GB2282251A

GB2282251A - Remote data terminal

Info

Publication number: GB2282251A
Application number: GB9415858A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerard Camile Lesbazeilles
Original assignee: ESCA TELECOMUNICACOES Ltda
Current assignee: ESCA TELECOMUNICACOES Ltda
Priority date: 1993-08-31
Filing date: 1994-08-05
Publication date: 1995-03-29
Also published as: CA2131207A1; FR2709584A1; IT1269649B; ITRE940044A0; DE4344239A1; GB9415858D0; BR9303182A; JPH07212302A; ITRE940044A1

Description

2282251 1 REMOTE DATA TERMINAL This invention relates to a remote data

terminal, and more particularly to a portable unit specially developed to be used as an on-board terminal in various vehicles hooked up to satellite communication systems such as happens, for example, in some types of road transport vehicles.

In this and other types of transport it is important to have a parallel system for monitoring from the time the vehicle leaves its point of departure until it reaches its destination since, as is common knowledge, there are many types of cargo which require special care in terms of security, not just because of possible theft but also because of accidents in the broad sense and other similar situations. Is it also important to be able to monitor aspects or data relating to the journey itself and the vehicle as well as the driver so that it is possible to control every situation exactly logically in order to guarantee or establish a correct route with every security possible for the driver, vehicle and cargo.

Data terminals such as a lap-top and palm-top are known, which have only two function keys.

The main purpose of the terminal in question of the present invention is to provide a unit able significantly to improve the operational aspect of e.g.

2 a satellite communication system.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a remote data terminal, including a body, an emergency key situated on the body, a video display on the body, 5 a function keyboard, and a bell/alarm.

Preferably its main characteristics guarantee the necessary requirements for such an application, viz preferably it has one or more of the following characteristics: it is a lightweight unit of small dimensions; its hardware is designed for use in hostile environments; it has a liquid crystal display with e.g. 132 alphanumeric characters with graphics capacity; it has e.g. 3 function keys with an extra one for activating a special emergency condition; it has e.g.

32 kbytes of RAM memory (non-volatile) and e.g. 32 kbytes of EPROM memory; it is totally mounted in a body in the form of a box made of e.g. epoxy resin covered with integral skin protective rubber; and has an ergonomic design making it possible to operate the unit with only one hand.

In order to give a better understanding of this invention, a detailed description of an embodiment thereof will now be made, making reference to the attached diagrams, where:

Figure 1 represents a view of the apparatus; from the top; Figure 2 shows a side view of the apparatus; and 3 Figure 3 is a view of the block diagram of the apparatus.

In accordance with these illustrations and in its details, in particular Fiaures 1 and 2, this remote data terminal is integrally mounted in a body (1) made of epoxy resin covered with integral skin protective rubber, with one part (2) practically in the form of a box with the bottom side having a support or clamp (3) for fixing the apparatus to a suitable place on the vehicle dashboard.

An emergency key (4) is situated on the righthand lateral side with, also, a video display (5) on the top side. Finally the front side or part of the above-mentioned box (2) has an extension (6) in the form of a panel which, apart from a function keyboard (7) and a bell/alarm (8), also has an umbilical cable attached with a cable (9) coming out of it. The terminal thus forms an ideal body which, apart from possessing an ergonomic design allowing the unit to be operated with only one hand, also has the facilities for mounting the electronic part.

The electronic part is schematically illustrated in Figure 3 where it can be seen that it consists of the following blocks: processor (10), program memory (11) implemented as EPROM with a capacity of 32 kbytes, data memory (12) implemented as RAM with a capacity of 32 kbytes and with an option for non-volatile 4 operation, function keyboard (7-4), sensor unit (13), actuator unit (14) and driver (15) for the display (16).

In the processor (10) use may be made of a microcontroller belonging to the Intel 8051 family operating at 11 MHz; it uses the address and data buses to access the program memory (11) and the data memory (12); it uses its input/output ports to interface with the functiorf keyboard (4-7), sensor unit (13) and actuator unit (14) blocks.

Three serial channels may be implemented: channel 1 is implemented through input/output ports and is used for communication with the driver (15) of the display (16); channel 2 is implemented through input/output ports and is used for communication with the on-board computer (CB); and serial channel 3 is implemented through the usart of the microcontroller and is used for communication with the transceiver (T).

The processor (10) is connected to the trans- ceiver (T) by means of serial channel 3 in order e.g. to carry out all transactions of sending and receiving messages with the central station of the satellite communication system.

In the event that an on-board computer (CB) is installed in the vehicle, the processor (10) may be connected to the same via serial channel 2 so that information processed by the on-board computer (CB) can be transmitted to the central station.

The function keyboard consists of two sets of keys (4) and (7) in which the first is implemented by just one key used for indicating the special emergency condition while the second is implemented by three keys and allows the implementation of the entire man-machine interface.

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Claims

CLAIMS:

A remote data terminal, including: a body; an emergency key situated on the body; a video display on the body; a function keyboard, and a bell/alarm.
2. A remote data terminal according to Claim 1 including a cable internally connected to an electronic part of the-terminal mounted inside the body.
3. A remote data terminal according to Claim 2 wherein the electronic part consists of the following blocks: processor; program memory; data memory, function keyboard, sensor unit, actuator unit and driver for the display.
4. A remote data terminal according to Claim 3, wherein the processor is a microcontroller which uses the address and data buses to access the program memory and the data memory and also uses its input/output ports to interface with the function keyboard, sensor unit and actuator unit blocks.
5. A remote data terminal according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, including three serial channels: channel 1 being implemented through input/output ports and used for communication with the driver of the display; 7 channel 2 being implemented through input/output ports and used for communication with an on-board computer; and serial channel 3 being implemented through the usart of the microcontroller and used for communication with the transceiver.
6. A remote data terminal according to Claim 5, wherein the processor is connected to the transceiver by means of serial channel 3 in order to carry out transactions of sending and receiving messages with the central station of the satellite communication system.
7. A remote data terminal according to Claim 5, wherein, in the event that an on-board computer is installed in a vehicle, the processor is connected to the same via serial channel 2 so that information processed by the on-board computer is transmitted to the central station.
8. A remote data terminal according to any of the above claims, wherein the function keyboard consists of two sets of keys in which the first is implemented by just one key used for indicating the special emergency condition while the second is implemented by three keys allowing the implementation of the entire man-machine interface.

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9. A remote data terminal according to any of the above claims, wherein the body substantially comprises epoxy resin covered with integral skin protective rubber.
10. A remote data terminal substantially as any embodiment herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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