Status monitoring systems for cable television signal distribution networks
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for monitoring and controlling a network component located at a first location in a cable television network using browser software running on a general purpose computer located at a second location in and operatively connected to the cable television network, comprising:
- server/interface means comprisingstatus means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to determine status information of the network component,control means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to generate control signals for controlling the network component, anddevice specific application means comprisingdatabase means for storing status/control data associated with the status information and the control signals, andgenerator means adapted to generate browser data that may be interpreted by the browser software, where the browser data incorporates at least some of the status/control data; and
connecting means adapted to connect the device specific application means to the cable television network such that the display data may be displayed and altered using the browser software, the connecting means comprising a modem for converting the browser data into communications data appropriate for transmission by the cable television network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining the status of and controlling network devices distributed throughout a communications network. Each network device is provided with a server/interface module containing a device specific application for that particular network device. The device specific application contains a database of status and control information associated with its associated network device. The server interface module generates a web page that contains at least a portion of the database and is connected to the communications network so that a person using a standard internet browser can view and alter the data contained by the database. When changes and upgrades are made to network device, the browser need not be upgraded.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring and controlling a network component located at a first location in a cable television network using browser software running on a general purpose computer located at a second location in and operatively connected to the cable television network, comprising:
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server/interface means comprising status means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to determine status information of the network component, control means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to generate control signals for controlling the network component, and device specific application means comprising database means for storing status/control data associated with the status information and the control signals, and generator means adapted to generate browser data that may be interpreted by the browser software, where the browser data incorporates at least some of the status/control data; and connecting means adapted to connect the device specific application means to the cable television network such that the display data may be displayed and altered using the browser software, the connecting means comprising a modem for converting the browser data into communications data appropriate for transmission by the cable television network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A network device for use in a cable television network having at least one control location at which is located a general purpose computer that runs industry standard browser software and which is operatively connected to the cable television network, the network device comprising:
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a network component operatively connected to the cable television network at a remote location to enable proper functioning of the cable television network; server/interface means comprising status means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to determine status information of the network component, control means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to generate control signals for controlling the network component, and device specific application means operatively connected to the server/interface means comprising database means for storing status/control data associated with the status information and the control signals; generator means adapted to generate browser data that may be displayed by the browser software, where the browser data incorporates at least some of the status/control data; a modem for converting the browser data into communications data appropriate for transmission by the cable television network such that the browser data may be displayed and altered using the browser software; and a tap assembly operatively connected between the cable television network and the modem to allow communications data to be transmitted between the cable television network and the modem. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for monitoring and controlling an uninterruptible power supply operatively connected to a cable television network at a remote location using browser software running on a general purpose computer located at a control location in the cable television network, where the cable television network comprises coaxial cable carrying power and information signals, the system comprising:
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server/interface means comprising status means adapted to be operatively connected to the uninterruptible power supply to determine status information of the uninterruptible power supply, control means adapted to be operatively connected to the uninterruptible power supply to generate control signals for controlling the uninterruptible power supply, and device specific application means comprising database means for storing status/control data associated with the status information and the control signals, and generator means adapted to generate browser data that may be interpreted by the browser software, where the browser data incorporates at least some of the status/control data; a modem for converting the browser data into communications data appropriate for transmission by the cable television network such that the display data may be displayed and altered using the browser software; a tap assembly operatively connected between the cable television network and the modem to allow communications data to be transmitted between the cable television network and the modem; and a power inserter operatively connected to the coaxial cable of the cable television network and the uninterruptible power supply to allow power signals generated by the uninterruptible power supply to be transmitted to the cable television network. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification