Preemptive maintenance for a client-server masquerading network

• US 10,356,831 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sure-Fi Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hall Labs, LLC
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Hall, Mark, Boswell, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sai Ming
• Application Number:
  US15/411,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20180213573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 370389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method for controlling communication between a remote device and a control server includes sending, over a long range radio communication link, to a number of remote devices, a number of reduced packets, each of the number of reduced packets causing each of the number of remote devices to generate a reduced response packet, the reduced response packet indicating a status of each of the number of remote devices, receiving, from a number of responding remote devices, a number of actual reduced response packets to identify when a remote device is in a report state, examining status data related to each of the number of remote devices, the status data comprising a number of attributes include a remote device reduced packet, a remote device reduced response packet, and a number of remote device attributes, when a fault is detected, generating a remote devices fault report, and transmitting, to a control server, a remote device fault report.

Claims

1. A method for controlling communication between a remote device and a control server, the method comprising:

receiving a first packet from the control server;

generating a first reduced packet by unencapsulating the first packet;

sending, over a long range radio communication link, the first reduced packet to the remote device;

receiving, over the long range radio communication link, a second reduced packet from the remote device;

generating a second packet by encapsulating the second reduced packet;

sending the second packet to the control server;

sending, over the long range radio communication link, a third reduced packet to the remote device, the third reduced packet causing the remote device to generate a third reduced response packet, the third reduced response packet indicating a status of the remote device;

detecting the status of the remote device based on the third reduced response packet or a lack of receipt of the third reduced response packet;

examining the status of the remote device;

detecting a fault based on the status;

generating a remote devices fault report; and

transmitting the remote device fault report to the control server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a number of factors that influence communication with the remote device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein one factor of the number of factors is weather.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein one factor of the number of factors is the distance to the remote device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein one factor of the number of factors is obstacles interfering with communication with the remote device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a value of service performed by the remote device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising examining the value of served performed by the remote device.

8. An apparatus for controlling remote devices, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a network interface, communicatively connected to the processor;

a long range radio communication interface communicatively connected to the processor;

a non-transitory storage medium communicatively connected to the processor, the non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

receive a first packet from a control server;

generate a first reduced packet by unencapsulating the first packet;

send, over a long range radio communication link, the first reduced packet to a remote device;

receive, over the long range radio communication link, a second reduced packet from the remote device;

generate a second packet by encapsulating the second reduced packet;

send the second packet to the control server;

send, over the long range radio communication interface, a third reduced packet to the remote device, the third reduced packet causing the remote device to generate a third reduced response packet, the third reduced response packet indicating a status of the remote device;

detect the status of the remote device based on the third reduced response packet or a lack of receipt of the third response packet;

examine the status of the remote device;

detect a fault based on the status; and

a transmit module, to transmit, to the control server using the network interface, a remote device fault report.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the long range radio communication interface communicates over distances longer than wifi communication.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network interface and the long range radio communication interface use a single radio antenna for communication.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to identify factors that interfere with communication with the remote device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the factors that interfere with communication with the remote device are at least one of weather, distance, and radio communication obstacles.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to identify attributes of the remote device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the remote device attributes include a type associated with the remote device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the remote device attributes include a task performed by the remote device.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to send a series of messages using the long range radio communication interface to reset the remote device.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to send a series of messages using the long range radio communication interface to cause the remote device to amplify a radio response signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to send a series of messages using the long range radio communication interface to cause the remote device to enter a stable state.