System and method for providing network interfaces to instruments without networking capabilities
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- a first device coupled to a network sending a request to a second device coupled to the network to access a traditional instrument, wherein the traditional instrument is coupled to the second device via an instrumentation bus, wherein the traditional instrument does not include inherent Internet capabilities, and wherein the second device comprises an instrument server;
the instrument server receiving the request to access the traditional instrument;
the instrument server accessing the traditional instrument via the instrumentation bus in response to said request to access the traditional instrument;
the traditional instrument sending instrument data to the server device via the instrumentation bus in response to the instrument server accessing the traditional instrument;
the instrument server receiving the instrument data sent from the traditional instrument via the instrumentation bus; and
the instrument server sending the instrument data to the first device via the network.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing web server capabilities for existing instruments without inherent networking capabilities. A server device may comprise an instrument server. The instrument server may communicate with instruments connected to the server device via an instrumentation bus. The instrument server may detect the instruments connected to the instrumentation bus. A client system may connect to the instrument server via a network (e.g. the Internet). The instrument server may provide a graphical user interface to the client system to allow the instruments to be selected, controlled and/or monitored remotely from the client system via the network. In one embodiment, the client system comprises a web browser, and the interface comprises one or more web pages for controlling instruments and for displaying data received from the instruments.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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a first device coupled to a network sending a request to a second device coupled to the network to access a traditional instrument, wherein the traditional instrument is coupled to the second device via an instrumentation bus, wherein the traditional instrument does not include inherent Internet capabilities, and wherein the second device comprises an instrument server;
the instrument server receiving the request to access the traditional instrument;
the instrument server accessing the traditional instrument via the instrumentation bus in response to said request to access the traditional instrument;
the traditional instrument sending instrument data to the server device via the instrumentation bus in response to the instrument server accessing the traditional instrument;
the instrument server receiving the instrument data sent from the traditional instrument via the instrumentation bus; and
the instrument server sending the instrument data to the first device via the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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23. A method comprising:
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scanning an instrumentation bus coupled to a first device to detect instruments coupled to the instrumentation bus;
said scanning detecting a first traditional instrument coupled to the instrumentation bus, wherein the first traditional instrument does not include inherent Internet capabilities;
receiving instrument information from the detected first traditional instrument;
providing the instrument information of the first traditional instrument to a second device coupled to the first device via a network; and
displaying the instrument information of the first traditional instrument on the second device;
wherein the first traditional instrument coupled to the first device via the instrumentation bus is remotely accessible from the second device to initiate monitor and control functions of the first traditional instrument.
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33. A method for providing Internet capabilities to a traditional instrument, wherein the traditional instrument does not inherently include Internet capabilities, the method comprising:
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connecting the traditional instrument to a first device, wherein the first device includes an Internet server; and
connecting the first device to the Internet;
wherein the Internet server provides web pages accessible from other devices connected to the Internet, wherein the web pages include one or more web pages configured for use in accessing the traditional instrument connected to the first device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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38. A device comprising:
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a first port operable to couple to a network;
a second port operable to couple to an instrumentation bus;
a processor; and
memory operable to store program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;
receive from another device coupled to the network a request to access a traditional instrument coupled to the instrumentation bus, wherein the traditional instrument does not include inherent Internet capabilities;
access the traditional instrument via the instrumentation bus in response to said request to access the traditional instrument;
receive instrument data sent from the traditional instrument via the second port; and
send the instrument data to the other device via the first port.
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45. A device comprising:
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a first port operable to couple to a network;
a second port operable to couple to an instrumentation bus;
a processor; and
memory operable to store program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;
scan the instrumentation bus coupled to the second port to detect a traditional instrument coupled to the instrumentation bus, wherein the traditional instrument does not include inherent Internet capabilities;
receive instrument information from the detected traditional instrument via the second port; and
send the instrument information of the traditional instrument to another device coupled to the network;
wherein the traditional instrument coupled to the device via the instrumentation bus is remotely accessible from the other device to initiate monitor and control functions of the traditional instrument.
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52. A device comprising:
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a first port operable to couple to a network;
a processor; and
memory operable to store program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;
receive instrument information from another device coupled to the network, wherein the instrument information describes one or more traditional instruments coupled to the other device via an instrumentation bus, wherein the one or more traditional instruments do not include inherent Internet capabilities;
display the instrument information on the second device;
receive user input selecting a first traditional instrument of the one or more traditional instruments from the displayed instrument information; and
receive user input specifying one or more instructions to be sent to the other device via the network;
wherein the one or more instructions sent to the other device are configured to monitor and control the first traditional instrument from the device. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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56. A system comprising:
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a first device operable to couple to a network and to an instrumentation bus;
a second device operable to couple to the network;
one or more traditional instruments operable to couple to the instrumentation bus, wherein the one or more traditional instruments do not include inherent Internet capabilities;
first program instructions executable within the first device to;
detect the one or more traditional instruments coupled to the instrumentation bus; and
provide instrument information of the one or more traditional instruments to the second device via the network;
second program instructions executable within the second device to;
display the instrument information on the second device;
select a first traditional instrument of the one or more traditional instruments from the displayed instrument information; and
send requests to the first device via the network to monitor and control the first traditional instrument from the second device.
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65. A carrier medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:
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a first device coupled to a network sending a request to a second device coupled to the network to access a traditional instrument, wherein the traditional instrument is coupled to the second device via an instrumentation bus, wherein the traditional instrument does not include inherent Internet capabilities, and wherein the second device comprises an instrument server;
the instrument server receiving the request to access the traditional instrument;
the instrument server accessing the traditional instrument via the instrumentation bus in response to said request to access the traditional instrument;
the traditional instrument sending instrument data to the server device via the instrumentation bus in response to the instrument server accessing the traditional instrument;
the instrument server receiving the instrument data sent from the traditional instrument via the instrumentation bus; and
the instrument server sending the instrument data to the first device via the network. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 69)
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68. A carrier medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:
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scanning an instrumentation bus coupled to a first device to detect instruments coupled to the instrumentation bus;
said scanning detecting a first traditional instrument coupled to the instrumentation bus, wherein the first traditional instrument does not include inherent Internet capabilities;
receiving instrument information from the detected first traditional instrument;
providing the instrument information of the first traditional instrument to a second device coupled to the first device via a network; and
displaying the instrument information of the first traditional instrument on the second device;
wherein the first traditional instrument coupled to the first device via the instrumentation bus is remotely accessible from the second device to initiate monitor and control functions of the first traditional instrument.
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Specification