] The signal at the output of the modulator 5 is sent to the transmitter 3, which is of the multimode type, that is to say, capable of processing the signal of the modulator so as to be able to send it by radio to a receiving unit 6, or adapted to process the signal that originates from the code generator 2 to transmit it to the receiving unit 6 by optical means, by means of a proximity effect, or by means of a capacitive effect.

[0011] For this purpose, the transmitter can include an antenna, if the code is communicated by radio transmission by means of a modulated signal or by means of a proximity effect; a LED, if communication occurs optically; or an appropriately sized conductor, if communication occurs by using the capacitive effect.

[0012] The receiving unit 6 comprises a multimode receiver 7, which comprises an antenna for receiving the modulated signal transmitted by radio or by proximity effect, or it comprises a photodiode if communication occurs optically, or an appropriately sized conductor if communication occurs by means of the capacitive effect.

[0013] The signal at the output of the receiver is transmitted to a comparator circuit 8. In the case of a modulated signal, there is a section 9 that filters the high-frequency component of the carrier.

[0014] Starting from the received and optionally filtered signal, the comparator 8 reconstructs the sequence of logic levels that constitute the code. This sequence is transmitted to a control and decoding section 10 that processes it and extracts from it the specific code of the transmitting unit from which it originates.

[0015] A storage logic unit 11 is furthermore installed in each receiving unit 6 and is managed by the decoding section 10, programming by request the codes cleared to use the system.

[0016] The decoding section 10 drives, on the basis of the decoded information, one or more users by means of respective control units 12.

[0017] Said control units 12 consist of relay-equipped boards which are driven by the control and decoding section to close the contacts according to different functions depending on the selected configuration (standard, bistable, or time-controlled contact).

[0018] The logic units 11 contain the information required for the operation of the control logic of the receiving unit 6 and store the set of the codes that provide clearance for use of the system.

[0019] The receiving unit 6 is capable of controlling the programming and management of the logic unit 11 by switching from the "code recognition" mode to the "code programming" mode. The procedure for programming a code to be included in the list of cleared codes uses the same transmission medium used during recognition.

[0020] Codes can be set directly by using transmitting units 1 and receiving units 6.

[0021] Management of the logic units 11 at a higher level uses programming units 13; the logic units can be connected to said programming units after being removed from the receiving unit 6. The receiving unit can also be connected to a remote programming unit 15 by means of an interfacing device 14 which consists for example of a serial port that uses the RS-232 standard. In normal operating conditions, the receiving unit 6 is preset to operate in the "code recognition" mode.

[0022] According to this mode, illustrated by the flowchart of figure 2, when a transmitting unit 1 sends a coded signal by means of one of the available transmission media (radio, proximity effect, photo-optical effect, capacitive effect), said signal, reconstructed by the comparator 8, is sent to the control and decoding section 10 in the form of a sequence of logic levels. If this sequence is not interpreted by the control section as a "valid code" 16, no operation is performed. If instead this sequence is interpreted as a "valid code" 17, the control and decoding section 10 searches the list of codes stored in the logic unit 11. If this search yields a negative result 18, no further operation is performed; if instead it yields a positive result, a signal 19 is supplied to the units 12 to activate the services.

[0023] The receiver 6 can be switched not only to the "code recognition" mode but also to the "code programming" mode (see figure 3) to receive and store the received codes in the logic unit 11. A preliminary check is performed to determine whether the logic unit is write-protected. If this check yields a negative result 20, the validity of the code is checked. This can be done for example by checking whether the sequence of logic levels meets or fails the necessary timing requirements. If this check fails, the procedure is deactivated by request 21 or when a timeout period ends if a valid code 22 has not been entered in the meantime. If the validity requirements of the code are met 23, i.e. if a "valid code" is recognized, the logic controller 11 checks whether the code is already present among the cleared ones and if so 24 performs no further operations and prepares itself to receive other codes.

[0024] If the code is not already present 25 and storage space is still available, said code is added to the list of cleared codes 26 and the timeout period is reset.

[0025] The receiving unit 6 is also capable of fully deleting the logic unit if it is not protected.

[0026] It is evident that the described invention perfectly achieves the intended aim and objects. The proposed system in fact allows to couple a single code generator to different remote transmission media so as to allow a user provided with a single transmitter to access services whose receivers entail the use of different kinds of sensor. Each receiver is provided with a control and storage unit that allows to manage a large number of different codes (not just one as occurs in conventional dip-switch systems).

[0027] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. System for recognizing and managing codes for accessing multiple services, characterized in that it comprises at least one transmitting unit (1) and at least one receiving unit (6), said at least one transmitting unit (1) being adapted to generate a code and to send a signal, coded according to said code, by means of multimode transmission media, said at least one receiving unit (6) being adapted to receive said coded signal transmitted by said multimode media and to reconstruct the sequence of logic levels that constitute the code for access to one or more services, a control and decoding section (10) being associated with each of said at least one receiving unit and being adapted to process said logic level sequence, extract therefrom the specific code of the at least one transmitting unit (1) from which it originates, and send it to a storage logic unit (11) in which the clearance code of the service is stored, a service control unit (12) being connected to said control and decoding section.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said storage logic units (11) are adapted to program a code by using said multimode transmission media.

3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said storage logic units (11) can be connected to a programming unit (13) after removing them from said receiving unit (6).

4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said storage logic units (11) can be connected to a remote programming unit (15) which is capable of interfacing with said receiving unit (6) by means of an interface means with an appropriate communications protocol.

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transmitting unit (1) comprises a code generator (2), a carrier generator (4), a modulator (5) which is adapted to modulate the output signal of said code and carrier generators, and a multimode transmitter (3) which is connected to the outputs of said code generator (2) and of said modulator (5) and is adapted to transmit a multimode signal.

6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that said transmitter (1) is adapted to process the signal of the modulator (5) and to transmit it by radio to said receiving unit (6) or to process the signal originating from the code generator to transmit it optically, by proximity effect, or by capacitive effect to said receiving unit (6).

7. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said receiving unit (6) comprises a multimode receiver (7) the output signal of which is sent to a comparator (8) which is adapted to reconstruct the sequence of logic levels that constitute the code, a control and decoding section (10) being furthermore provided which is adapted to process said sequence of logic levels and extract therefrom the specific code of the transmitting unit (1) from which it originates, said control and decoding section (10) being adapted to manage said storage logic unit (11) and said user control unit.

Drawing