Distributed monitoring system
First Claim
1. A distributed monitoring system which monitors data associated with a first set of devices, including at least one self-contained receiver, which collects and concentrates monitored data on site at a plurality of remote sites, and which systematically transmits concentrated data from said remote sites to a central site, comprising:
- a host computer means, including means for receiving transmitted data, located at said central site;
a first means, coupled to said first set of devices being monitored, for monitoring, collecting and concentrating said data on site at each of said plurality of remote sites and for systematically calling out and transmitting concentrated data to said means for receiving in a manner that is transparent to any occupants at a given remote site; and
a second means, coupled between said host computer and said first means, for providing a bidirectional communications interface between said first means and said host computer;
wherein said first means comprises a second set of devices, including at least one metering device, for monitoring data associated with said first set of devices; and
a hub means, including interface module means which facilitates selectively coupling said hub means to said second set of devices, for collecting, concentrating and transmitting monitored data; and
wherein said hub means further comprises a memory means including a CMOS static RAM for storing an operating system capable of being furnished to said hub means by said host computer via said second means;
a microprocessor coupled to said memory means, said interface modules and said second means, for controlling the collection and concentration of data from said second set of devices and for controlling communications with said host computer via said second means and a time of day clock, coupled to said microprocessor, for synchronizing the operation of said microprocessor and said memory means, and for time stamping events to be logged in said memory means by said microprocessor.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed which may be used for collecting television channel tuning data, household purchase data, VCR channel usage data and the like; on site at a plurality of preselected households, wherein the system concentrates and transmits the collected data to a central site in a fault tolerant manner, transparent to the occupants of the household. The novel system features a hub and spoke architecture for effecting communications between the central site and each household (remote site). The hub and spoke architecture at each remote site comprises a hub unit, and a set of spoke meters. The hub unit is adapted to be coupled, in a variety of ways, to a set of metering devices, one or more of which is coupled to one or more television receivers and/or cable television converters. Not all of the metering devices need be coupled to the television receiver or cable converter, e.g., stand alone purchase meters and wands may be coupled to the hub. The meters may be polled systematically, e.g. on a virtually continuous or periodic basis, by the hub, which then collects and concentrates the data acquired by each meter. As a result of this arrangement standard communications and data transmission "smarts" can be used at the meter level, meter storage requirements are kept to a minimum and no meter communications programming is required. Additionally, the hub can be easily reprogrammed by downloading control software from the central site without having to modify the meters.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A distributed monitoring system which monitors data associated with a first set of devices, including at least one self-contained receiver, which collects and concentrates monitored data on site at a plurality of remote sites, and which systematically transmits concentrated data from said remote sites to a central site, comprising:
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a host computer means, including means for receiving transmitted data, located at said central site; a first means, coupled to said first set of devices being monitored, for monitoring, collecting and concentrating said data on site at each of said plurality of remote sites and for systematically calling out and transmitting concentrated data to said means for receiving in a manner that is transparent to any occupants at a given remote site; and a second means, coupled between said host computer and said first means, for providing a bidirectional communications interface between said first means and said host computer; wherein said first means comprises a second set of devices, including at least one metering device, for monitoring data associated with said first set of devices; and
a hub means, including interface module means which facilitates selectively coupling said hub means to said second set of devices, for collecting, concentrating and transmitting monitored data; andwherein said hub means further comprises a memory means including a CMOS static RAM for storing an operating system capable of being furnished to said hub means by said host computer via said second means;
a microprocessor coupled to said memory means, said interface modules and said second means, for controlling the collection and concentration of data from said second set of devices and for controlling communications with said host computer via said second means and a time of day clock, coupled to said microprocessor, for synchronizing the operation of said microprocessor and said memory means, and for time stamping events to be logged in said memory means by said microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A distributed monitoring system for collecting television channel tuning data, household purchase data, VCR channel usage data and the like, a portion of said system being located on site at each of a plurality of preselected households, wherein the portion of the system located remotely automatically monitors, collects, concentrates and systematically calls out to transmit concentrated data to a central site, in a fault tolerant manner that is transparent to the occupants of each household;
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said remote portion of said system comprising a hub unit and at least one spoke meter, said hub unit performing said data collection, concentration and transmission functions and each of said spoke meters performing said monitoring function; said hub unit being adapted to be coupled to a given one of said spoke meter devices via any one of a set of communication links including RF, hardwire and carrier current links; and wherein said hub unit systematically polls each of said spoke meter devices at a scanning frequency selected in accordance with each said spoke meter device, in order to collect data from said devices and, upon collecting and concentrating data from each spoke meter, systematically attempts to transmit concentrated data to said central site. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of monitoring data generated at a plurality of remote sites utilizing a distributed monitoring system that includes a host computer located at a central site, comprising the steps of:
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utilizing first means, located at said remote site, to monitor, collect, concentrate and transmit data to said host computer by calling out to said host computer in a manner that is transparent to any occupants at a give remote site; organizing said first means in a hub and spoke arrangement wherein a first portion of said first means monitors the data generated at each remote site and a second portion of said first means, also located at each remote site, serves as both an interface between said first portion of said first means and said host computer and as a programmable means for collecting, concentrating and transmitting the data being monitored; utilizing a set of spoke meters to perform the monitoring function of said first portion of said first means; utilizing a programmable hub unit, to which said spoke meters are coupled, to perform said interface, data collection, concentration and transmission functions of the second portion of said first means; utilizing a non-dedicated telephone line at each remote site, coupled to the public (dial up) switch telephone network, to couple said hub unit to said host computer; and utilizing said hub unit to perform a dial-out operation, whenever concentrated data is to be transmitted to said host computer, and selectively arming said hub unit to receive a dial-in-code and inputs from said host computer over said non-dedicated telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for operating a distributed monitoring system that includes a host computer located at a central site, a set of spoke meters located at a remote site for monitoring data, and a programmable hub unit located at said remote site, for controlling the collection, concentration and transmission of said monitored data from said remote site to said central site, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring said data via said spoke meters; collecting monitored data via said hub unit at a scanning frequency selected in accordance with each of said spoke meters; concentrating the data collected by said hub unit for subsequent transmission to said host computer; and transmitting said concentrated data collected from said spoke meters to said host computer, by calling out to said host computer in a manner that is transparent to any occupants at a given remote site. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification