System for ensuring valid communications between a central control and a plurality of remote modules

Claim 2

An annunciation system for a wireless communications apparatus having a plurality of channels which provides for communications between a central control and a plurality of remote modules and having a plurality of means for selecting individual channels for communication, said annunciation system comprising: means included in the central control for receiving said communications; a plurality of means for visually annunciating whether a particular selected channel is communicating, each annunciating means being located in physical proximity to a corresponding means for selecting a channel so that the operator associates an annunciation with a selected channel; means for determining whether a channel is communicating information validly to said central control; said annunciating means further including, a first light emitting diode having an emission spectrum of essentially a first color; a second light emitting diode having an emission spectrum of essentially a second color; said first and second diodes being connected in parallel and oppositely poled to form a two terminal visual annunciation means, wherein said annunciating means will display said first color if current is applied to said terminals in a first direction and will display said second color if current is applied to said terminals in the opposite direction; and said annunciating means displaying a third color, which is a combination of said first color and second color, when current is applied to/said terminal in an alternating manner.

Claim 3

An annunciation system as set forth in claim 1 which further includes: a digital latch having at least two inputs and two outputs, said outputs being adapted to source or sink current depending upon the logic level presented to said latch inputs, each of said latch outputs being connected to one of said annunciating means terminals.

Claim 4

An annunciation system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said latch includes: a plurality of inputs connected to the data bus of a microprocessor control and an input enable line connected to an address selection output of said control.

Claim 7

The method set forth in claim 4 which includes the additional step of: selecting more than one of said remote modules for communications, combining said received information from more than one selected modules into a combined information signal; and displaying said combination information signal if all of said more than one selected modules are communicating correctly.

Claim 8

The method set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination With an amber color Which blinks if said at least one selected module was communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and is not presently communicating correctly.

Claim 9

The method set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination with a green color if said at least one selected module was communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and is presently communicating correctly.

Claim 10

The method set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination with a green color which blinks if said at least selected one module was not communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and if presently communicating correctly.

Claim 11

The method set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination with a red color if said at least one selected module was not communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and is not presently communicating correctly.

Claim 12

The method set forth in claim 4 which further includes: subtracting said calibration value from said information to form a corrected information signal; and displaying said corrected information signal.

Claim 13

An annunciation system for a wireless communications apparatus having a plurality of channels which provides bidirectional communication between a central control and a plurality of remote modules and having a plurality of means for selecting individual channels for communication, said annunciation system comprising: means included in the central control for receiving said communications; a plurality of means for visually annunciating whether a particular selected channel is communicating, each annunciating means being located in physical proximity to a corresponding means for selecting a channel so that the operator associated a visual annunciation with a selected channel; said visual annunciating means including a first light emitting diode having an emission spectrum of essentially a first color, a second light emitting diode having an emission spectrum of essentially a second color, said first and second diodes being connected in parallel and oppositely poled to form a two terminal visual annunciation means; wherein said visual annunciation means will display said first color if current is applied to said terminals in a first direction, will display said second color if current is applied to said terminals in the opposite direction, and will display a third color, which is a combination of said first color and second color if current is applied to said terminals in an alternating manner; and means included in the central control for determining whether a channel is communicating information validly to the central control.

Claim 14

An annunciation system for a wireless communications apparatus having a plurality of channels which provides bidirectional communication between a central control and a plurality of remote modules and having a plurality of means for selecting individual channels for communication, said annunciation system comprising: means included in the central control for receiving said communications; a plurality of means for visually annunciating whether a particular selected channel is communicating, each annunciating means being located in physical proximity to a corresponding means for selecting a channel so that the operator associated a visual annunciation with a selected channel; said visual annunciating means including a first light emitting diode having an emission spectrum of essentially a first color, a second light emitting diode having an emission spectrum of essentially a second color, said first and second diodes being connected in parallel and oppositely poled to form a two terminal visual annunciation means; wherein said visual annunciation means will display said first color if current is applied to said terminals in a first direction, will display said second color if current is applied to said terminals in the opposite direction, and will display a third color, which is a combination of said first color and second color if current is applied to said terminals in an alternating manner; and means included in the central control for determining whether a channel is communicating information validly to the central control.

Claim 15

An annunciation system as set forth in claim 11 which further includes: a digital latch having at least two inputs and two outputs, said outputs being adapted to source or sink current depending upon the logic levels presented to said latch inputs, each of said latch outputs being connected to one of said visual annunciating means terminals.

Claim 16

An annunciation system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said latch includes: a plurality of inputs connected to a data bus of a microprocessor control and an input enable line connected to an address selection output of said microprocessor control.

Claim 19

The method set forth in claim 14 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination with an amber color which blinks if said at least one selected module was communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and is not presently communicating correctly.

Claim 20

The method set forth in claim 14 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination with a green color if said at least one selected module was communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and is presently communicating correctly.

Claim 21

The method set forth in claim 14 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination with a green color which blinks if said at least selected one module was not communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and is presently communicating correctly.

Claim 22

The method set forth in claim 14 wherein said step of operating an LED combination includes: illuminating the combination with a red color if said at least one selected module was not communicating correctly when said calibration value was stored and is not presently communicating correctly.

Claim 23

The method set forth in claim 14 which further includes: subtracting said calibration value from said information to form a corrected information signal; and displaying said corrected information signal.