Customer support network

• US 20020112064A1
• Filed: 02/12/2002
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eastvold, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/55 Testing of service level quality, e.g. simulating service usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system for accessing data remotely from a network. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first network interface card permitting data transfer between a local network and an intermediate network; a second network interface card permitting data transfer between intermediate network and a remote network; and a module located within the intermediate network, through which all data transferring between the first network and the third network must pass. Information transmitted by the remote network may or may not be received and acted upon by the local network depending on a set of predetermined criteria applied by the intermediate network.

Claims

1. A system for accessing data remotely from a network, comprising:

a first network interface card permitting data transfer between a local network and an intermediate network;

a second network interface card permitting data transfer between intermediate network and a remote network; and

a module located within the intermediate network, through which all data transferring between the first network and the third network must pass;

wherein information transmitted by the remote network may or may not be received and acted upon by the local network depending on a set of predetermined criteria applied by the intermediate network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data transfer between each of the networks occurs via the Internet Protocol (IP), and wherein each network has its own unique IP address.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the module hides the IP addresses of the remote network and the local network from each other.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the module exchanges data with an equipment diagnostic monitor system located within the intermediate network, and wherein the equipment diagnostic monitor system has the function of monitoring tests performed on at least one tool residing within the local network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the equipment diagnostic monitor system collects and analyzes data from tests performed on the at least tool.

6. A system for accessing a local network from a remote network through an intermediate network, comprising:

a first network interface card permitting data transfer between the local network and the intermediate network;

a second network interface card permitting data transfer between the remote network and the intermediate network;

a module located within the intermediate network, through which all data transferring between the local network and the remote network must pass; and

an equipment diagnostic monitor system located within the intermediate network, wherein the equipment diagnostic monitor system monitors tests performed on at least one item residing within the local network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data transfer between each of the networks occurs via the Internet Protocol (IP).

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the module hides the IP addresses of the local network and the remote network from each other.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the equipment diagnostic monitor system collects and analyzes data from the tests performed on the at least one item.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein a user on the second network may request that tests be performed on the at least one item, and may upload data to the remote network, from the tests performed on the at least one item.

11. A data system, comprising:

a first network interface device enabling data transfer between a local network and an intermediate network;

a second network interface device enabling data transfer between a remote network and the intermediate network; and

an equipment diagnostic monitor system located within the intermediate network, wherein the equipment diagnostic monitor system monitors tests performed on at least one item in the local network.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a module located within the third network, through which all data transferring between the first network and the third network must pass.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein data transfer between each of the networks occurs via the Internet Protocol (IP).

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the module hides the IP addresses of the local network and the remote network from each other.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the equipment diagnostic monitor system collects and analyzes data from tests performed on the at least one item.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein a user on the remote network may request that tests be performed on the at least one tool, and upload data from previous tests performed on the at least one item, and said request may be optionally executed or ignored based on a set of predetermined criteria.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein a user on the remote network may send a suggestion regarding the operation of the at least one item being monitored to an entity managing the item on the local network.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the equipment diagnostic monitor system sends an alert to a predetermined entity when the analysis of tool data indicates that the item is operating outside of a predetermined performance range.