Remote power controller utilizing communication lines

• US 4,206,444 A
• Filed: 01/02/1979
• Issued: 06/03/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems, Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ferlan, Arthur P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US06/000,461
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 340/147 R, 340/163, 340/146.1 C, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 179/2 DP
• US Class Current: 340/3.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C

Abstract

A remote power controller for turning computer power on and off from a remote site. Standard data communication lines are utilized to transmit the control and identification signals.

Claims

1. A remote power controller for turning power on from a central site on computer equipment located on a remote site utilizing standard data communication channels to transmit control and identification signals:

(a) first means in said central site for transmitting an encoded message to said remote site for identifying said computer equipment that is to be powered on;

(b) second means in said remote site for acknowledging to said central site that the computer equipment identified by said central site is at the remote site to which the encoded message was transmitted by said first means; and

,

(c) third means in said central site responsive to said second means for transmitting control signals for controlling the powering up of the computer equipment located at the remote site.

2. The remote power controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said second means comprises a PROM for generating a predetermined message and a comparator for comparing the encoded message received with a message generated by said PROM.

3. The remote power controlled as recited in claim 1 including in said remote site a relay apparatus responsive to the control signals for powering up the computer equipment located at the remote site.

4. The remote power controller as recited in claim 3 including in said remote site a sync detector responsive to said control signals for generating a predetermined timing interval during which time communication is established between the central site and the remote site.

5. The remote power controller as recited in claim 4 including in said remote site a disconnect means responsive to the End Of Time (EOT) signal of said control signals for disconnecting the communication channel between the central site and the remote site when the EOT signal is received at said remote site.

6. The remote power controller as recited in claim 4 including in said remote site a disconnect means responsive to a predetermined one of said control signals for disconnecting the communication channel between the central site and the remote site when the information is incorrectly received.

7. The remote power controller as recited in claim 4 including in said remote site a disconnect means responsive to a second predetermined signal of said control signal for disconnecting the communication channel between the central site and the remote site at the end of the predetermined time interval.

14. The remote power controller as recited in claim 4 including in said remote site a disconnect means responsive to a second of said control signals for disconnecting the communication channel between the central site and the remote site when the predetermined time interval expires.

8. A remote power controller for turning power off from a central site on computer equipment located on the remote site utilizing standard data communication channels to transmit control and identified signals:

(a) first means in said control site for transmitting an encoded message to said remote site for identifying said computer equipment that is to be powered off;

(b) second means in said remote site for verifying the correctness of the message received;

(c) third means in said remote site for acknowleding to said central site the correctness of the encoded message verified; and

,

(d) fourth means in said central site for transmitting control signals for controlling the powering down of the computer equipment located at the remote site.

9. The remote power controller as recited in claim 8 wherein said second means comprises a PROM for generating a predetermined message and a comparator for comparing the encoded message received with the message generated by said PROM.

10. The remote power controller as recited in claim 8 including in said remote site a relay apparatus responsive to the control signals for powering down the computer equipment located at the remote site.

11. The remote power controller as recited in claim 8 including in said remote site a sync detector responsive to said control signals for generating a predetermined timing interval during which time communication is established between the central site and the remote site.

12. The remote power controller as recited in claim 10 including in said remote site a disconnect means responsive to the End Of Time (EOT) signal of said control signals for disconnecting the communication channel between the central site and the remote site when the EOT signal is received at said remote site.

13. The remote power controller as recited in claim 11 included in said remote site a disconnect means responsive to a predetermined one of said control signals for disconnecting the communication channel between the central site and the remote site when said message is incorrectly received.