System and apparatus for the remote monitoring and control of a computing component

• US 20010047410A1
• Filed: 05/22/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane Merchandising Systems Incorporated (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Isochron Data Corporation (Isochron Data Corp /Harris/)
• Inventors: Defosse, Erin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3068 where the reporting involves data format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and apparatus for the remote monitoring and control of a computing component. An intelligent management and control transceiver (IMCT) is preferably attached to a computing component to be monitored and controlled. The IMCT preferably operates independently of the computing component being monitored and controlled by maintaining its own processing power, memory, power supply and communications capabilities. Software executing on the IMCT enables various functional and environmental characteristics of the computing component to be monitored and controlled. A wireless transceiver is preferably included to allow the IMCT to generate an alert in response to the occurrence of a monitored event as well as to enable the remote management of the computing component. In addition, an Internet web site, portable wireless device or interface to existing computing component management software may be provided and used to access the computing component being monitored as well as to control the computing component preferably using the IMCT.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the remote monitoring and control of a computing component, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory operably coupled to the processor;

a communications interface operably coupled with the processor and the memory;

the communications interface operable to receive information from and transmit information to a first computing component;

a transceiver operably coupled to the processor and the memory;

the transceiver operable to transmit information to and receive information from a communications network;

at least one program of instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor; and

the program of instructions operable to monitor at least one characteristic of the computing component and to control at least one function of the first computing component.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising:

at least one environmental sensor operably coupled to the processor; and

the environmental sensor operable to measure at least one environmental characteristic of a computing component.

3. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising:

at least one LAN transceiver operably coupled to the processor; and

the LAN transceiver operable to transmit information to and receive information from a network.

4. The apparatus of

claim 3

further comprising the LAN transceiver operable to communicate with at one intelligent management and control transceiver.

5. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising a power supply operably coupled to at least the processor and the memory.

6. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising the program of instructions operable to effect monitoring and control instructions communicated from a web page.

7. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising the transceiver operable to communicate computing component status to a remote device.

8. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising a program of instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor operable to test at least one computing component capability.

9. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising the processor, the memory, the communications interface and the transceiver integrated onto a computing component expansion card.

10. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising the communications interface operable to receive information from and transmit information to at least one computing component operably coupled to the first computing component.

11. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising the transceiver operable to transmit information to and receive information from a wireless communications network.

12. The apparatus of

claim 1

further comprising:

the program of instructions operable to generate an alert upon detection of a monitored event; and

The transceiver operable to communicate the alert to the communications network.

13. A system for remotely managing at least one computing component, the system comprising:

an intelligent transceiver operably coupled to the computing component through a communications interface;

the intelligent transceiver including a processor operably coupled to a memory and a transceiver operably coupled to the processor and the memory;

the transceiver operable to transmit information to and receive information from a network;

an operating system storable in the memory and executable by the processor;

the operating system including at least one instruction operable to communicate via the network, at least one instruction operable to monitor and control at least one facet of the computing component and at least one instruction operable to enable the remote management of the computing component;

a local agent storable in a memory and executable in a processor of the computing component; and

the local agent operable to communicate one or more characteristics of the at least one facet to the operating system.

14. The system of

claim 13

further comprising a wireless transceiver.

15. The system of

claim 13

further comprising:

at least one remote device operably coupled to the network; and

the remote device operable to transmit information to and receive information from the intelligent transceiver.

16. The system of

claim 13

further comprising the intelligent transceiver operably coupled to a plurality of computing components.

17. The system of

claim 13

further comprising the intelligent transceiver operable to update the operating system via the network such that the intelligent transceiver is operable to communicate with one or more network and computing component platforms.

18. The system of

claim 13

further comprising the intelligent transceiver operable to receive information from and transmit information to another intelligent transceiver.

19. The system of

claim 13

further comprising:

one or more environmental sensors operably coupled to the processor; and

the environmental sensors operable to measure at least one environmental characteristic of the intelligent transceiver.

20. The system of

claim 13

further comprising:

a power supply operably coupled to the intelligent transceiver; and

the power supply operable to provide power to the intelligent transceiver in response to a power failure of the computing component.

21. The system of

claim 13

further comprising:

a LAN transceiver operably coupled to the processor and the memory of the intelligent transceiver; and

the LAN transceiver operable to communicate information with a local area network.

22. The system of

claim 13

further comprising the operating system including at least one instruction operable to alert at least one remote device in response to detection of a monitored event.

23. An intelligent management and control transceiver comprising:

a processor;

a memory operably coupled to the processor;

a communications interface operably coupled to the processor and the memory;

the communications interface operable to communicate information to and from a computing component;

a transceiver operably coupled to the processor and the memory;

the transceiver operable to communicate information to and from a wireless communications network;

a LAN transceiver operably coupled to the processor and the memory;

the LAN transceiver operable to communicate with at least one remote intelligent management and control transceiver;

at least one environmental sensor operably coupled to the processor and the memory;

the at least one environmental sensor operable to monitor one or more environmental characteristics of the computing component;

a power supply operably coupled to at least the processor and the memory;

the power supply operable to provide power to the processor, memory, communications interface, transceiver, LAN transceiver and environmental sensors;

a program of instructions storable in the memory and executable in the processor; and

the program of instructions operable to monitor and control a plurality of facets of the computing component, to generate an alert in response to detection of a monitored event and to transmit the alert via transceiver to a remote device.

24. The intelligent management and control transceiver of

claim 23

further comprising:

the transceiver operable to receive management and control instructions generated from a web site; and

the program of instructions operable to effect the web site generated management and control instructions.

25. The intelligent management and control transceiver of

claim 23

further comprising the program of instructions operable to perform testing on one or more computing component capabilities.

26. The intelligent management and control transceiver of

claim 23

further comprising the program of instructions operable to effect updates to software.

27. The intelligent management and control transceiver of

claim 23

further comprising the processor, memory, communications interface, transceiver, LAN transceiver, at least one environmental sensor and the power supply integrated onto a computing component expansion card.