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Method and apparatus for remotely monitoring and controlling devices

  • US 20050175031A1
  • Filed: 02/09/2004
  • Published: 08/11/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for facilitating communications between a processor at a legacy control station and a legacy remote device over a communication network, comprising:

  • a) a set of instructions executable by the processor, comprising;

    i) instructions for communicating data from the control station to the remote device, comprising;

    1) a first transmission portion adapted to accept signals from a preexisting host application computer program in a predetermined format, 2) a second transmission portion adapted to convert the formatted host application computer program signals into a packet-switched format for transmission to the remote device by means of a network, and 3) a third transmission portion adapted to generate commands to satisfy at least one host application computer program handshaking protocol; and

    ii) instructions for receiving data from the remote device, comprising;

    1) a first receiving portion adapted to accept packet-switched data from the network, 2) a second receiving portion adapted to convert the packet-switched data into a predetermined format corresponding to the pre-existing communication protocol of the control station host application computer program, and 3) a third receiving portion adapted to generate commands to satisfy at least one host application computer program handshaking protocol; and

    b) a hardware interface component located in proximity to the remote device, comprising;

    i) a transceiver portion electrically coupled to the network and adapted to;

    1) accept packet-switched signals from the network, and 2) send packet-switched signals to the network;

    ii) a remote processor electrically coupled intermediate to the transceiver portion and the remote device, the remote processor being adapted to;

    1) convert packet-switched signals received from the transceiver to a predetermined format corresponding to the communication protocol of the remote device, and 2) convert formatted signals corresponding to the communication protocol of the data received from the remote device to packet-switched data; and

    iii) a bidirectional data interface electrically coupled to the remote device and the remote processor to communicate signals from the remote device to the remote processor and to communicate signals from the remote processor to the remote device, wherein the set of instructions and hardware interface component cooperate to facilitate communication between a legacy remote device and a corresponding legacy host application computer program by means of the communication network.

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