Method and system for remote management of data over a wireless link

• US 20050240682A1
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XE.com, Inc. (Euronet Worldwide Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: XE.com, Inc. (Euronet Worldwide Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zhang, Frank Nan
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system and method for enabling remote management of data of devices using wireless communications. The system and method provides direct access to devices such as sensors from wireless devices having an integrated wireless transceiver and controller that are user programmable such a separate remote host controller is not required for managing the sensors. In one embodiment, a broadcast mode is provided wherein the wireless devices transmits a response for its corresponding sensors according to a predetermined sequence during a predetermined time slot according to a predetermined sequence.

Claims

1. A system for enabling remote management of data from a plurality of devices, said system having an applications controller and comprising:

two or more wireless modules each having a wireless transceiver and a communications controller;

wherein a first one of said wireless modules is coupled to said applications controller via a digital bus for communication therewith, said first one of said wireless modules for receiving a command from said applications controller via said digital bus and sending said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules via a wireless link based on said command;

each of said other wireless modules is coupled to one or more of said devices via an I/O bus;

said predetermined one of said other wireless modules receiving said command via said wireless link and, responsive as a function of said command, for communicating with one or more of said devices coupled thereto via said I/O bus, for generating a response based on said communication, and for transmitting said response to said first one of said two or more wireless modules via said wireless link;

said first one of said two or more wireless modules for receiving said response from said predetermined one of said other wireless modules via said wireless link and for forwarding said response to said applications controller via said digital bus.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of devices include sensors.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said I/O bus comprises digital and analog channels.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first one of said wireless modules connects to said applications controller remotely via a telephone line.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said other wireless modules is user programmable for providing interface with said one or more devices.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein any of said other wireless modules is user programmable for initiating said command and transmitting said command to said other modules via said wireless link.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first one of said wireless modules for broadcasting said command to each of said other wireless modules, for receiving responses from said other wireless modules according to a predetermined sequence, and for transmitting said responses to said applications controller.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each said other wireless modules has a predetermined identifier, said other wireless modules transmitting its response during a predetermined time slot as a function of said predetermined unique identifier.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless modules provides interfaces for a user and said communications controller enables programming of said communications controller by said user using said user interface.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein AT commands are used for said programming.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said digital bus is a serial bus.

9. In a system having including an applications controller, a plurality of sensors;

and two or more wireless modules each having a wireless transceiver and a communications controller, a first one of said wireless modules coupled to said applications controller via a digital bus for communication therewith, each of said other wireless modules coupled to one or more of said sensors via an I/O bus, a method for enabling remote management of a plurality of sensors, comprising the steps of;

receiving by a first one of said wireless modules a command from said applications controller;

transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules via a wireless link, said predetermined one determined based on said command;

receiving by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said command via said wireless link;

communicating as a function of said command by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules with one or more of said sensors via said I/O bus;

generating by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules a response based on said communicating;

transmitting by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said response to said first one of said two or more wireless modules via said wireless link;

receiving by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response; and

forwarding by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response to said applications controller via said digital bus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said wireless modules are user programmable and said step of transmitting said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules is executable by any of said other wireless modules as a function of user programming.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said digital bus is a serial bus.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said I/O bus comprises digital and analog channels.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said first one of said wireless modules connects to said applications controller remotely via a telephone line.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command comprises broadcasting said command to each of said other wireless modules, each said other wireless modules transmitting its response according to a predetermined sequence, and said first one of said wireless modules receiving said responses and transmitting said responses to said applications controller.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each said wireless modules has a predetermined unique identifier, said other wireless modules transmitting its response during a predetermined time slot as a function of said predetermined unique identifier.

16. In a system having including an applications controller, a plurality of sensors;

and two or more wireless modules each having a wireless transceiver and a communications controller, a first one of said wireless modules coupled to said applications controller via a digital bus for communication therewith, each of said other wireless modules coupled to one or more of said sensors via an I/O bus, a method for enabling remote management of a plurality of sensors, comprising the steps of;

receiving by a first one of said wireless modules a command from said applications controller;

broadcasting by said first one of said wireless modules said command to said other wireless modules via a wireless link;

receiving by said other wireless modules said command via said wireless link;

communicating as a function of said command by said other wireless modules with one or more of said sensors via said I/O bus;

wherein each said other wireless modules has a predetermined unique identifier,

generating by said other wireless modules a response based on said communicating;

transmitting by each said other wireless modules its response via said wireless link in a predetermined sequence and during a predetermined time slot as a function of said predetermined unique identifier; and

receiving by said first one of said wireless modules said responses and transmitting said responses to said applications controller.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said broadcasting step is executed a plurality of times for ensuring that said command is received by said other wireless devices.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said broadcasting step is executed about four times.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of broadcasting and said step of receiving by said first one of said wireless modules comprise:

broadcasting said command and a count off request to said other wireless modules via a wireless link;

setting a timeout period for the maximum permissible response time as a function of the number of wireless modules;

setting the wireless transceiver in receive mode;

detecting whether said responses have been received before said timeout period has expired;

causing said receive mode to end if said timeout period has expired before said responses have been received;

receiving said responses if said timeout period has not expired; and

transmitting said responses to said applications controller in a predetermined format.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said steps for each of said other wireless modules of receiving, and transmitting comprise:

receiving said command via said wireless link;

entering command processing mode;

determining whether responses are enabled for said wireless module as a function of user programming;

exiting command processing mode if responses are not enabled;

determining whether said command is a valid command as a function of user programming;

exiting command processing mode if said command is invalid;

calculate a delay time for responding as a function of said time slot;

waiting for said predetermined time slot to occur; and

transmitting its response via said wireless link in a predetermined sequence and during said predetermined time slot as a function of said predetermined unique identifier.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said command is a request for status from said sensors.