Method for propagating combination of signals for operating a closed circuit e-commerce

A method and apparatus for communicating information and e-shopping signals between servers within a closed circuit e-commerce, and between servers and shopping terminals via main router and interface of a building, propagating the information and e-shopping signals via at least one twisted pair including ASK and FSK modulated data and commands including high speed updating signals for updating the content and programs of said e-commerce stored in the shopping terminals. A delivery station for picking up and deliver the ordered merchandise located within the building or outside the building using delivery devices, and storage devices for verifying the pickup and deliver with no error.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the propagation of combination of analog and digital signals via a single twisted pair carrying DC power to appliances such as a dedicated shopping terminal, a video interphone monitor, a set top box and a cable television including an e-shopping circuit and programs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current or the prevailing e-commerce is operated in a given pattern and processes enabling buyers to search for a supplier through a known search engine, select a known or an unknown website that appears to be a presentation corresponding to the intended shopping, be it for services or merchandise.

Once a potential buyer identifies a web of an e-shop and did find the items of interest, he has to go into next process of identifying himself, his address and his credit card, before he can materialize a purchase.

This process is a frustrating process that does not fit a repeat daily or weekly shopping for immediate deliveries of for example grocery products.

For people needing an immediate deliveries the common process described above cannot offer a solution if one needs in a morning a milk for breakfast, such ordering will take too long to be processed and delivered, even if the e-shop is a convenient store located nearby the residence of the e-buyer and does provide for local deliveries.

To help improve the process such nearby shops that provide deliveries may store the details of repeated neighborhood buyers and the buyers will introduce the shop's URL icon onto their PC's desk top, for an immediate recall of the shop's website. In turn the shop will provide the buyer with an access password, identifying the buyer and his credit card as recorded in the shop server. Such setup makes the ordering process faster and simpler.

Similar recording and storing of customer's data are offered by large shops, supermarkets, and department stores for improving the process of e-shopping to a repeat buyers. Such handling improves upon the e-shopping processes but that does not provide the basics needed to transform the grocery shopping and deliveries for example, into an efficient process.

The e-shopping first hurdle is that in all the above described e-shopping processes and setups the buyer has to surf the shop website by selecting products or services through pages displayed onto his PC, smart phone or iPad screen, fed from the shop server via the Internet or other IP networks, for selecting his choices through the shop's server.

Each such shop server has its own architecture, colors, styles, operating systems, programming and processing method that the e-buyers have to learn and follow. Thus even though the e-buyer detailed data is stored in the e-shop server, the proprietary programming and the different shopping processes for each individual e-shop extends the time spent to shop via a given e-shop server.

Further when the whole shopping cannot be supplied by a single shop and must be divided into two or more separate e-shops or e-service providers, such e-shopping calls for a very attentive and time consuming e-shopping process. Thus a combined shopping for groceries, such as extending the milk example given above, to shop for milk and cereals from two separate e-shops is a complex operation. Ordering two items from two different convenient stores in the morning for a breakfast will take too long time to order and deliver, while the buyer wants and expects the delivery promptly.

Other methods and apparatuses for e-shopping for services and merchandise merged into a closed circuit shopping systems operating in a registered closed circuit are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,603,842, 6,940,957, 7,461,012, 8,117,076 and in many corresponding patents issued and pending in other countries. Method and structure for simplified e-shopping coding is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 13/599,275.

The disclosed closed circuit e-shopping is provided via shopping terminals such as a video interphone monitor of a video interphone system and via shopping circuits of a cable TV system, an antenna TV system and a dedicated e-shopping terminal system. The referenced application Ser. No. 13/599,275 covers the coding for the e-shopping signals processed by the shopping circuits referred to above.

The basic or the fundamental difference between the two e-commerce methods, i.e., the prevailing e-shopping and the closed circuit e-shopping system, disclosed in the above referenced US patents is:

i. the prevailing e-shoppings are processed and completed through the shop's server, on line.

ii. The closed circuit e-shoppings are processed and completed through the shopping terminal on its own, off line.

This is made possible by the installing a pre-designed and pre-configured shopping programs and content, selected from a group of registered e-shops, and by loading and storing such programs and content into the memory of the e-shopping circuits of the e-shopping terminal. The stored content covers pre-configured or pre-selected products, as selected by a dweller, for a recall from a memory of one of the dedicated shopping terminals or from the memory of one of the TVs referred to above or from the memory of the video interphone monitors.

Thereby, the close circuit shopping is fundamentally different from the prevailing shopping by providing an instant recall of stored data, patterned through a template into a standard shopping select display. This enables an instant habitual shopping, through a habitually recognized pattern for selection of products and services.

The display of categories, groups and shops are all patterned via identical templates that are individually assembled and installed into the shopping circuit memory of each individual residence, on the basis of shops, categories and groups selected by each dweller. The dweller decides and selects the categories or group of product and/or services and from which shops he will buy from. The selected shops, categories and groups will be loaded and stored into the memory of the individual shopping terminal. All others are excluded but can be installed into the memory at later date, if the dweller changes his mind.

The closed circuit shopping apparatuses of the present invention are selected from a group comprising video interphone monitors, dedicated shopping terminals, TV, cable TV and/or TV and cable TV accessories such as set top box, shopping box, adaptor box, cable TV box, antenna box, converter box and/or a server that serves the whole building or the whole neighborhood via a local network and/or via the internal communication lines, TV cable lines or TV antenna lines.

The shopping terminals of the closed circuit shopping include the hardware and programs, pre-installed with a pre-defined shopping programs and content, for enabling to select and order through the stored programs as selected by the dweller, with no time waste by surf and search via search engines and via variety of shop servers. Such pre-programmed close circuit shopping provides the infrastructure to initiate prompt deliveries as programmed.

The prompt deliveries are provided via delivery station or delivery terminals, disclosed in the reference application Ser. No. 13/599,275, to be inside the building or within the neighborhood.

The searches for e-services and e-merchandise are carried through the displays generated by the installed program pages, using the displays of a video interphone monitor, a dedicated shopping terminal, a TV or a cable TV to process the shopping.

The introduction of a complete shopping program and content into the shopping terminals transforms the shopping terminals into a self-assembled privately owned e-shopping mall inside each residence, office or business, or it can be a virtual neighborhood shopping mall of a whole building and/or the whole neighborhood, if so desired by the neighborhood.

Such closed circuit e-shopping for products and/or services mandates that all the shopping terminals of the system must be updated at all times with each and every product and service particulars.

The pages of the current prevailing shopping servers, the selecting icons, the offered items, their prices, the conditions and any other particulars of the shopping process and terms, including the availabilities of services or products are commonly designed and programmed by website design professionals, knowledgeable in the structuring of website pages.

Supermarkets, for example, offering fresh produce, such as green vegetable or dairy products will change daily or weekly their pages to accommodate varying prices and availability because of seasons, locations and transportation consideration etc. The changes are ongoing continuous to the given pages of the shop server or to a group of servers used by larger supermarkets or chains of shops.

Such professionally amended pages, prepared internally by a given shop or a chain, do not fit the need to add, amend or replace e-shopping pages of a vast spread shopping terminals in large number of residences or businesses in different locations and places.

It will be prohibitively costly to design specific pages for a given consumer or to a group of consumers, be it one or more residence buildings or other group of potential shoppers. It will take long to configure and design and will be very complex to download and/or update pages to all the residence's individual shopping terminals. It will be an enormous task to download and/or upgrade vast individual programs and pages tailored to the many individuals or group preferences, be it regularly or randomly.

The referenced U.S. application Ser. No. 13/599,275 teaches a simple to design, add, amend or replace pages or a portion of page, such as a price of a single product included in a page, or the removal of a product from a page when it is sold out. The updating process must be provided in an easy to learn, configure, operate and install concept and at a low cost.

Another existing problem for a closed circuit e-shopping by a large number of tenants of a large residential or office building is the security of the transaction and the prevention of cyber theft, particularly from within the environment of the closed circuit itself.

Yet, another problem is the reliability of the shopping network in a building that is based on routers and switches cascaded throughout the building floors, via an IP local LAN network such as Ethernet. Routers of large systems installed in communication or electrical cabinets of staircases and entrance halls of large buildings, or mounted in a communication boxes on poles and similar are accessible to cyber theft.

Further a failure of one such router or a switch, may cut a whole section of a building from the LAN or from a building server and cut many shopping terminals from the shopping process, or from the updating process through the day or night.

To overcome security and reliability potential risks it is preferable to network such large complexes in a star topology, directly to a central distributor or a matrix of the system, that is securely installed in a protected surrounding.

The problems with such star connections are the cabling and their limitation in distance and speed. Fiber optic cables can be one solution, but fiber optical cabling, connectors and terminals are expensive and require expertise. Twist pair via such cables known as CAT5 provide low cost solution and are well handled and installed by electricians, but are limited in length and speed.

A solution to use a twist pair or pairs to connect the shopping terminals in a star to a central distributor or matrix or a specific designed router or switch is needed. One such solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 and in the above other referenced US patents and the U.S. application Ser. No. 13/599,275.

The important issue is of course the speed, that must be fast enough to update the many shopping terminals at random and periodically, propagated to distances such as up to 200 m (660 ft) or more. This is not achievable via a standard Ethernet IP wired network, using the commonly installed CAT5 cables.

There are many other instances in which high speed communications via a CAT5 and similar network cables need to be extended for propagating a combination of signals, such as analog audio and video including variety of digital signals, but the cable length limitations prevent the use of common wires, and mandates combination of cables, such as coax cables shielded wires and/or optical fiber cables, requiring different interfaces, adaptors and connectors, all of which are technically complex to configure and install, and moreover, are expensive and require highly skilled experts to install.

Solutions are needed to propagate two way information signals comprising audio, video, data, control, codes, alarm and emergency in star configuration to include data loading at high speed to upgrade and update e-shopping programs including particulars of products and services into distances above the limits of 100 m of the CAT5 cable or via a single twisted pair cable, or a single twisted pair of multi twisted pair cable such as the CAT5, including the feeding of DC power via the same single pair or separate single pair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objectives of the present invention are apparatuses and methods for propagating two way combinations of information signals including the propagation of audio, video, data, control, alarm, and emergency signals between a central signal processing or distributing or routing unit termed main router or main unit or matrix unit.

The terms tenant, dweller, user or shopper hereafter refers to an e-shopper or an e-buyer that search for and/or orders services or merchandise via a shopping terminal and/or defines, selects and restricts the services and merchandise programs to be loaded into his shopping terminal to his conveniences and desire.

The terms dwelling, residence and apartment refers to any single unit of a residential and/or commercial building be it for living, office or business.

The term shopping terminal hereafter and in the claims refers to a video interphone monitor, a dedicated shopping terminal, a cable TV, an interactive TV, a TV set, a set top box, a shopping box, an antenna adaptor box, a satellite adaptor box, a cable TV box and any other similar box and combinations thereof that are connecting at least one TV programs provider to a television or cable television set.

The shopping terminal comprising an operating display screen, a memory for storing shopping programs, content and other shopping services and merchandise particulars and a CPU for enabling the operating and choosing e-shopping to include services or merchandise or both. The shopping terminal can be operated via a built-in operating display screen and touch icons, by an associated display screen, by voice, by remote control devices or by movements of hands or other parts, such as the eyes of the dweller.

The terms main router, main unit, matrix unit, router, matrix and switch hereafter and in the claims refers to an intersecting unit for at least one of processing, selecting, distributing, routing, switching, temporary storing and buffering information signals between a server of at least one building and the internal communication lines of said building.

The term information signal hereafter and in the claims refers to any individual signal selected from a group comprising audio signal, video signal, data signal, code signal, control signal, alarm signal, emergency signal and to combinations thereof, propagated one way, bidirectional and a combination thereof.

The term e-shopping signal hereafter and in the claims may comprise any of the signals of the information signals individually and any of the combinations thereof one way, bidirectional and a combination of one way and bidirectional signals of a processed and/or completed order including modulated signals such as ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying), FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) or any other modulated signals for loading, upgrading, updating, adding, modifying and/or deleting or downloading signals pertaining to the e-shopping programs and content.

The main, main router or matrix unit connects and/or links one or plurality of shopping terminals, one or plurality of entry panels of a building, one or plurality of local concierge stations, local guard stations, local security stations of local building and/or of a whole neighborhood, including local stations of office buildings and similar local service facilities, distinctly characterized by being directly connected or linked to the matrix for selectively communicating information signal, via the matrix, with any of the stations and/or any of the shopping terminals.

The term server in the following description and in the claims refers to a well known computing server for providing information stored in its one or more memories and for processing received e-commerce orders via a network such as the internet.

The term stand-alone server is to a serve with built-in at least one memory containing the entire programs for operating with a closed circuit e-commerce with other servers of the closed circuit, and with data pertaining the services, product, information or other tasks the server is to perform within the closed circuit e-commerce.

The term “server and a cloud computing” refers to a server services provided by the well known cloud computing such as a cloud computing services and memory offered by Amazon or Microsoft or IBM.

The term “local” or “locally connected” defines the connection particulars and not the physical location of a local concierge or e-concierge and other recited station, unless the term local is specifically recited or identified with a given location, and with the station physical position, place or the distance or distances are specifically recited vis-à-vis any of the other stations, the matrix and the shopping terminals.

A “local” delivery station or “local” delivery terminal or an e-shop that are connected via a network to the building server, is not regarded as “locally” connected, even though it is physically inside a building or building complexes.

The term “distant” refers to any delivery station or shop that is physically located outside the building or the building complex. The term distant is not a reference of measurement in meter, Km or miles and does not relate to how the delivery station is connected to the network.

The shopping terminals of the present invention, disclosed in the referenced US patents and the corresponding patents issued in many countries, comprising shopping programs, including products, prices, invoicing and payments, delivery particulars and other material and process data pertaining the e-shopping and e-services. The programs stored in each shopping terminal are limited to a selection by each dweller individually.

Such individually selected data must be updated regularly to each shopping terminal, be it at given designated times regularly, at random and periodically. This mandates the providing of the needed power to allow the processing of update data by the matrix and each of the shopping terminals connected to the matrix individually.

The referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 discloses a method for powering each video interphone monitor via the communication line extended between the monitor and the central unit by feeding a regulated current to a rechargeable battery, associated with the video interphone monitor.

The advantage of feeding regulated current via the communication line connecting the matrix with the shopping terminal is obvious, controlled DC current can be fed along with the information signal via the same single twisted pair, which offers substantial advantages, such as cost and simplicity.

Accordingly another object of the present invention is to provide the method and apparatuses for propagating two way information signals including high speed propagation for updating and loading shopping data particulars, content and programs via a single twisted pair that also feeds controlled DC current to the shopping terminal.

The power fed via the transmission line or the twisted pair provides for yet another object of the present invention, which is the ensuring that all the circuits of the matrix and the shopping terminal involved with the updating and loading processes are powered at all time, regardless of power cuts and other power supply irregularities.

The updating and loading of shopping signals to the memories of the shopping circuit of the shopping terminal includes the updating and loading many pictures and illustrations of products and services at fast speed. Propagating information signals via one twist pair, such as a single pair of a CAT5 cable, are limited to 100 m or 330 ft. with recommendations to limit the cable length to 60 m or 200 ft. for a network such as Ethernet 10 Base-T or faster.

In large high rise buildings such limitations cannot be met in a star connections, linking a matrix with the residences, and the other objectives of the present invention is to provide a fast signal propagation to well over 150˜200 m distances.

As will be detailed later, this is achieved by propagating FM modulated data onto a carrier selected from of 10˜20 MHz or higher carrier frequencies, for providing bandwidth of 4 MHz or more for the high speed data needed to update and load the shopping data particulars including products and services pictures and illustrations data.

As will be explained later a carrier frequency of 12 MHz, for example, enables to propagate FM modulated analog video signals to well over 200 m via a single twist pair and the same FM modulator is used for FSK modulation for propagating the high speed data to the shopping terminals.

Even though the attenuation of a propagated signal in a range, such as 10˜20 MHz, enables propagation distances of the signals to well above 200 m and with S/N ratio that is well within the designed circuits operating range, there are other limitations that need to be overcome.

It is well known that the CAT5 cable limitations are not due to attenuation and signal to noise (S/N) only. The other limitations are the propagation delay time and collisions.

To overcome propagation delay and collisions the present invention other objectives is to limit the high speed data propagation to a continuous non interrupted one way transmission, or to a non-interrupted series of packets, or to other forms of timing structured transmissions for the purpose of loading, updating, adding and modifying the data stored in the shopping terminal memory, and provide a separate modulation medium such as ASK at a lower speed for propagating two way commands, disclosed in the referenced application Ser. No. 13/599,275 to be a preprogrammed coded signals, known as protocols.

This design makes it simple to upgrade and update at all times the shopping programs and content, with no collisions, timing limitations or other communications obstructions, while enabling simultaneously propagated two way command for operating the matrix, the shopping terminal and the building server with no propagation limitations. The building server is discussed later.

The propagation of signals be it digital data or analog signal over a twisted pair mandates the signal to be a differential or balanced signal to eliminate noise, improve the S/N and the standing wave ratio. Differential signals must be fed through the twisted pair with ⊕ and {circle around (−)} polarities as prevailing in networks throughout. In practice, the installers and electricians repeatedly connect some of the twisted pairs to systems devices of video interphones and similar in reversed polarities, mandating re-visit and re-connect the many devices that are unable to communicate, because of the wrongly connected lines in reversed polarity.

The present invention, similar to the prior shopping terminals and video interphones, is designed to power the shopping circuits of each shopping terminal or each of the entire shopping terminal unit via a rechargeable battery. The battery is charged continuously via the same twisted pair carrying the information signals. The DC power polarity, similar to the differential signals polarity must be connected with no polarities error.

To remove such connection obstacles and provide error free connection environment, another object of the present invention is to introduce a non-polar connections to the twisted pair or pairs. With non-polar terminals for each pair, the installer is not required to identify the ⊕ terminal and the {circle around (−)} terminal prior to the connection, and/or verify the connected polarities, after he connects the pair to its terminals.

Yet, another objective of the present invention is to secure the internal communication lines formed by the plurality of individual twisted pairs connected in a star configuration to the main unit, termed also the matrix. Each line comprising a twisted pair extended between each individual shopping terminal and the main unit or the matrix terminals.

Each line must be designed to prevent an intrusion for the purpose of cyber theft and this is achieved by introducing to each and every line the circuits that process and propagate the referred to above information signals, comprising signals selected from a group, modulate/demodulate video signals, two way audio signals, encode/decode two way ASK signals, data signals, alarm signals, coded control signals, emergency signals, encode FSK data signals and combinations thereof.

The introduction of the processing circuits into each individual line is a physical prevention circuit for preventing any possible cyber theft attempt from communicating with the shopping terminal or the matrix, thereby fully protecting the cabling from outside/inside intrusion.

Further the introduction of individual signal processing circuits referred to above enables to rout or switch on-off the individual information signal such as video, or audio, FSK signals and ASK signals to be directed or routed by a well known routing and/or on-off switching circuits between the building server that serves the e-commerce comprising e-services and e-shopping to the building or buildings through a network selected from a group comprising dedicated network, private network, public network, the Internet, Virtual Private Network (VPN) and combinations thereof.

The building server may include a large memory capacity and/or memory buffer but may be integrated into or use the literal limitless capacity of a cloud computing of the well known cloud computing providers such as Amazon. Alternatively the closed circuit e-commerce of a whole country or for global purposes may install such cloud computing facility designed and set for replacing some or all of the closed circuit e-commerce servers of a given system.

Alternatively, for minimal systems such as for a single grocery provider for a neighborhood or for one residential tower via one or few delivery stations, the closed circuit e-shopping may use a dedicated network with two or few servers, linking at least the example of tower building and at least one provider. For the two only connected servers to the dedicated network, the e-shop server can well manage the credit, payments and the entire operation of the closed circuit e-shopping entity.

It is important to note that regardless of the system size the individual processing circuits further shields the system from cyber-crimes including attempts by any of a locally connected peripheral system linked to the matrix or the main unit via the interfaces such as concierge station, management office, swimming pool, health club, and combinations thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1A˜B show a block diagram of a circuit100to be connected between one end of a twisted pair10to a selector or router540-1,510-2or540-nofFIG. 7for processing the information signals propagated via the twisted pair10between the two complementary circuits100and200ofFIGS. 2A˜B connected via the terminals10A-B ofFIGS. 1A˜B and11A˜B ofFIGS. 2A˜B. The processed information signals comprising two way or bidirectional video signals, two way audio signals, two way or bidirectional ASK modulated data signals and two way FSK modulated signals. The signal ports or terminals are shown as one way microphone signal port or terminal140, one way speaker signal terminal141, two power terminals150and151, two way or bidirectional video terminals160and161, two way ASK control and command signals terminal162and two way FSK data signals terminal163.

The ASK and/or FSK signals are transmitted, received and/or exchanged through the CPU105, propagating signals comprising data, codes, controls, commands, alarms, emergencies, queries, reports, responses and combinations thereof. The ASK and/or FSK signals further including as the case may be, digital audio and/or digital video signals and other modulated ASK and FSK information and/or communication signals and any combinations thereof. The CPU105propagates two way ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) modulated signal via terminals115and116of the ASK modulate-demodulate circuit103as well as FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) modulated signals via the FSK/video selector104and the FSK modulate-demodulate circuit102.

The FSK, video and ASK modulate-demodulate circuits102and103are well known frequency and amplitude modulator-demodulator, also known as Frequency Modulation (FM) and Amplitude Modulation (AM) and are commonly available at low cost, packaged into a single IC101shown in a dashed line inFIG. 1A. The ASK needs to be fed with a clock at a selected frequency and the preferred embodiment uses clock signal in the range of 0.5˜1.0 MHz. The clock generator107attached to the ASK modulator-demodulator107can be a circuit included in the IC package101, or it can be an input for a clock to be fed for example from the CPU105or crystal (Xtal) oscillator or it can be an oscillator using a discrete components, forming a well known clock generator.

The preferred embodiment employs 12.5 MHz base frequency for the FSK modulator-demodulator circuit and the oscillator is a built-in oscillator, but can be a connected oscillator such a Xtal oscillator, similar to the clock generator of the ASK modulator-demodulator. It is preferable to use a single clock generator for providing a synchronous time base for both the ASK and FSK.

The CPUs105and205ofFIG. 2Amay use a memory buffer such as the shown buffer208A ofFIG. 11Bor use an incorporated or a built-in memory208or536shownFIG. 11Aincorporated into the CPUs205and535for timing of the ASK command and the FSK data propagation for a flawless synchronous processing of data.

The FSK/video selector104, shown as a pair of electrical contacts for illustration only, the selector is a well known semiconductor circuit, such as multiplexer or semiconductor switch using FET or other switching transistors. The pole terminals119A and119B can operate together or independently by a control command fed from the CPU105for connecting, for example, the input of the modulator to FSK input and command simultaneously the modulator to modulate the data fed from the CPU FSK out terminal and thereby outputting an FSK signals via terminal112to the differential amplifier121.

Even though the ASK and FSK signals are shown connected via separate in-out terminals such as the115and116for the ASK signals and119A and119B for the in-out FSK signal via an in-out ports of the CPU105, both the ASK and FSK data signal ports can be bidirectional and operating in either direction with both respond to a command propagated to the FSK/video selector104, to the FSK modulate/demodulate102and to the ASK modulate/demodulate103via the control lines such as the shown line117A,117B and118respectively. Further it is preferable to use a single I/O port and control line to be programmed for controlling the two modulate/demodulate circuits102and103and depending on the combined circuit100also to control the selector104.

The differential amplifier121will output the modulated signal, be it the FM modulated video or the FSK data, via the capacitors172and173to remove DC components and feed the modulated signal through the high pass filters (HPF)124and125and through the twisted pair terminals10A and10B to the twisted pair line10for feeding the FSK data or the FM modulated video signal to a complementary circuit200of the shopping terminal shown inFIG. 2A. The FM modulated video signal of a video camera such as a camera of a video interphone entry panel and the FSK data signal propagation for upgrading/updating the memory of the shopping circuit with data pertaining to the shopping, the products and the services with particulars is termed or reflect the movement of the signals hereafter as inbound communication, inbound direction or inbound propagation.

An FSK data or an FM modulated video signal from the shopping terminal circuit200fed in reverse direction is termed to reflect signal movement hereafter as outbound communication, outbound direction or outbound propagation. The outbound signals are propagated via the HPF124and125, the coupling capacitors170,171and the differential amplifier-buffer120to the video/FSK modulate/demodulate circuit102for demodulating and feeding the FSK signals propagated from the shopping terminal circuit200to the input FSK port of the CPU105or feeding the demodulated video signal to the video out terminal161. The CPU105processes the FSK or the video data signal received on the basis of the command processed via the CPU105and the FSK/video select104direction.

It is clear from the above that each of the FSK data signals or the FM modulated video signal, both having a carrier frequency of such as 12.5 MHz referred to above is propagated in two directions via the differential amplifier121and amplifier-buffer120. The differential FM modulated video and the differential FSK data signals are propagated via the twisted pair10between the circuits100and200via high pass filters124,125,224and225and thereby are separated, as will be explained later, from other signals that are propagated via the same twisted pair10between the circuits100and200.

The resistors180˜187ofFIG. 1A and 280˜287ofFIG. 2Aare references resistors for the operational amplifiers120˜123and220˜223ofFIGS. 1A and 2Arespectively. References may comprise more than one resistor each and/or comprise coils, capacitors and resistors arrays.

The ASK signals selected from a group comprising data, shopping, command, control, alarm and emergency are propagated two way between the circuits100and200ofFIGS. 1A˜B and2A˜B. The clock frequency of the ASK as referred to above is for example 0.5 MHz which enables a bidirectional data at a rate of 125K Baud.

Similar to the FSK differential amplifier and amplifier-buffer121and120, the ASK differential amplifier123and amplifier-buffer122propagate the bidirectional differential ASK data signals via the outbound terminal113and the inbound114terminal, the coupling capacitors174,175,176and177and the band pass filters126and127and through the terminals10A and10B and the same twisted pair10for communicating the bidirectional differential ASK data with the circuit200of the shopping terminal ofFIGS. 2A˜B.

The band pass filters (BPF)126,127,226and227ofFIGS. 1A˜B and2A˜B are calculated to pass signals within a given band, ranging for example, from 200 KHz to 800 KHz, providing substantial separating distance from the audio signals that are propagated in their real time or basic frequency range of approximately 80 Hz˜8 KHz and from the FM modulated video or FSK data having carrier frequency of 12.5 MHz and band width of, for example 5˜7 MHz, assuring that the lowest shift frequency remains above 5 MHz.

The separation of the ASK band ranging from 200 KHz˜800 KHz, including harmonics and other stray signals and noises from the audio band that including harmonics may reach a maximum of 50 KHz and from the FM video/FSK signals having a band that its lowest frequency is over 5 MHz. It is obvious and clear that a separation of 150 KHz from the audio band and over 4 MHz separation from the FM video/FSK band are substantial and allow the three groups of signals comprising audio, ASK and FM video or FSK data to be propagated over the same twisted pair simultaneously, one way and/or bidirectional.

FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B and 4Bshow a well known circuit of another preferred embodiment of the present invention using balun transformers100B and200B that propagate a wide band signals ranging for example from 100 KHz to 1.0 GHz, between non balanced and balanced lines with varying line impedances and signal sources, bidirectional and simultaneously.

The circuits100A,200A,190A and290A shown consume no power, using few passive components to replace the entire blocks of the buffer amplifiers120,123,220and230and the differential amplifiers121,122,221and222, the coupling capacitors170˜177,270˜277and the reference resistors180˜187and280˜287, all of which are not needed and are not used.

The bidirectional circuit100A connects the ASK modulate-demodulate terminals113and114via coupling capacitors174B and175B, line resistors184B and185B, a single band bass filter127and the balun (balanced-unbalanced) transformer100B.

The bidirectional FSK modulate-demodulate terminals111and112are connected to the balun100B via the coupling capacitors171B and173B, the line resistors180B and181B and the high pass filter125. The balun100B is connected to the connecting points10C and10D of the twisted pair terminals via the coupling capacitor178B, replacing the bidirectional differential circuits and maintaining in full the one way and bidirectional propagation of all the referred to above signals including any combinations thereof with no signal degradation.

The significant difference between the balun circuit100A and the differential circuits of the circuit100is the noise immunity and the radiation of noise (EMI).

This makes the selection between the two circuits a design choice based upon the signals and the environment surrounding the internal communication lines and the type of the lines. As will be discussed later, the shown single twisted pair is also a selection or a choice for the internal communication lines between a single and plurality of twisted pairs.

The balun circuits200A ofFIG. 2Bare literally identical with the balun circuit100A. The shown differences are the numerals of the coupling capacitors, such as171B˜178B or271B˜278B, the line resistors, such as180B˜185B or280B˜285B, the balun numeral100B or200B and the connections to the terminals10C or10D or11C and11D. Otherwise the circuit100A is identical with the circuit200A and both are complementary circuit to the other.

The same numerals are used for the circuits190A and290A ofFIGS. 3B and 4B, as used for the circuits100A and200A. The only difference between the circuits100A and190A or200A and290A is the one way FM video and FSK data as used for video interphone system combining the e-shopping circuits20such as shown inFIGS. 8, 11A and 11B.

The propagated bidirectional audio signal, such as wired telephone signal propagated via a twisted pair, requires matching impedances at the ends of the line. For providing good audio termination, particularly when the DC power for operating the circuit200ofFIG. 2Ais fed through the twisted pair, such as commonly provided in wired telephones, the termination is preferably provided by an audio line transformers142ofFIG. 1A and 242ofFIG. 2A.

The transformers are connected to the twisted pair terminals10A and10B via two non-polar capacitor NP. The reason for using the non-polar capacitors is the DC power polarity fed to the shopping terminal ofFIG. 2Avia the twisted pair10. The power and signaling feed are preferably designed to enable non-polar twisted pair connections between the terminal10A and10B to the terminals11A and11B.

Such non-polar connections will feed the power polarity in two ways at random, and therefore the two capacitors NP connecting line10via the terminals11A and11B to the line transformer242are non-polar capacitors, and not the well known polarized capacitors for DC connections. The non-polar state is not the same for the two capacitors NP ofFIG. 1A.

The power terminals ⊕150and {circle around (−)}151are shown inFIG. 1Aconnected in the given polarities to the main unit600or700ofFIGS. 7and8and polarized capacitors such as electrolytic or tantalum capacitors could be used. However as capacitors impedance vary with the capacitor types and structure and to ensure identical impedance at both ends of the twisted pair it is preferable to use identical capacitors NP at both ends of the twisted pair10as shown inFIGS. 1A and 2A.

The primary coil of the line transformer142is connected to a hand free voice communication IC, which is a well known IC used in many types of hand free audio communication, such as conference telephones and the well known hand free video interphone monitors. The hands free refers to intercoms and telephones that are not provided with handset and/or are operated by keeping the handset on hook while talking to a microphone and listening to a speaker sound via openings provided on the main body of an intercom or a telephone unit. The hand free IC prevents howling and oscillation caused by a sound feedback from the speaker into the microphone.

The terminal140mic. and141sp. connect the two way voice signals, mic. and speaker propagated through the line transformer142, the non-polar capacitors NP, the terminals10A and10B and the twisted pair10that is exchanging the referred to above ASK, FSK or FM video signal with the shopping terminals circuit200.

The power source for operating the circuits100and200ofFIGS. 1A and 2Ais fed from a DC power supply, such as 12V or 15V or 24V or any other effective DC power for operating the circuits100and200including the LCD or other display screen for operating the video interphone, the shopping terminal and combinations thereof.

The shopping terminal disclosed in the referenced US patents include TV, cable TV and different well known boxes, such as set-top box, cable box, antenna converter box, satellite converter box and a dedicated shopping box. Accordingly it is advantageous to include the circuit200inside the TV, be it cable TV or antenna TV, and/or inside any of the referred to above well known boxes.

The TVs and the boxes are commonly powered via the AC power line of the residence, yet the TV or the boxes may be switched off, and if the circuit200is powered via the power supply of the TV or the box, the circuit will not be responsive to entry calls when it is used for video interphone function, moreover the circuit200will not be responsive to updates of shopping data, fresh loading and/or other upgrades and/or other particulars updating.

Accordingly it is preferred that the circuit200is powered via the non-polar transmission line. The power consumed by the circuits100and200are pre-defined, known and/or calculated and the preferred power feed is a pre-calculated current controlled value. Controlled current does not pass power line surges and prevents current fluctuation, thereby ensuring a fixed stable current flow, reducing communication disturbances from power supply sources and noisy loads that otherwise will affect the signal propagated via the same line, such as the twisted pair line10.

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 discloses such controlled current for powering video interphone circuit including an associate rechargeable battery that enables to power and fully operate a video interphone for a given time duration. The shopping terminals and the video interphones recited in the referenced US patents are also provided with such charging circuits and associated rechargeable battery.

The shopping terminal circuit200and/or a dedicated shopping terminal are not commonly expected to be fully active 24 hours, 7 days a week. It is anticipated that a dedicated shopping terminal will operate short time of less than one hour at a time. Operation time duration of few hours per day by a rechargeable battery that is being charged continuously with a fixed pre-defined controlled current is well within a range of low cost rechargeable batteries, such as used for iPad and mobile phones throughout.

The main power supply15of the main unit690of such as shown inFIG. 6feeds a controlled current via the terminals150and151connecting the power source of the controlled current via dual coils153and154and via the terminals10A and10B to the twisted pair line10. The single capacitor152shown is a shunt capacitor for shorting any residual audio, ASK, FSK or FM signal. The capacitor152is shown as a single capacitor, however several capacitors such as ceramic, tantalum, mylar or electrolytic and combinations thereof can be used instead.

The coils153and154are preferably very large coils, such as 1 Henry, using very high permeability cores, with the coil windings and resistance are calculated to ensure that a short circuit at the terminals10A-10B or along the twisted pair wire10will not damage the coils. The large coils present very large impedance and together with the capacitor152prevent any of the signals from reaching the power source for totally separating the signals from the DC power.

It is preferable that the windings of the coils are designed and made to ensure that careless connection and mishandling of wires and polarities will not damage the coils themselves, the main unit, its circuits and components, including the power components. Moreover, the non-polar connection releases the installer from the need to conform with the connection polarities. The non-polar enables the installer to connect the twisted pair with any which polarity to the terminals10A and10B and regardless of the DC polarity the circuit will function properly, providing of course that no shorts are made during the connection.

The power fed through the twisted pair10is connected at its other end to the terminals11A and11B shown inFIG. 2A, that are connected to large coils256and257for filtering the signals out and feed the non-polar power to a bridge rectifier255. The well known bridge rectifier will output via its polarized terminals shown as ⊕ and {circle around (−)} and feed a correctly polarized power to the filtering and storage capacitor254and to the regulator253.

The regulator253feeds its regulated output to the other filtering and storage capacitor252and to the VCC terminals250and251, providing a defined power commensurate with the voltage and current consumed by the shopping circuit, not including the charging of a chargeable battery230.

A built-in battery230can be introduced to the circuit200, or such battery can be associated with or connected to the shopping terminal. Preferably the battery should be connected and charged by the circuit231. The charge circuit231commensurate with the type of battery used and with an appropriate charging rate. The charging rate must be a portion of, or the sharing of, the pre-defined control current.

The fixed pre-defined current is calculated to enable the operation of the shopping circuit200in a standby mode and adequately charge the battery230simultaneously. When the shopping circuit20ofFIG. 11Ais operating in full including the display209the charged battery230will provide the needed power.

The introduction of an associated rechargeable battery230or similar is a matter of choice, including the powering of the circuit200. The battery230of the preferred embodiment is selected for powering at least the circuit200and at least a portion of the shopping circuit including the memory208that stores the many pictures, prices, deliveries and availabilities46,47,48and49ofFIG. 11Bthat must be updated at random and/or at a given pre-determined times.

The shopping circuit21comprising the CPU205and the memory208connected to the circuit200must be powered for at least a standby mode and ready to receive updates and upgrades of shopping particulars at all time, and not be dependent on the power on-off switch of the shopping terminal, or be cut by the unplugging of the AC power cord that connects a shopping terminal or the video interphone to the power source.

FIG. 2Ashows the opposite circuit to the circuit shown inFIG. 1Athat is mostly identical with the circuit100, excluding the power output circuit250255, the battery230and the battery charger231, for connecting the two circuits at the opposite ends of the twisted pair cable10.

The video/FSK modulator/demodulator202and the bidirectional ASK modulator/demodulator203and the whole package201are identical with the same package IC101ofFIG. 1A. Same applies the operational amplifiers and drivers220˜223, the reference resistors280˜287, the coupling capacitor270˜277, the BPF226and227, the HPF224and225, the NP capacitors, the line transformer242and the hands free voice IC206, they are identical or similar to the circuits shown inFIG. 1Aand explained above in detail.

The basic differences are the bridge rectifier255with the power connection terminals250251, the signal terminals260263and the battery terminals232and233. While the terminal150and151ofFIG. 1Aare connected to a power source the terminals250and251output the VCC to the circuit200. The VCC for the circuit100is fed directly from the unit main power supply15of the main unit or matrix600to the terminals164and165ofFIG. 1A.

The outbound video from the terminal261and the inbound video to the terminal260are shown to be reversed for the outbound and the inbound video from and to the terminal160˜161of the circuit100. The control and command terminal162is communicating ASK signals with the main or matrix controller535of the circuit inFIG. 7and the same control and command terminal262ofFIG. 2Ais communicating with the main CPU205of the shopping terminal also shown inFIGS. 11A and 11B.

The FSK in-out is propagated to and from the memory208of the shopping terminal shown inFIGS. 11A and 11B, communicating the bidirectional FSK data via terminal263, the twisted pair10and via the terminal163of the circuit100and with the main or the matrix controller535or with the server8shown inFIGS. 11A and 11B.

FIG. 3Ashows the circuit190, which is similar to the circuit100ofFIG. 1Aby limiting the FSK or FM modulated video to only one way propagation from the circuit190to the circuit290ofFIG. 4A. The one way FSK circuit is essential for the closed circuit e-commerce, particularly for the need to update the stored data of the shopping terminal, stored in the memory shown as208inFIGS. 11A and 11B. The one way FM modulated video is essential for the video interphone systems for transmitting an image of a visitor.

The same apply to the circuit290ofFIG. 4A, which is the circuit200ofFIG. 2Abut with only one way propagation of the FSK or FM modulated video from the circuit190to the circuit290. Both the circuits190and290use the VID/FSK circuit102partly, the circuit190limits the circuit102A to modulate function only and the FSK/video selector104A as a single selector for selecting the inbound signal between the video or FSK data. Another change is the elimination of the differential amplifier-driver120and the differential amplifier221, with all their peripheral components including the terminals160and261.

Other elements, terminals and components shown inFIGS. 1A and 2Aand are not referred to above in connection with the circuits190and290ofFIGS. 3A and 4Aare similar to and are common to all the four circuits100,200,190and290. Moreover, references and explanations made to elements, terminals and components of any one of the two circuits ofFIGS. 1A and 3AorFIGS. 2A and 4Aare the same, particularly circuits100and190and circuits200and290.

It becomes clear from the circuits100,200,190and290ofFIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A and 4Athat a single twisted pair can be connected between a main router or a matrix unit and a shopping circuit of a given residence or other singular unit of a building, for propagating bidirectional audio signals, one way and bidirectional ASK signals selected from a group comprising commands, control, alarm, emergency, shopping, coded data, any other data and combinations thereof, one way or bidirectional FM modulated video signal or FSK data and control including the feeding of controlled DC current and combinations thereof.

It also becomes clear that a rechargeable battery can be connected to, associated with or built into the circuit200of a shopping terminal of said singular unit of a building.

When the shopping terminal is a TV set or a dedicated shopping terminal or the well known box that are not connected to a video interphone of a building or a house, and no video from such units as entry panels or security cameras are propagated to the shopping terminal the circuits190and290ofFIGS. 3A and 4Acan be further reduced by eliminating the video/FSK selectors104A and204B and the terminals161and260respectively.

It is also clear that by removing the FSK/video selectors and fixedly connecting the FSK ports of the CPUs105and205ofFIGS. 1A and 2Awith no video propagation the terminals160,161,260and261can be eliminated along with the selectors104and204for providing such reduced circuit with bidirectional FSK propagation along with all the other signals referred to above, except the one way or the bidirectional video, yet an FSK modulated digital video signal can be propagated as will be referred to further below via the CPUs105and205.

Similarly it will be possible to remove all the audio components such as the transformers142and242, the hand free ICs106and206, the capacitors NP and the audio terminals140,141,240and241and propagate any or a combination of the referred above signals without audio.

It is also clear that the circuits100,190,200and290shown inFIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A and 4AincludingFIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B and 4Bcan be modified, reduced in size and the number of components to provide best practical circuit for a selected one way and bidirectional communications of the referred to above individual signals and combinations thereof, with or without the DC power feed referred to above.

FIG. 5Ais a block diagram of an entry panel400of a video interphone system connected to the circuit190referred to above. The entry panel comprising a microphone401and a microphone driver411, a speaker402and a speaker amplifier412, a camera403and a camera driver413, a CPU430and a switch420for connecting/disconnecting a combined three signals comprising inbound microphone signal via terminal405, outbound speaker signal via terminal406and inbound video via terminal407.

The well known select keys, displays and other elements and features commonly provided for entry panels are not shown inFIGS. 5A, 5B and 6A. This is because the entry panels400ofFIGS. 5A, 5B and 6Aare to illustrate the unique and inventive routing-selecting of the inbound-outbound signals propagation via interface module440and the main unit600, also termed matrix or router, from any of the entry panels400and/or the e-service and/or e-shops communication interface modules440shown inFIGS. 6A, 6B, 7 and 8.

The switches420shown inFIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A and 6Bare shown as a mechanical contact switches for simplifying the explanation. The preferred embodiment of the present invention employs digital or analog routing or switching ICs that are well known and are commonly available at low cost from many IC manufacturers worldwide.

The voice and video signals can be analog or digital, compressed or non-compressed, digital audio and video signals are routed via the systems CPUs205,105,430and535. Analog audio signals are connected and routed via terminal140(mic.) and141(sp.) and analog video signals, by the camera403or other video source, are connected and routed to terminal161.

The video signal that is generated by the camera403refers to a camera used with the entry panel400of a video interphone system, however when the video interphone monitor comprising a shopping terminal circuit20ofFIGS. 11A and 11Band the video signal is connected and routed via the terminal161can be any video signal fed from the interface module440shown inFIGS. 6A, 6B, 7 and 8. The interface module provides for linking with entry panels, e-service and e-shopping providers and the switch420shown inside the entry panels400ofFIGS. 5A and 5Bare preferably included in the interface module440shown inFIGS. 6A, 6B, 7 and 8for connecting and/or routing any video signal generated by the camera403and any video signal propagated from the e-service and the e-shopping providers shown inFIGS. 12 and 13.

When an audio signal, be it the microphone signal, the speaker single and/or including the camera signal or any other video signal referred to above are digital signal the connection and routing are differently handled.

The digital audio and/or video need to be routed through the higher speed FSK modulated signal and therefore the microphone terminal140, the speaker terminal141and the video terminal161are not used and instead the signal will be connected and routed to the I/O ports431˜433of the CPU430of the entry panel400or the440modules. The CPU430will propagate the signals via its I/O port401to the main CPU535of the main units600and690shown inFIGS. 7 and 8respectively.

The main CPU535connects and routs the audio and video digital signals to the terminal163of the circuit100. As the circuits190and290ofFIGS. 3 and 4are provided with one way only FSK and FM modulated video propagation, they cannot be used for bidirectional FSK signals such as needed for the inbound microphone signal and the outbound speaker signal. Yet for the modules440that are used solely for propagating one way FSK data for updating or upgrading the stored data in the memory208or the memory buffer208A shown inFIGS. 11A and 11B, the circuits190and290can be used.

When the microphone signal and the speaker signals are analog and only the camera signal is digital the circuits190and290can be used. The programmed selector however will connect and rout the camera signal via the CPU430and via the CPU535to the terminal163and the selectors104A and104B will rout the signal to the FSK demodulate circuit to process, decode and store the picture data into the memory208shown inFIGS. 11A and 11B. If the stored video signal is compressed the CPU205will decompress the signal for display onto the shopping terminal screen209.

When a visitor activates the entry panel400ofFIG. 5Ausing touch screens, visitor select keys or any other type of accessing, such as RFID card, picture identification and similar the switch420will connect the speaker (sp.), the microphone (mic.) and video signal generated by the camera403of said entry panel.

The video, mic., and speaker signals are fed through the terminal405,406and407of the entry panel to the terminals140,141and161of the circuit100or190respectively for communicating with the video interphone701or the shopping terminal that is shown to be combined with a television (TV) set702ofFIG. 12. The entry panels shown inFIG. 12are shown with select keys409and a display screen including a touch screen404and the camera403.

The switch420shown inFIG. 5Athereby becomes a linking switch between the shown single entry panel and the circuit190, feeding the inbound microphone and camera signals and receiving the outbound speaker signal for communicating via the line10and the circuit290with the video interphone701or the combined shopping terminal and a TV set702shown inFIG. 12. It is obviously clear that the CPU430ofFIGS. 5A and 5Bcan be controlled by the main CPU535on the basis of a switch on command generated by the video interphone701or the shopping terminal702ofFIG. 12.

FIG. 5Bshows n entry panels400-1,400-2and400-n, each incorporating the switch420. The CPUs430are programmed to switch on only one switch420, be it by a command generated at random by a visitor at one of the entry panels, or by a command generated and fed from the video interphone monitor701or the TV set702and propagated via the CPU535. The CPUs430will reject a switch on command to a switch420when another switch420is switched on. The limiting of the switches420operation to one switch only is important because the connections setup shown inFIG. 5Bcannot permit the linking of more than one entry panel400with the circuit100or190.

FIG. 6Ashows an expanded switching circuit ofFIG. 5Bfor connecting any one of the entry panels400-1˜400-nwith a single circuit190such as circuit190-1, or selectively any one of the panels400with any one of the n circuits190, or connecting plurality of the entry panels400with plurality of the circuits190. The circuit ofFIG. 6Ais showing two entry panels400-2and400-nconnected to the circuits190-nand190-1respectively.

In details the entry panel400-2is connected to the circuit190-nvia the switch533-2of the combination switch530-nshown in the block620-n. The entry panel400-nis connected to the circuit190-1via the switch533-nof the combination switch530-1in the block620-1. The switches420-1420-nare interconnected in a given pattern inside the blocks620for providing shortest possible linking lines within the PCB area.

The shown n combination switches530-1and530-neach comprising n switches or routers533-1,533-2and533-n. The number of switches533of each combination switch530is selected to correspond with the number of the modules440including the entry panels400connected through the modules440, shown to be n.

The main CPU535is programmed to switch on only one of the n switches533of a given combination switch530together with a selected one switch420. For example,FIG. 6Ashows an entry panel400-2commanded to link with the circuit190-nvia the switches420-2and533-2of the combination switch530-nand the entry panel400-nis commanded to link with the circuit190-1via the switches420-nand533-nof the combination switch530-1respectively.

The entry panels400ofFIGS. 5B and 6Aare shown diluted, without the drivers and/or the signals connection to the I/O ports431433ofFIG. 5A. The entry panels400inFIG. 6Aare shown diluted for simplifying the drawings, but should be viewed as comprising the same blocks and circuits shown inFIG. 5Aincluding other elements such as a display with touch screen404and select keys409shown inFIG. 12.

Further, it is important and significant that only one switch533or544of a given combination switch530or540shown inFIGS. 6A and 6Bcan be switched on and that no two switches533or544of a given combination switch530or540are linked with the same entry panel400or same module440. Such limitation makes it obviously clear that any one of the circuits190can be linked with any one of the entry panels400directly, and that no other circuit190can be linked with the same entry panel.

The preferred embodiment program for the CPUs205,105,430and535prevents two or more circuits100,190,200and290from being crossed or linked together, be it with the same entry panel400, or as will be explained later, with the same entry panel, or the same e-service and e-shopping interface module440shown also inFIGS. 7 and 8.

The programming of switches or routers used in a network such as an infrastructure of a building must consider seriously the best method to prevent hacking or abuse of commercial transactions. The commonly propagated TCP/IP signal in a network with routers and hubs such as Ethernet network is easily accessible through the many hubs or routers of such network and the preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide physical routing for pier to pier communication only.

Typical IP routing via IP digital switches, such as used for example by the well known digital switches in a voice over IP (VoIP) systems is not the preferred embodiment, even though such digital switches can be programmed for pier to pier links.

Such IP switching ICs used in a commercial environment must be programmed with highly secured and limiting interconnection between the shopping terminal circuit100or190with the entry panel400or the module440shown inFIGS. 7˜10. Yet it can never be safe enough to prevent hackers from within the building unless a very high level of security protections including encryption and other complex and costly programs are applied.

For this reason the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses switching or routing devices programmed to ensure each line10integrity and that no two lines10can be crossed or physically invaded and that the connections between residences or offices from within the building can never be misidentified or wrongly diagnosed as another registered user.

The programs designed for the switches or routers of an infrastructured network used for multi tenants building must include high level of security programming for preventing hacking and abuses, particularly when the infrastructure is used for commercial purposes such as e-shopping and e-services that may include bank transactions, credit cards and insurance services.

Such high level programming for residential buildings is extremely costly, particularly when the network is a local (LAN) IP network such as the well known Ethernet. Infrastructure based on commonly available hubs and routers used in Ethernet network can be easily penetrated from within the system as stated above.

A simple unplugging of an RJ45 connector from a switching hub or a router of the building internal network and replacing it by an RJ45 plug linked to the hacker's PC provides a knowledgeable hacker the simple means to invade, or it may be viewed as invitation to enter and abuse the system from within. Therefore even highly secured IP LAN system that includes encryption and other well known firewalls will be rejected by most financial institution, that commonly refuse to be connected to a vulnerable network.

The referred to above communication of choice is one that enables the communication of data and commands and protocols to be propagated in inbound and outbound direction using ASK and FSK modulated signals as well as video and audio signals, all of which are preferably used to include directive commands and protocols, directing data or transactions at synchronized random timing via different routes, such as interrupting FSK stream for continuation by an ASK stream commanded via audio stream.

Such synchronous switching between communication mediums over a single twisted pair connected is star configuration between two circuits100and200that process the random synchronous directing commands for a pre-configured transactions, fully protect any attempt to invade the system via the internal communication lines of a building and which is another preferred embodiment of the programming used in the present invention.

It is preferable to have a system that prevents physical accesses to switches and/or to the twisted pair lines10from within the building. For example, the shown lines10between the circuits100and200are forming pier to pier star connections shown as direct connection between the main unit or matrix600,650,670or690ofFIGS. 7˜10with each individual circuit200or290of each apartment or unit of a building.

Moreover, though the switches are shown inFIGS. 6A and 6Bas a set of mechanical switches or combination of multi poles switches and individually numbered, such as420,533or544, the switches of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are combined into one or very few IC packages, such as the well known gate arrays (FPGA) and/or large scale multiplexers having multi-channel arrays, such as the arrays530and540having common command to switch on or link simultaneously the combination of signals referred to above, which applies also to the switches420ofFIGS. 6A and 6Bas well.

The other shown switches having a common terminal and multi pole channels for commanding and linking each channel individually, such as the switches551˜554and561˜563of routers arrays550and560included in the blocks630and640ofFIGS. 9 and 10, each connected to n plurality of the circuit100and190respectively.

When ASK and FSK IP signals including VoIP and IP video signals are propagated through the main unit600,650,670or690the switches of the preferred embodiment referred to above further comprising the well known digital switches, and the programs for the main unit or matrix600,650,670or690is preferably programmed to maintain the direct pier to pier connection via the fixedly connected single twisted pair10between the circuit100or190of the main unit and the circuit200or290of the video interphone701or the shopping terminal702shown inFIG. 12in each apartment or a unit of a building.

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7show the main units600and690, termed also a routing unit, a router or a matrix for connecting or linking the bidirectional video, FSK, ASK and audio signals including DC feed of controlled current via the fixedly attached n twisted pair lines10between n pairs of circuits100and200or190and290, for selectively connecting n entry panels400or e-service or e-shopping interfacing modules440with n video interphone monitors or other display appliances including the shopping circuits20shown inFIGS. 11A˜13.

The entry panel, e-service and e-shopping modules440are connecting modules comprising the switches420that are not shown inFIG. 7but shown inFIGS. 6A and 6Bincluding the CPU430, for operating the basic entry panels400, such as shown inFIG. 12, comprising the circuits shown inFIG. 5Abut without the switch420.

By such arrangement the switches420feeding the microphone, speaker and camera lines of the entry panels400-1˜400-nofFIG. 5Bneed not be remotely connected to distant terminals of the main unit600, preferably they are positioned in close vicinity with the switches533or544ofFIGS. 6A and 6Bsuch as shown inside blocks620-1˜620-nofFIG. 6Aand block610-nofFIG. 6B. Each entry panel400is thereby connected directly to a given termination point within the main unit, with each line being properly terminated.

Proper termination will not be possible if the shown undefined length of the lines connected inFIG. 5Bto the open switches420, leaving the ends of the lines in a state of open tails that cause poor or bad termination with high standing waves ratio.

For such reasons and for simplifying the interconnections and the termination of the lines of the system it is preferred to provide all the connections405,406,407and408from the switch420into a central connection points leading to the four or three pole switches or routers544or533inside the blocks610-1˜610-nof the main unit600and620-1˜620-nof the main unit690ofFIGS. 7 and 8respectively.

Each switch544of the router array540is operated to link all the four signals via the four poles shown inFIG. 7for linking the mic., sp., inbound video and outbound video for each of the n circuits100. The three pole switches533of the router array530shown inFIG. 8connect to the circuits190that do not provide outbound FM video and do not use the fourth pole. The switches533and544are concentrated into a small printed circuit board (PCB) area of the blocks610and620with very short interconnecting lines between them.

The switches420that are operated via the CPU430of the modules440and are preferably positioned in closed vicinity with the circuits100and190respectively. It is further preferable to combine all the switches into a small area, for exchanging the combinations of signals with n number of circuits100or190each comprising four pole switches or routers544shown inFIG. 7or three pole switches or routers533shown inFIG. 8for switching or routing the mic., sp. inbound video and outbound video signals, exchanged with the circuit200.

Even though the main unit600is structured to connect the circuit100ofFIG. 1Athe shown circuit190ofFIG. 3Acan be introduced instead of the circuit100. The difference between circuits100and190is that the circuit190is not provided with the outbound circuits for the FM video signal, nor the terminal160. The fourth pole of the switch544that connects the outbound FM video via the terminal160of circuit200will therefore not propagate the outbound FM video signal when the circuit190is connected, but all other referred to above signals including mic., sp. and camera signals will be propagated promptly.

FIG. 8shows the main unit690that is similar to the main unit600ofFIG. 7. The difference is the use of three pole switches or routers533for each circuit190instead of the four pole switches or routers544used in the circuit100. As the circuit190does not propagate outbound FM modulated video the outbound video terminal160and the outbound video selector104are not needed and are not included in the circuit190.

Yet, if a shopping circuit20ofFIG. 11Ais provided with a digital video source the shopping circuit can generate and modulate the digital video signal for feeding an outbound FSK modulated digital video signal via the CPUs205,105and through the I/O port of the CPU535ofFIG. 11A.

The bidirectional ASK signals are propagated between the CPUs105,205,535and430at a preferred rate of 125K baud. The ASK signal is accessible via all the elements, units and devices of the system such as the video interphone monitor701, the shopping terminal702, the circuit100,190,200and290, the entry panels400, the interfacing modules440, the main units600,650,670and690, the system server8at random and at all times.

Both the main units600and690shown inFIGS. 7 and 8clearly illustrate that any of the modules440can selectively propagate one way and bidirectional combinations of the signals referred to above, selectively via the switches or routers420,533and544including the CPUs205and105for exchanging the ASK and FSK signals with any of a selected circuits200or290via the circuits100or190, and via the single twisted pair10fixedly connecting the two circuits100with200, or190with290, including the feeding of a controlled DC current to said circuit200or290via the same twisted pair10.

FIG. 9shows another switching or routing setup via the selectors or switches or routers551˜554of a combination router550. The shown individual switches, selectors or routers551˜554of the combination routers550differ from the shown switches420and the switches or routers533or544of the combination switch530or540by the number of poles per each switch or router, the number of the switches or routers used and by the applied control whereby all of the three or four poles of the switches or routers420,533and544are operated simultaneously to link selectively a circuit200or290via the line10and the circuits100or199with a module440by operating a pair of switches or routers420and533or420and544shown inFIGS. 7 and 8via a single command.

In contrast the routers shown inFIGS. 9 and 10illustrate a different switching setup whereby, the switch or router420inside the module440(not shown inFIGS. 7˜10) is operated selectively the same way as it does inFIGS. 7 and 8, by switching the three poles to link the three referred to above mic., sp. and inbound video or camera signals between a selected entry panel400via the combination switches or routers530or540ofFIGS. 7 and 8or via the combination routers550and560ofFIGS. 9 and 10.

For the avoidance of a doubt the switches420,533,544,551˜554and561˜563are shown as electrical contact switches for the purpose of simplifying the explanation, however the switching, routing or selecting devices420,533,544,551˜554and561˜563can be mechanical contacts but are preferably semiconductor devices known as routers, selectors, multiplexers and other well known FET or other switching transistors or packaged ICs available from many semiconductor manufacturers at low cost.

The poles of the switches420,533or544that are termed hereafter “multi routers”, each comprising three or four poles that are operated simultaneously. The other switches that are termed hereafter “port selector” comprising the selectors551˜554and561˜563are fundamentally different. Each selector comprising a common port of a router with in-out (I/O) n ports, each port is individually controlled.

Both types the “multi routers” and the “port selector” are selectively operated to connect one of the modules440with one of the circuits100or190. Each of the switches or routers420,533and544are shown inFIGS. 7 and 8to link a combination of signals comprising microphone, speaker, inbound video and outbound video between one of the circuits100or190and one of the modules440, or between plurality of circuits100or190with plurality of modules440.

The four pole switches544inFIG. 7link the mic., sp., the inbound video and the outbound video with one of the modules440, the three pole switches533of the main unit690ofFIG. 8do not link or propagate outbound FM video signal.

FIGS. 9 and 10show the selective routing of the microphone, speaker, inbound video and the outbound video signals via the routers551˜554and561˜563comprising a common port and n I/O ports and termed “port selector”.FIGS. 9 and 10clearly show the difference between the routers551˜554or561˜563of the main units650and670and the switches533or544of the main units600and690shown inFIGS. 7 and 8.

The number of the “multi routers”533and544per each circuit100or190is equal to the number of the modules440embedded into or connected to the main units600and690ofFIGS. 7 and 8, including the number of entry panels400connected to the main unit via the modules440.

Only six “port selectors”561-563are used for the n circuits190of each block640and only eight “port selectors”551˜554are used for the n circuits100of each block630of the main units670and650ofFIGS. 9 and 10respectively.

The use of the combination router arrays comprising only six or eight “port selectors” to link the n lines10of blocks630or640is made possible by the introduction of n I/O ports to each “port selector” equal to the number of the circuits100or190of each block630or640on one side and the number of the modules440connected to or embedded into the main unit670or650on the other side. The number of the modules440including the number of entry panel400connected to the main units670and650respectively via the modules440.

Since the number of the modules and the circuits100and190are finite number such as, for example 16, or 32, there are no practical limitation to employ both types of “multi routers” or “port selectors”. The selection of which is dependent on costs and on the basis of how many modules440and how many connecting lines10are needed for a given building infrastructure.

FIG. 11Ashows the electrical block diagrams of the shopping terminal20connected via a single twisted pair10to the main unit600,650,670or690that is further connected via internal line7to a server8that is connected to a network5shown to be a Private Virtual Network (VPN) within the network5.

The shopping terminal20comprising a display and a touch screen209operated by the control, communication and power circuit21comprising the CPU205, a memory208termed “terminal memory” and the circuit200or290. The circuit21further comprising a built-in or an optional rechargeable battery230or external power supply via terminals231˜232for connecting any well known DC power supply or an AC adaptor for powering the shopping terminal.

The preferred embodiment includes the rechargeable battery230, but any other power supply can be used instead for powering the operating mode only, the standby mode only or both the standby and the operating mode. Using external power supply eliminates the use of the battery230or of the entire power feed via the twisted pair10detailed above, including the power terminals and the power components such the coils153,154,256,257, the rectifier255, the regulator253, the charge circuit231, the capacitors152,254,252and the terminals150,151,232,233,250and251ofFIGS. 1A and 2A.

FIG. 11Aalso shows the main router or matrix unit that can be any of the main units600,650,670and690shown inFIGS. 7˜10comprising the CPU or the system controller535, the switching or routing arrays530,540,550or560also shown inFIGS. 7˜10, a memory536attached to the CPU535, the n interfacing modules440, the power supply15for feeding the VCC to the system and the controlled current via the terminals150and151and the n circuits100or190.

The shown block diagram of the system components inFIG. 11Aclearly identifies the simple structure of the shopping platform interconnected by a single twisted pair10per each shopping terminal20including the powering of at least the standby mode for enabling the updating of the shopping and services data regardless of the power switch status in a dwelling or an office or a business unit of a building.

FIG. 11Afurther shows the main unit connection to a server and to a network5selected from a group comprising a dedicated network, a private network, public networks, the internet, including wireless network extension5A and combinations thereof. The wireless network extension is selected from a group comprising mobile, Bluetooth, WiFi and combinations thereof. The VPN shown inside the network cloud5is a Virtual Private Network program tailored for any of the networks5referred to above including the wireless networks5A.

The antenna of the WiFi or mobile or Bluetooth network5A is shown operated via the VPN cloud, but can be connected directly to the server8for communicating WiFi or Bluetooth signals, for example communicating with a handheld delivery table or a delivery device820carried by a deliveryman or service man, or it can be a delivery smart cart incorporating similar delivery unit860for acknowledging deliveries made to a dweller at his dwelling unit in a building or locally in the neighborhood shown inFIGS. 14 and 15B. Such RF delivery tablet or device is also disclosed in the U.S. application Ser. No. 13/599,275 (page 39, lines 3˜12).

FIG. 11Bshows the simplicity of loading, upgrading and updating the memory208termed hereafter “terminal memory” and the recall of the display pages for choosing the e-shopping and e-services via the shopping terminal20. The shown recall of the display pages into a memory buffer208A are detailed in the pending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/599,275 referred to above.

It becomes clear that the use of the circuits100,190,200and290ofFIGS. 1A˜4B for providing high speed of up to 5.0 Mb FSK data via a single twisted pair10that feeds a controlled DC current calculated to charge a battery230and maintain standby power for the CPU205and the memory208, for receiving and installing fresh loading, upgrading and/or updating the terminal memory at random or periodically as scheduled without disrupting the on-going communications.

It becomes further clear that a twisted pair cable length of over 200 m or 650 ft in a direct pier to pier connection substantially improve the security of the communications propagated via internal lines of a shopping infrastructure of a residential or office tower building or housing complex and yet provide the speed needed to update the shopping and services data to large residential complexes instantly at all times.

Moreover, the FSK data is augmented and supported by the high speed bidirectional ASK data for synchronously commanding the different circuit in concert with the operation of the system and the signals propagation. Providing distinct synchronized programs for updating data, shopping and operating command signals via a single twisted pair10.

Even though it is advantageous to use the single twisted pair10for propagating all the referred to above signals including the constant current feed, it is similarly possible to use for the pier to pier connections a standard CAT5 cable comprising four twisted pairs, each propagating one or two of the signals such as one pair for bidirectional FSK, one pair for bidirectional ASK, one pair for audio and the FM modulated video and the fourth pair for feeding DC power, in which case the power does not need to be controlled current feed, instead it can be a regulated voltage feed.

The use of the high speed FSK data with carrier frequency of 10˜20 MHz will enable to propagate the FSK signal for well over 200 m or 650 ft. The power feed can also be a power feed for powering the circuit200or290and for charging the rechargeable battery with trickle charge of, for example, 50 mA. Therefore for smaller residential buildings such as with 8 or 16 or 20 apartments where the lower installing cost advantages of the non-polar single twisted pair are not meaningful, it is possible to install standard CAT5 cable instead of the single twisted pair even though the pier to pier wiring will be far more complex to install.

It should be noted that the above references suggesting which twisted pair of the CAT5 can propagate which given signal or signals is a matter of choice and that the signal or signals are preferably propagated along with the DC power feed or without power feed via the four twisted pairs. Further, as a matter of choice the CAT5 cable can be used partially, such as using two pairs or three pairs instead of the one twisted pair, which is the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Similarly the video signal propagation from an entry panel of a building or of an access control can be propagated and routed or switched via a coax cable and the audio can be propagated via shielded wires or cables. In such setup the audio transformers142and242ofFIGS. 1 and 4will not be necessary, and if video signals are propagated via the coax cable the FM modulator of the modulate/demodulate102the selector104/204will be replaced by video routers.

Similarly the shopping terminals circuits of the television receivers702ofFIG. 12and the different television boxes such as the set-top box703and e-shopping box705ofFIG. 13may be connected to a network of antenna cables or to a cable TV distribution via fiber optic cables, multi core cables and other special dedicated cables.

FIG. 12shows a video interphone system700of a building comprising n entry panels400, n video interphone monitors701-1˜701-nincluding the shopping circuit20ofFIGS. 11A and 11B, n television receivers702-1˜702-nincluding the shopping circuit20ofFIGS. 11A and 11Band the well known video interphone circuits, similar to the circuits used for the video interphones701. Each of the video interphone monitors701and of the television receiver702are connected via a single twisted pair10to the main router or matrix unit600,650,670or690.

The main router or matrix unit further shown to be connected to a server8via the system CPU535and via an interconnecting line7including a network interfacing line6to a network5.

The network5comprising a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connected to the shown service and merchandise providers selected from e-concierge center30, e-shop or shops31, e-service or services32, e-bank or credit facility33, emergency services34, alarm monitoring and support35and power consumption reporting and control by a smart grid36.

The shown service and merchandise as well as other referred to on-line providers and institutions are a token or a summary of the many and the variety of the e-shopping and e-services providers and facilities that can be introduced and connected via the network5and the system server8to the infrastructure of a building comprising the internal communication lines, using the circuits100,190,200and290described above.

Though not shown in the drawings, it is obviously clear that the server8can be linked to a computing cloud provider for storing and updating the providers programs, as tailored to each individual dweller or tenant of a building as further disclosed in the reference US patents and pending applications.

FIG. 13shows a dedicated e-shopping infrastructure similar to the infrastructure shown inFIG. 12without the entry panels400and the video interphone monitor701. Instead the shopping circuit20and the circuit200or290are included in a set-top box703connecting the cable TV network801via the distributor802to the cable television704.

The shopping circuit20is also included in a shopping box705that includes the circuit200or290. The shopping box705connects a terrestrial television set706and to an antenna803via an antenna distributor804. Also shown is a dedicated shopping terminal707that includes the circuit200or290.

Each of the referred to above n circuits200or290is connected to the circuits100or190of the main unit600,650,670or690via a single twisted pair10-1,10-2and10-nvia the terminals10A,10B,11A and11B referred and shown also inFIGS. 1A˜B,2A˜B,3A˜B and4A˜B. The difference is the elimination of the entry panels and the mic., sp. and inbound video or camera signals shown or referred to inFIG. 12.

Yet even though the analog signals are not shown, as explained above, the mic., sp. and inbound camera signals can be propagated in a digital form by the bidirectional FSK signals via the system controller535and it is possible to enter the building via a well known access control system (not shown) and communicate from the apartments or offices with the access control via the mic.711shown included in the set-top box703, the e-shopping box705and the dedicated shopping terminal707.

The speaker (not shown but is included) in the CATV704, the terrestrial TV706and a speaker712that is shown in the dedicated shopping terminal707. The digital camera for generating digital video signal is not shown, but it is a well known camera used with access control of a building.

By such arrangement the system shown inFIG. 13will have all the function of the system shown inFIG. 12and moreover, it expands the range of the display and communication devices that can provide the e-shopping of the present invention to include the many different set-top boxes and/or converter boxes, including antenna and cable TV boxes and literally any type of TV set, or any type of shopping box such as the shown box705.

The system server8connects to the system controller535via line and to the network via the line6, the same way as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12and further includes the wireless antenna5A for communicating with wired and wireless network such as WiFi, Bluetooth and/or mobile, particularly with delivery personnel, operating from an embedded delivery warehouse within the building or the complex.

An embedded delivery station within a building or within a neighborhood provides a clear unambiguous solution to the persisting problems and difficulties affecting the grocery and fresh or cooked food e-shopping. The many attempts by large supermarket to create a more efficient delivery method and system particularly for fresh food, and other groceries did not succeed, as the fast delivery within short time, for example within 30 minutes, is completely out of reach.

The solution for such fast deliveries via an embedded e-shopping delivery station or warehouse is recited in the U.S. application Ser. No. 13/599,275 in page 39, lines 3˜12. Yet a delivery station embedded into a building basement, or into an apartment of a building by itself, cannot provide fast deliveries, unless the entire concept of e-shopping is modified to enable a fast and simple processing and logistics, leading to a fast delivery from within the building, or complex, or the neighborhood.

FIG. 14shows the infrastructure within a building70with a dweller800completing the order on the basis of an updated program stored into the terminal memory208via the recalled display pages46˜49and the memory buffer208A shown inFIG. 11Bonto the display, operate and touch screen209of a shopping terminal circuit20shown also as a dedicated shopping terminal207inFIG. 13.

During the choosing process and all the way through the completion of the order the shopping terminal is operated in a shopping mode and it is not communicating on line. The shopping and ordering are completed on the basis of the updated program and content stored in the terminal memory208of the shopping terminal itself.

The updating is a continuous, random and/or a scheduled stream for keeping the products, their prices, availability and delivery particulars updated at all times. Therefore, the choosing and the ordering process is based on actual available products at the stated prices and in stock for delivery as provided by the updated data.

With the choosing of products, delivery, billing particulars and payment completed, the dweller800sends the completed order, shown as sent order802via the line10to the main unit600,650,670or690. The CPU535of the main unit shown inFIGS. 12 and 13processes the order and feed an interfaced signals804detailing said order via the interfacing module440and line7to the system server8. The system server propagates data pertaining the received order806with the data being adapted or interfaced to the given network5protocols via line6and via the network5shown as VPN, to the e-concierge center30.

The e-concierge center30is the entity registering, operating and controlling the closed circuit e-shopping and e-services of the present invention and all the transactions such as808within the VPN are recorded and validated by the e-concierge center30. With the order validated it is forwarded to the e Bank and Credit33for payment processing.

As the e-shopping of the present invention is operating in a closed circuit in a Virtual Private Network, all the dwellers and providers are all registered clients and suppliers, by the e-concierge center30, including all the financial institutions such as banks, credit cards, billing and credit facilities. By such arrangement the dwellers need not identify themselves as their location, the supply shops or the delivery stations are all registered and recorded. This setup makes the payment transaction simple and the e/Bank/Credit33validates the payment and directs the validated order and payment810to the e-shop31.

Further, the shown system server8can be located inside or within the building70ofFIG. 14, but it can be a server incorporated in the well known cloud computing services along with the servers of the other entities participating in the e-shopping program, such that the transaction moving in stages, will all move within the super speed of the cloud computing of today and of the future, to complete the order processing and payment in a fraction of a second.

With the payment validated, the original order802is now propagated, shown as812, to the e-shopping delivery station62located in the basement B172of the building70from the e-shop server31. This prompts the deliveryman to load the cart66with the ordered groceries68and proceed to the elevator71to deliver promptly the ordered goods to the dweller800at hers or his apartment inside the building.

To complete the cycle, the dweller keys a pre-assigned code into a wireless delivery tablet820, communicating via WiFi, or Bluetooth antenna5A of the server8or via the shown antenna5A of the shopping terminal through which the order was originated.

This closes the order and the payment by the e-Bank32crediting the e-shop31and debiting the dweller800. The e-shop will automatically adjust the stock count and/or instruct a central warehouse to replace the sold goods during the next planned delivery to the delivery station62of the building70, or as the case may be order an immediate delivery, because for example, the sold goods depleted the entire stock or reduced the stock to below a minimum level as set.

The referenced above to the deliveryman loading the cart66with the ordered groceries68may not be free from difficulties. For example the deliveryman809may pick up a pack of lemons instead of a pack of oranges and the error is discovered while delivering the groceries to the dweller800. Such error causes substantial irritation, waste of time and delays, because the deliveryman must return to the delivery station, replace the packs and re-deliver the correct merchandise, which is time consuming, causes delay throughout and is costly. To avoid such errors the pick-up and delivery logistics must be made accurate, efficient with error prevention.

Another item of importance is the receiving of the order by the deliveryman. A paper print out of a received order or several orders mandate a physical handling of papers that may be miss-noticed, mishandled and/or violation of the sequence principle of first order received is the first to be processed.

For this reason, and as will be explained later, small delivery stations can operate with orders received directly through the wireless delivery tablet820shown inFIGS. 14 and 15A, but larger delivery stations preferably use an automated smart carts850shown inFIG. 15B.

The functions and features of both the delivery tablet820and the smart cart850can be similar or same, wherein the delivery tablet820comprising a CPU and a memory (not shown), a display and operate screen822, operating keys821, and selectable modules comprising barcode reader823, front and rear cameras824/825, RFID reader and antenna827, RF transceiver and antenna828and order/delivery status indicator826. The comparable items of the smart cart850are a CPU and a memory (not shown), the display and operate screen862, operating keys861and the modules comprising barcode reader863, front and rear cameras864/865, RFID reader and antenna867, RF transceiver and antenna868and order/delivery status indicator866.

The procedure and logistics involved include the receiving of the order via the RF transceiver and antenna, be it WiFi, Bluetooth or other wireless RF signals and frequencies, with the order details displayed on the screen822or862, and the status indicator826or866indicates, by the color of the status indicator or by such as flashing LEDs, that order is received and awaiting pick-up and delivery.

The deliveryman809picks up the delivery tablet820or the smart cart860. For merchandise identified by barcode the deliveryman scans each item removed from its storage be it from shelf, bin or rack shown inFIG. 15C, or from a refrigerator (not shown) and scan the product via the barcode reader823or863before placing it into the smart cart850or into non-intelligent cart66ofFIG. 14or basket. For items identified by RFID tag the products can be scanned by the RFID reader antenna827of the delivery tablet820, or automatically by simply placing the picked up item into the cart storing space852.

The RFID antenna867surrounds the upper rim of the smart cart850and will automatically detect the passing RFID tag of the product placed into the cart. Every time the barcode scanner or the RFID reader identify the product as one of the ordered merchandise, the picked-up product displayed on the screen822and862will change its status and indication from “on order” to “picked up”.

An attempt to pick up and scan or place a non-ordered product will be rejected with a warning indication that a wrong product is being picked up and should not be placed in the cart or delivered. With the picked up products or merchandise completed for a given order, the indicator will change its indication, such as its color to indicate waiting for delivery status, prompting the deliveryman to proceed and deliver the ordered products to the dweller.

Once the physical delivery take place each item is scanned for removal confirmation from the smart cart850or from the non-intelligent cart shown as66inFIG. 14by the delivery tablet820and each item in the listed order on display will indicate product or merchandise removed. With all the items on order are delivered the dweller800ofFIG. 14will be keying a delivery completed pre-assigned code for delivery completed and the order will be closed, payment will be processed and the e-provider stock will be adjusted as referred to above.

The cameras824/825and864/865are introduced for taking pictures and recording the receiving dweller for creating a temporary files containing proof of the recipient at the time of delivery.

Another important item is the handling of simultaneously received delivery orders, be it small or large delivery station, each such station is preferably provided with plurality of delivery tablets820and/or smart carts850all programmed to operate in a sequence commensurate with the first order received is first to be processed (First in First out). If more than one deliveryman is in the station, the orders in the sequence received will be processed simultaneously. Attempt to process an order in violation of the receiving sequence as programmed cannot be processed and an indication of error will sound and/or displayed.

It should be noted that the smart cart850is shown in a square shape, which is a fit shape for moving merchandise inside elevators. The folding table853, the handle851and the delivery unit860are illustrated not to size and/or precise shape, but simply to provide an image of the smart cart850.

The last important item is the power source for the smart cart850and for the delivery tablet820. The preferred embodiment uses a rechargeable batteries (not shown) that are being charged continuously whenever the smart cart850or the delivery tablet820are not in use and are attached or plugged to assigned chargers (not shown) for the carts in their parking place and to the delivery tablet onto a stand (not shown).

FIG. 15Cshows an illustrated automated rack880for storing groceries as an example of merchandise. Not all the bins shown are identical, for example the bread bin881-1is covered by a front glass. Similar covers are provided for the bins881-2and881-3containing fruits.

Other bins882-1882-6contain solid packages such as bottles, cans, jars or carton boxes and do not require cover protection.

Each of the bins however includes an hanging or attached tablet870for identifying the product, the stock figure and order in progress comprising display872enhanced by group of indicators876for identifying the orders in process, the ordering dweller and other particulars, such as quantity, price and time of delivery when the deliveryman is not nearby the rack, as an example. Each bin is further provided with barcode reader873, RFID reader877and RF transceiver and antenna878for communicating with the delivery station server65ofFIG. 14and/or with the delivery tablet820, delivery unit860, or with the delivery station server65ofFIG. 14.

The built-in or attached by hanging or otherwise attached tablet870further comprising a CPU and a memory (not shown), operating keys and/or touch screen for transacting fresh stocks, returned merchandise, remove, enter, adjust stock levels and any other operating mode needed to handle the stock in the bins, shelves, pallets, stands, carts, basket, containers or other storages such as refrigerated, freeze or heat bins and/or heaters for cooked food and similar.

With the support of the smart shelves or the automated racks880, or bins, or cabinets and other smart storage facilities, including the delivery tablets820and the delivery unit860all communicating with each other and with the server65of the delivery station and with the shopping terminals at the ordering dweller site, the delivery process is substantially upgraded with error prevention, efficiency and to be delivered on time.

The shown closed circuit e-commerce entity of the VPN network5inFIG. 14comprises the building server8, the e-concierge center30which is the server controlling the closed circuit e-commerce entity, the e-bank and credit33and the e-shop31. The closed circuit e-commerce ofFIG. 14represents a smaller closed circuit e-shopping entity than the shown entity ofFIGS. 12 and 13. It is obvious that the other providers including services32, shops31, financial30, emergency34and/or the power consumption reporting36and/or many other service and merchandise providers could be added to enlarge the closed circuit e-commerce into many fields of commerce, life style and support.

On the other hand, not all systems need to be large and cover every aspect of services and merchandise. Some system may be designed and created for a specific e-commerce activity. For example a grocery or pharmacy or office supply provider may operate a single warehouse unit for a large residential or office building via one or two delivery stations for prompt deliveries within a building or a neighborhood. Such provider management can manage the specific closed circuit e-commerce and replace the shown e-concierge center30.

Accordingly for specific e-commerce activity, such as grocery, the e-concierge center may not be needed and is not used. Similarly, the network5can be a dedicated network5instead of the VPN shown inFIG. 14. Moreover for such specific or limited operation the provider can handle management, credit and payment and may not need the bank/credit provider33which will not be included in the closed circuit e-commerce entity.

This leaves only two servers8and31operating via a dedicated or private network5that forms a specific e-commerce entity, that though is small or limited in selection, it can effectively and efficiently operate with the circuits and processes disclosed above.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure, which modifications do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.