Peripheral data acquisition, monitor, and adaptive control system via personal computer
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring and controlling a plurality of remotely-located, electrically-controlled devices via a personal computer, each of said plurality of devices having at least two operational states, and having means for changing operational state in response to a device control signal, and further having means for providing a device monitor signal indicative of the operational state of each of said plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices being physically located at a particular location within at least two geographically-separate sections of a predefined area, said system comprising:
- personal computer means for executing a plurality of different software programs under user control, said personal computer means including a central processor, a display monitor, and means for inputting commands from the user;
interface means for interfacing said personal computer means to said plurality of electrically-controlled devices by translating said device monitor signals into code signals which are adapted to be interpreted by said personal computer means, and by providing said device control signals in response to command signals provided by said personal computer means; and
program means for instructing said personal computer means to monitor and control said plurality of devices in accordance with the following steps;
(a) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents an overall geographic layout of the predefined area showing the separate sections of the predefined area within which said plurality of devices are located;
(b) inputting a command from the user which identifies a particular section of the predefined area selected by the user;
(c) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents the approximate physical locations of said plurality of devices located within the particular section selected by the user;
(d) inputting a command from the user which identifies at least one of the plurality of devices selected by the user;
(e) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents a control mechanism for at least the one particular device selected by the user;
(f) inputting a command from the user which corresponds to a desired control action for at least the one particular device selected by the user;
(g) outputting a command signal to the interface means to control at least the one particular device selected by the user in accordance with the desired control action; and
(h) in response to said code signals from said interface means, displaying an image to the user which substantially represents the operational state of at least the one particular device selected by the user.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A peripheral data acquisition, monitor, and adaptive control system is disclosed in which a personal computer (PC) and one or more input/output (I/O) Bridge devices interface signals from electronically-controlled devices to the PC via the keyboard port, thus permitting data, such as measurement data, to be automatically and directly entered into application programs such that the PC can take action and control outputs based upon the measurement data. A software control program is also disclosed which allows the user to configure the system for orienting the user as to which devices are being controlled, reading digital and analog inputs, making decisions based upon the information using specific user-defined conditions, and setting digital outputs. The program will also keep track of all I/O events by storing them to a disk file.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring and controlling a plurality of remotely-located, electrically-controlled devices via a personal computer, each of said plurality of devices having at least two operational states, and having means for changing operational state in response to a device control signal, and further having means for providing a device monitor signal indicative of the operational state of each of said plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices being physically located at a particular location within at least two geographically-separate sections of a predefined area, said system comprising:
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personal computer means for executing a plurality of different software programs under user control, said personal computer means including a central processor, a display monitor, and means for inputting commands from the user; interface means for interfacing said personal computer means to said plurality of electrically-controlled devices by translating said device monitor signals into code signals which are adapted to be interpreted by said personal computer means, and by providing said device control signals in response to command signals provided by said personal computer means; and program means for instructing said personal computer means to monitor and control said plurality of devices in accordance with the following steps; (a) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents an overall geographic layout of the predefined area showing the separate sections of the predefined area within which said plurality of devices are located; (b) inputting a command from the user which identifies a particular section of the predefined area selected by the user; (c) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents the approximate physical locations of said plurality of devices located within the particular section selected by the user; (d) inputting a command from the user which identifies at least one of the plurality of devices selected by the user; (e) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents a control mechanism for at least the one particular device selected by the user; (f) inputting a command from the user which corresponds to a desired control action for at least the one particular device selected by the user; (g) outputting a command signal to the interface means to control at least the one particular device selected by the user in accordance with the desired control action; and (h) in response to said code signals from said interface means, displaying an image to the user which substantially represents the operational state of at least the one particular device selected by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for monitoring and controlling at least one of a plurality of remotely-located, electrically-controlled devices via a personal computer, each of said devices having at least two operational states, and having means for changing said operational state in response to a device control signal, and further having means for providing a device monitor signal indicative of the operational state of said device, said system comprising:
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personal computer means for executing a plurality of different software programs under user control, said personal computer means including a central processor, a display monitor, and a keyboard bus adapted to be coupled to a keyboard via a keyboard port, said keyboard bus including a bidirectional data line for normally providing two-way data communication between said keyboard and said personal computer means; interface means for interfacing said personal computer means to at least one of said electrically-controlled devices, said interface means connected to said personal computer means via said keyboard port, said interface means including means for translating said device monitor signals into keyboard code signals which are adapted to be interpreted by said personal computer means, and for providing said device control signals in response to command instructions provided by said personal computer means; and program means for instructing said personal computer means to monitor and control said plurality of devices in accordance with the following steps; (a) displaying an image to the user representing a control mechanism for at least one of said plurality of devices; (b) inputting a command from the user which corresponds to a desired control action for said device; (c) transmitting command instructions to said interface means via said keyboard port, said command instructions containing information to control said device in accordance with the desired control action; (d) receiving said keyboard code signals from said interface means via said keyboard port, said keyboard code signals containing information indicative of the operational state of said device; and (e) displaying an image to the user representing the operational state of said device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of monitoring and controlling at least one peripheral electronic device by a computer having a keyboard port, the monitoring and controlling being performed through said keyboard port, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving an input signal from said peripheral electronic device; (b) translating said input signal into a keyboard code signal which emulates individual sequential keyboard character keystroke information and which is adapted to be interpreted by said computer as keyboard keystroke information; (c) transmitting said keyboard code signal to said computer using only said keyboard port; (d) determining a particular keyboard command in said computer in response to said keyboard code signal, and providing corresponding keyboard command data to said keyboard port; (e) receiving said keyboard command data from said computer using only said keyboard port; (f) executing said keyboard command data and providing an output signal in response which can be interpreted by said peripheral electronic device; and (g) transmitting said output signal to said peripheral electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method for adaptively monitoring and controlling a plurality of remotely-located, electrically-controlled devices, each of said devices having a plurality of operational states, and having means for changing the operational state in response to a device control signal, and further having means for providing device monitor signals indicative of said operational state, said electrically-controlled devices connected to at least one interface unit for interfacing said devices to a computer, said interface unit including means for translating said device monitor signals into keyboard code signals which are adapted to be interpreted by said computer, and for providing said device control signals in response to command instructions provided by said computer, said computer including a central processor, a display monitor, and a keyboard bus adapted to be coupled to a keyboard via a keyboard port, said keyboard bus including a bidirectional data line for normally providing two-way data communication between said keyboard and said computer, said computer adapted to communicate with said keyboard via said keyboard bus using a particular keycode format based upon the coding of keyboard keystroke information as individual sequential keyboard characters, said interface unit connected to said computer via said keyboard port, said device monitor signal having a signal format not directly compatible with said particular keycode format, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) interacting with a user to configure a device control program for monitoring and controlling said plurality of remotely-located, electrically-controlled devices in response to information derived from said device monitor signals; (b) storing said device control program in memory; (c) receiving said keyboard code signals from said interface unit via said keyboard port, said keyboard code signals containing information derived from said device monitor signals which have been translated into a signal format which is directly compatible with said particular keycode format; (d) determining a particular command instruction in said computer in response to both said stored device control program and said keyboard code signals; and (e) transmitting said particular command instruction to said interface unit via said keyboard port, said command instruction containing information to control a particular device selected by the user in accordance with the desired control action. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification