Remote access systems
First Claim
1. A remote access management system for managing communication with distributed target equipment over a communications network, said system comprising:
- means for receiving a request for an access operation to selected target equipment;
means for providing routing information for target equipment identified by said request, said routing information including, for each of at least some pieces of target equipment, a communication network line termination address and a port number of an interface means having a plurality of ports, each of said at least some pieces of target equipment being connected to the network via a port of an interface means and being thereby individually accessible by specifying a respective interface address and a respective port number in the routing information;
means for providing equipment-specific access requirements in dependence upon the type of the selected target equipment;
means for initiating an access operation to said target equipment, said means including means arranged to transmit control information, including said routing information and said equipment access requirements, to a communications network platform arranged to receive said control information and operate said access operation over a communications network;
means for receiving and storing data from said network platform in response to said access operation; and
,means for forwarding to the originator of said request data indicative of said stored data.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A management system provides a remote access service to units of equipment at distributed locations of a communications network. For instance, it can provide automatic meter reading over a PSTN for utility companies. The management system initiates calls over the network to selected units, usually pre-determined, in response to call requests, and can provide considerable functionality such as authentication and batch processing of the request. Conflict with ordinary traffic on the network can be avoided by monitoring for ordinary traffic calls and clearing down any existing conflicting remote access calls or blocking any requested potentially conflicting remote access calls. Uncompleted or blocked remote access calls are automatically re-scheduled by the management system.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A remote access management system for managing communication with distributed target equipment over a communications network, said system comprising:
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means for receiving a request for an access operation to selected target equipment; means for providing routing information for target equipment identified by said request, said routing information including, for each of at least some pieces of target equipment, a communication network line termination address and a port number of an interface means having a plurality of ports, each of said at least some pieces of target equipment being connected to the network via a port of an interface means and being thereby individually accessible by specifying a respective interface address and a respective port number in the routing information; means for providing equipment-specific access requirements in dependence upon the type of the selected target equipment; means for initiating an access operation to said target equipment, said means including means arranged to transmit control information, including said routing information and said equipment access requirements, to a communications network platform arranged to receive said control information and operate said access operation over a communications network; means for receiving and storing data from said network platform in response to said access operation; and
,means for forwarding to the originator of said request data indicative of said stored data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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19. A remote access management system for controlling communications between customers and distributed target equipment over a communications network, said system comprising:
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means for managing communications with a customer; means for managing communications with communications equipment in the communications network, whereby communications with target equipment can be managed; means for storing data received from either the customer or the communications equipment; and means for forwarding data representative to data stored by said means for storing to either said customer or said communications equipment. - View Dependent Claims (20, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A remote access management method for managing communication with distributed target equipment over a communications network, said method comprising:
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receiving a request for an access operation to selected target equipment; providing routing information for target equipment identified by said request, said routing information including, for each of at least some pieces of target equipment, a communication network line termination address and a port number of an interface means having a plurality of ports, each of said at least some pieces of target equipment being connected to the network via a port of an interface means and being thereby individually accessible by specifying a respective interface address and a respective port number in the routing information; providing equipment-specific access requirements in dependence upon the type of the selected target equipment; initiating an access operation to said target equipment by transmitting control information, including said routing information and said equipment access requirements, to a communications network platform arranged to receive said control information and operate said access operation over a communications network; receiving and storing data from said network platform in response to said access operation; and forwarding to the originator of said request data indicative of said stored data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A remote access management method for controlling communications between customers and distributed target equipment over a communications network, said method comprising:
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managing communications with a customer; managing communications with communications equipment in the communications network, whereby communications with target equipment can be managed; storing data received from either the customer or the communications equipment; and forwarding data representative to data stored by said means for storing to either said customer or said communications equipment. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification