HOME/OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS
`
`The real challenge of providing effective man-to-machine communications will culminate in
`man's home and his office. The future household will, in all probability, be a giant electric
`“appliance” that will be plugged into a nationwide communications network. The building
`blocks are available in the telephone and the television receiver. Today experimental infor-
`mation services for the home are in operation globally in test communities. They are based
`on two-way television. In the future, besides information retrieval, other more complex
`chores will be performed by specialized terminals that will combine microprocessors with
`conventional hardware. Laboratory systems being developed are based on a residential
`power center, the television receiver, and the telephone.
`In the office, sophisticated tools need to be integrated into automated work stations. To
`meet that goal, both the manufacturer and the user of the equipment must chart the course.
`Methods of integration must be found in both hardware and software so there is easy access
`' by man to machine in the “office of the future.” Also, communication paths that facilitate
`access to equipment in other offices must be charted. As local nodes are built up and become
`self sufficient, they will become part of nationwide information networks. New equipment,
`in addition to changing the office environment, will cause upheavals in the organizational
`structure. As in the home, the availability of new services and novel systems will depend to a
`great extent on relaxed regulation by government agencies.
`
`
`
` @%E§@
`
`Teletext services pave the way for a variety of useful
`monitoring and control features in the home
`
`the only capability that ad-
`is not
`lnformation retrieval
`vanced electronics can offer to households. Other, more
`complex chores can be performed by specialized terminals
`that combine microprocessors with relatively conventional
`hardware. Three experimental systems now in the laboratory
`would do the following in homes:
`l. Control the use of electricity to avert overloading at
`utilities that can lead to blackouts.
`2. Turn the television receiver into a programmable infor-
`mation/entertainment center.
`3. Use the telephone at idle times for meter reading, alarm
`reporting, and the remote monitoring and control of
`lighting, heating, and air-conditioning.
`
`by radio, telephone line, CATV cable or power line. These and
`other loads can also be controlled by customer use of a pro-
`grammable device, manual controls or an adaptive control
`that prevents the total load from exceeding some limit.
`The system may include a display. ln its simplest form, this
`may be a signal lamp that lights on command from the utility
`to indicate that cycling of the major loads has begun, that all
`but essential loads should be shed or that a blackout is immi-
`nent. The display may also include a household demand
`meter that gives information on current load. More
`sophisticated units could give historical information and
`perform limited analysis of recent consumption. In areas
`where time-of-day pricing is employed, time would be an im-
`portant input to the householder’s programmer and display.
`
`Controlling power consumption automatically
`Wider use of TV receivers planned
`When there is excess demand by consumers for power,
`In a television receiver, microprocessor and electronic ac-
`utilities have no choice but to shed load to maintain system
`tuation permit the random selection of channels. But new
`stability. For the householder, this generally means a period
`conveniences are in the offing:
`.
`of intermittent or total blackout. Shaving these peak loads
`The receiver can also be programmed to provide
`can reduce the frequency of such occurrences, conserve fuel,
`automatic reception of specific channels at specific times for
`and reduce the need for expensive,
`inefficient peak—load
`viewing or recording. A sequence of instructions can be
`generating equipment. Automatic load control can help
`entered to insure that interesting programs are not missed
`achieve these goals.
`throughout the week. Day, date, time, and channel number
`ln the experimental load-control and energy-management
`can be superimposed on the picture at will. What’s more,
`system in Fig. 1, the primary power circuit of the load center
`is divided into individual circuits connected to such loads as
`simple messages can be composed, stored, retrieved, and
`displayed as a means of family communication. If a teletext
`lights and appliances. These connections are controlled by
`service is available, signal decoding, page selection, and
`commands either from the utility or the customer. Major
`storage of additional information are possible. Graphics can
`loads like the water heater, a space heater, or air-conditioner
`be generated, and with the addition of joysticks, games can
`can be turned off or on by the utility via a command carried
`be played.
`
`The degree of flexibility of such an information/entertaim
`
`E. Bryan Carne GTE Laboratories Inc.
`ment center (Fig. 2) largely depends on the capability of the
`00l8-9235/79/1000-006l$00.75©1979 IEEE
`IEEE spectrum OCTOBER 1979
`
`61
`
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`Loads that can
`be shed by
`householder
`
`Loads that can
`be shed by utility
`or householder:
`
`water heater,
`space heater,
`air conditioner, etc.
`
`microprocessor. With the exception of teletext, which is
`already formatted, all other functions and displays can be
`constructed from information placed in memory.
`‘
`For time-dependent control of the receiver functions, a
`programmable, nonvolatile memory stores the channel
`selections programmed by the viewer for automatic activa-
`tion. An audible alarm indicates the receiver has been
`automatically turned on. In one experimental system, ap~
`proximately 4000 bytes of memory are used to list
`preprogrammed channels, provide automatic activation,
`and display date, time, and channel number on demand.
`More memory is needed for playing games. Sophisticated
`coding and presentations oflimited complexity permit a col-
`or picture to be described in about 2000 bytes. Movement of
`the entire picture in a wraparound mode can be achieved
`through scanning of a larger memory. Additional
`foreground memory or dedicated symbol hardware provide
`fast, smooth, complex motion. The detection of symbol-to—
`symbol and symbol-to-background collisions, required in
`many games, can be performed in hardware, which may also
`contain rules indicating which symbol shall dominate. New
`game programs can be loaded from a cassette or a different
`ROM module.
`
`Using the phone to monitor the home
`The average household uses the telephone circuit as a talk-
`ing path only a small fraction of the day—perhaps 30
`minutes. With additional electronics, the line can be used for
`new services.
`With a system like the one in Fig. 3A, the customer could
`monitor the status ofa household device by calling the home
`telephone. if no one was at home, the ringing would activate
`a message recorder. The customer would transmit a coded
`signal with the pushbuttons on the originating phone. Upon
`receipt of the correct coded signal,
`the recorder would
`generate a short acknowledgement tone. The recorder would
`then disconnect, and the equipment would be ready to
`receive codes from the customer to be turned on or off.
`The input/output circuitry for such a system contains a
`ring detector, a tone detector, an AM) converter to digitize the
`signal tones for decoding in the microprocessor, and an
`answering tone generator. The microprocessor interprets the
`received signals, executes the appropriate functions, and
`sends the proper code to the answering tone generator.
`Besides responding to a call, the system can also place calls
`in response to signals from alarms and can transmit data
`messages to answering points. Approximately 2000 bytes of
`memory are used in the experimental unit in Fig. 3B, which
`contains an information display and includes wired teletext.
`
`Three fields hold key to progress
`Developments like these will depend largely on continuing
`advances in three major areas: increased levels of integration
`
`[1] In load control and ener y management applications, a
`"smart" toad center (top, le t) receives a command trom the
`utility or householder to manage the load. This may be done
`to contain peak demand or to minimize cost.
`
`[2] With the addition of a microprocessor, input devices, con-
`trol logic, and a display generator, a conventional television
`receivertbottom, left) can be made toturn oil and on at times
`determined by the householders. Or it can display interma-
`tion or be used to play games.
`
`IEEE spectrum OCTOBER 1979
`
`PMC Exhibit 2144
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`Power alert
`
`Householder command
`
`signal
`Load
`
`Programmed.
`adaptive, or
`mama‘ °°mr°‘
`
`
`
`
`Utility command
`
`Radio
`Teiephone
`CATV
`Pow” line
`
`Power
`2:.
`
`
`
`Meter reading
`interrogation and
`response by radio,
`telephone, CATV,
`or power line
`
`Keypad
`Cassette
`Joystick
`
`62
`
`Microprocessor
`
`

`
`Teletext and viewdata—a primer
`in the home of the future, teletext and viewdata information-
`retrieval systems are expected to be as common as TV enter-
`tainment is today. Teletext and viewdata are mediums for
`transmitting text and simple graphics to a television
`receiver. In both, the information is digitally encoded for
`transmission and is organized into pages.
`in teletext, the digital code is included in a television
`signal and is cyclically repeated. The,.television receiver
`grabs the page of interest and stores it locally.
`in viewdata, the digital code is modulated onto an audio-
`frequency carrier that is usually transmitted over a
`telephone channel. The terminal requests pages, which are
`sent individually and stored locally. Unlike teletext,
`viewdata is interactive.
`Teletext signals are analog representations of digital bits
`inserted on two lines of the television receivers's vertical
`blanking signal. A threshold sensor device makes the transi-
`tion from the analog television signal to the digital signal-
`handling circuits. The teletext data base is usually organ-
`ized on a menu basis.
`Teletext signals consist of a clock run-in burst. a framing
`code, a preamble, and an ASCII-like code. The viewdata
`signals are of an asynchronous nature, similar to teletype
`writer signals. They contain a start bit and a stop bit. Clock
`run-in and framing codes are unnecessary. The bits are
`modulated onto the audio-frequency carrier by use of
`frequency-shift-keying modulation techniques.
`In teletext——because the data is coded onto normally
`unusedlines ofatelevisiontransmission——faultsthat would
`be tolerated for television may cause data-recovery prob-
`lems. And becausethe numberof unused linesis limited,the
`total data content is limited.
`The viewdata decoder is connected to the user’s
`telephone line and uses the public telephone network to
`transmit characters to and from the computerized data
`base. System capacity is limited only by physical restraints.
`Because individual connections are used, service can be
`personal.
`Teletext evolved as an extension of British efforts to
`transmit captions to the deaf. Developed by the British
`Broadcasting Corp. in the early 70s, the system is in use on
`more than 50 000 sets in the United Kingdom. It is known as
`Ceefax on the two noncommercial BBC channels and as
`Oracle on the commercial channels. To view the service, a
`subscriber pushes 1-0-0 on a keypad. which produces an in-
`dex of major headings, such as News, Weather, and Travel,
`Sports, Finance, and Entertainment. Sub-indexes give a
`specific number for particular subjects—for example, 1-2-6
`calls up a stock-market report. Pushing another button
`restores the regular program to the screen.
`Prestel is the trade name for the British Post Offices
`viewdata service—the first such public service. Last March
`the initial service was made available to London-based
`residential users. By the early 80s, the viewdata service will
`be offered to customers in Manchester and Birmingham,
`with over 60 percent of all telephone users having toll-free
`accesstothe service.
`The Prestel data base is structured in free form. The user
`progresses down the tree by keying numbers alongside the
`information required from a handheld keypad. The same pro-
`cedure—that of selecting one item from each frame-—is
`repeated at each level until the required information is
`received. For example, the customer might select Travel and
`follow successive branches in the tree-structure search
`technique to obtain a listing of hotels in the city of his
`choice.
`Any organization can become an information provider to
`Prestel for an initial charge of $500 plus $2 per page per year,
`with a minimum of 100 pages. Over 160 organizations have
`subscribed to the initial 185 000-frame capacity of Prestel.
`The index includes 1000 topics ranging from Accident
`Prevention to Yoga.
`Ceefax, Oracle, and Prestel information is transmitted
`
`Carne——The wired household
`
`asychronously in 8-bit ASCII code, decoded into 5 x 7 dot
`matrix elements, and displayed in color in 24 lines of 40
`characters. In the broadcast systems, 6.9-Mbls data is in-
`serted on two lines per field. it may take up to 20 s after a re-
`quest is made for a pageto appear. In the wired system, data
`is sent to the subscriber at a rate of 1200 bls. Requests from
`the subscriber are sent at a rate of 75 b/s. A page of informa-
`tion can be called up in a few seconds.
`Countries conducting research and trials based on
`Prestel standards include; Sweden (Datavision), Finland
`(Telset), and Bell Canada (Vista). France is developing a
`similar viewdata system called Telitel (formerly Antiope),
`which uses somewhat different standards but has much in
`common with Prestel—data rate, for instance. The French
`teletext version, Didon, uses a nonsynchronous transmis-
`sion scheme that is suited to all television formats. The
`British system uses a synchronous method in which
`character position on the screen is tied to a specific position
`in the television line used to broadcast the digital data.
`Two developments differ markedly from Prestel. Japan's
`Captains system uses a central character generator to cope
`with the complexity of the Katakaha alphabet. In Canada,
`the Department of Communications has developed Telidon,
`an alphanumeric technique that provides high-resolution
`graphics displays. Characterized as a second-generation in-
`formation retrieval system, Telidon incorporates a complex
`coding scheme that makes it possible to display
`photograph-like images as well as standard graphics and
`alphanumerics. Other improvements relate to economy of
`transmission and use with variable resolution terminals.
`Several other countries—including West Germany, the
`Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland, along with Hong
`Kong—-are planning or testing national services based on
`one or another of these sytems.
`In the United States, CBS is testing two teletext systems:
`the British Ceefax/Oracle and the French Antiope. Test
`transmissions are being conducted at KMOX-TV in St. Louis.
`The station is transmitting teletext on lines 15 and 16 of the
`television signal to produce a page comprising 20 lines,
`each of 32 characters.
`in June 1978, KSL-TV in Salt Lake City became the first
`U.S. station to transmit teletext for test purposes. The
`system uses British standards (24 rows of 40 characters
`each) modified to the U.S. page of 20 lines of 32 characters
`each. The advertiser-sponsored service will permit the user
`to request a desired page by punching appropriate codes in-
`to a Touch-Tone phone. There will be no connection between
`telephone and receiver.
`Oak Communications Inc., a cmv supplier in Crystal Lake,
`lll., has developed a teletext system called Videotext that
`will allow cable operators to supply alphanumeric informa-
`tion to customers. And Micro-TV inc. of Philadelphia is offer-
`ing the lnfo-Text teletext system to send the news services
`of Reuters, United Press international, and the Associated
`Press to cable operators.
`Some 200 farmers in Kentucky will soon begin receiving
`weather and crop information over a modified wired teletext
`system known as Green Thumb, supported by the U.S.
`Department of Agriculture.
`The New YorkTimes Corp. has announced a two-year pilot
`project to test interest in wired teletext. Plans call for
`weather, sports, news, and movie schedules to be made
`available to 150 to 200 homes.
`The General Telephone & Electronics Corp. has recently
`been licensed to offer Prestel service in the U.S. A market
`trial is planned after modification of the software and iden-
`tification of information providers.
`Although the United States has more communications
`equipment per capita than any other country in the world,
`the development of advanced communications and informa-
`tion systems lags other countries. This can be attributed in
`part to an uncertain regulatory environment and the
`absence of a central standardization tradition.
`—Ed.
`
`63
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`Testinglstatus panel
`
`
`
`‘Q3 Main telephone
`
`- — -- Extensions
`
`Lighting, heating.
`air conditioning, etc.
`
`Alarms, meters
`
` ’
`
`’.£‘e-:.'.we
`“ V. mghibfed ,
`
`
`
`Telephone line
`
`
`
`
`
`Microprocessor
`
`
`
`[3A] Adding a microprocessor
`and other devices to a conven-
`tional
`telephone allows
`household equipment to be
`monitored and controlled
`remotely. In addition emergen-
`cy services can be summoned
`automatically, and information
`can be displayed.
`[33] This version of a remotely-
`controlled telephone uses a
`color display lor retrieval of in-
`formation from a wired teletext
`service.
`
`in digital circuits, the operation of satellite circuits at higher
`frequencies, and improved optical communications prod-
`ucts.
`Today the most complex IC chip in a memory contains
`64 000 bits. By 1985, advances in chip size, element density,
`and circuit design are expected to produce chips containing
`at least one million elements. These super chips will provide
`renewed impetus to the implementation of more features
`digitally, and they can be expected to produce a continuing
`demand for low-cost A/D and [VA conversion.
`Higher frequencies for orbiting satellites provide the
`potential for distribution of information and entertainment
`signals of value to communications/information services.
`Although the orbital slots for satellites operating at 4/6 GHZ
`
`are virtually filled, space is still available at ll/14 Gl-l7., and
`the entire orbital are is available at 18/30 GHz. At these very
`high frequencies, the radiation pattern from the satellite can
`be split into many spot beams, each illuminating a small area
`of the earth. This allows the same frequencies to be used in
`different geographical areas.
`Optical fibers provide a wideband transmission path of ex-
`tremely small physical cross section that is free from power
`and radio~frcquency interference. Point-to-point com-
`munications applications have already been demon-
`strated~including the transmission of digital signals inside
`the telephone network and the transmission of video signals
`for video conferencing and cable TV. Effective local distribu-
`tion of mixed signals—voice, data, and video—will be possi-
`IEEE spectrum OCTOBER 1979
`
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`ble as soon as adequate networking components have been
`perfected and some form of optical switch has been
`developed. The latter could be an important component in
`the local distribution of personal video services.
`
`Putting the computer into the home
`An all-encompassing household communications/infon
`mation system (Fig. 4) centers on a home computer that sup-
`ports three subsystems: information and entertainment,
`command and control, and administration. lt receives radio
`
`[4]A “total” household communicationslintormation
`system, in which communications are provided by power
`line, telephone, cable television, and broadcast services.
`Household activities are supported by a computer.
`
`
`Power
`
`signals transmitted over the air; television signals from ter-
`restrial, cable, and satellite facilities; administrative signals
`from an electric utility, and signals from the telephone net-
`work. A myriad of household products and applieances can
`be controlled by the system. In principle, a single wideband
`connection like an optical fiber could link the system with the
`world.
`The information and entertainment subsystem could pro-
`vide the following:
`0 Retrieval, schedule, and library information, as well as
`news and reports. It would use the television receiver, a
`teletext decoder, telephone, modem, and keypad or key-
`board/printer, supported by broadcast teletext services,
`wired teletext services, community services or other sources.
`
`
`
`, CableTV
`
`
`
`Telephone
`
`‘V.
`
`
`
`VHF UHF
`
`Telephone
`
`Message
`recorder ' Power
`
`circuits
`
`Television
`
` Camera
`
`information
`and
`entertainment
`
` Microphone
`
`Administration
`
`Hot water
`heater
`
`Alarm
`
`Space heater
`
`Keyboardlprinter
`
`Storagalhousehold
`data base
`
`Fire
`alarm
`
` Doorlwindow
`security
`
`Elderly person in
`need ol assistance
`
`Carnc—The wired household
`
`65
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`Temperature
`
`
`
`Humidity
`
`Air conditioner
`
`
`
`

`
`0 Interactive education for preschool or in-school students
`and interested adults.
`0 Interactive games and intellectual entertainment for
`children and adults.
`0 interactive opinion polling and preference sampling.
`The command and control subsystem could:
`0 Adjust electrical load by time-of-day requirements or by a
`remote command from the utility.
`0 Provide meter information to the utility on demand or at
`preset intervals.
`D
`0 Optimize the use of solar panels, air-conditioning or space
`heaters to maintain a living environment within preset
`temperature and humidity limits, while limiting energy con-
`sumption.
`0 Monitor fire, intrusion, and assistance alarms and notify
`emergency services or a community center.
`0 Provide system status information to the householder.
`0 Turn on the lights, radio, and heat on command or in ac-
`cordance with a preset scenario.
`The administration subsystem would be capable of doing
`these tasks:
`
`Further reading
`Broadcast and Wire Teletext Systems-Ceelax,
`Oracle, Viewdata, Professional Group E14, IEE Elec-
`tronics Div., Digest No. 1976/3: IEE, London. 1976.
`Lowering Barriers to Telecommunications Growth.
`D. D. Crombie (editor), Office of Telecommunications
`Special Publication 76-9: U.S. Department of Com-
`merce, Washington, D.C., 1976.
`Telecommuinicatlons for Metropolitan Areas: Op-
`portunities for the 1980s, National Academy of
`Sciences, Washington. D.G., 1978.
`“Videotex, Prestel, and Teletext,” Michael Tyler,
`Telecommunications Policy, Vol.3, no. 1, March 1979,
`pp. 37-51.
`“Special Issue on Consumer Text Display
`Systems." IEEE Transactions on Consumer Elec-
`
`tronics, vol. CE-25, no. 3, July 1979.
`
`0 Providing interactive information retrieval. _
`0 Maintaining family records, such as accounts, medical
`histories, addresses, and phone numbers.
`0 Paying bills by electronic funds transfer.
`6 Computing taxes.
`0 Sending and receiving messages from other subscribers
`(electronic mail).
`These listings are by no means exhaustive. Many more
`types of household equipment—-washers, dryers, ovens,
`freezers, and water and gas meters—could be controlled.
`Suffice it to say that a computer and ancillary equipment
`could automate almost all household functions requiring in-
`tellectual activity. To implement the full package with
`today’s technology would be enormously expcnsive—but
`possible. In fact, some microprocessor-supported control
`systems for home use are already available, although they do
`not provide the sophisticated communications and
`information-retrieval capabilities of the systems discussed
`here. They can, however, tum lights on and off by program;
`control appliances and fire and security systems; and remind
`homeowners of anniversaries or other important dates.
`lt’s likely that rather than one unified system for the
`home, such as that in Fig. 4, many individual systems will
`emerge. With the availability of domestic satellites and
`optical-fiber communications, the prospects for innovative
`household services would be wide open.
`9
`
`E. Bryan Came (SM) is director of the Communica-
`tions Products Technology Center at GTE Lab'-
`oratories lnc., Waltham, Mass., where he is responsi-
`ble for research and development in advanced
`telecommunications. He also directs the GTE
`Laboratories Computer Center. Dr. Carne received a
`Bachelor of Science in engineering from the Universi-
`ty of London in 1949 and a Ph.D. in electrical engineer-
`ing from that university in 1952. He is the author of a
`book on artificial intelligence and has published
`several papers related to telecommunications and
`
`computer applications.
`
` use at
`
`
`
`Qfi 3
`
`A. ..TT 3
`
`Better tools simplify some office tasks, but serious
`problems block the integrated office of the future
`
`Upcoming communications services, to be made available
`with new commercial satellite and microwave systems, will
`greatly accelerate the drive toward the fully automatic “of-
`fice of the future.” The concept received impetus from the
`introduction of word/text processors in the mid-l970s, but
`so far the average office continues to operate with a pot-
`pourri of mechanized tools but no integrated automated
`system. The efficiency of isolated tasks has been improved
`perhaps, but there has been little dramatic effect on produc-
`tivity.
`
`Nicolas llllokhott Associate Editor
`
`What remains to be done is to incorporate today’s electro-
`mechanical tools for white-collar workers into hard-
`ware/software systems that will process and handle informa-
`tion with a minimum of human involvement. Such a system
`would have two-day communications.
`The coming decade promises to do this. Five interdepen-
`dent steps will lead to success:
`1. Development of intelligent hardware to performa majori-
`ty of the repetitive, mundane functions without the
`operator’s assistance.
`2. Design of common-language software for ready access by
`untrained managers,
`the key contributors to making the
`automated equipment acceptable by the full organization.
`IEEE spectrum OCTUBER 1979
`
`66
`
`PMC Exhibit 2144
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