Internet based remote diagnostic system

• US 6,411,678 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mitchell, Robert James Jr., Hartman, Michael James, Tomlinson, Harold Woodruff Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/409,893
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1, 379/14, 379/27, 379/28, 379/29, 379/32, 379/34, 379/10, 379/15, 714/25, 714/26, 714/27, 702/179, 702/182, 702/183, 702/184, 702/188, 702/189
• US Class Current: 379/1.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Public or private remote access infrastructures in a communication system are used to facilitate communications between a remote site and a centrally located diagnostic center using only local telephone calls. The diagnostic center as well as one or more remote sites at which monitored equipment is located are coupled to a wide area network (WAN). When data are to be transferred from a remote site to the central diagnostic center, the remote site initiates a local telephone call to a point-of-presence (POP) server on the WAN backbone. This could be an Internet Service Provider (ISP) if the Internet is used, or an intranet if a private network is used. Data are then transferred to the POP server. To complete the transfer, the diagnostic center retrieves the data from the POP server using the public or private wide-area network (the Internet or intranet). The data transfer can be performed either on a scheduled basis, or when an alarm condition is detected at the remote site. The central diagnostic center can use a wireless paging service to prompt the remote site to couple to the POP server.

Claims

1. A remote diagnostic communication system comprising:

a centrally located diagnostic center;

a point-of-presence (POP) server located on a network coupled to said centrally located diagnostic center;

at least one remote site for collecting diagnostic data and for initiating a local connection to said POP server to transfer said diagnostic data to said POP server so that said diagnostic data can then be retrieved from said POP server by said centrally located diagnostic center; and

a paging channel between said centrally located diagnostic center and said at least one remote site for prompting said at least one remote site to initiate said local connection to said POP server.

2. A remote diagnostic communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein said local connection comprises one of the group consisting of a dial-up telephone line, a digital subscriber loop (DSL) connection, an integrated service digital network (ISDN) connection, and a cable modem connection.

3. A remote diagnostic communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein said network comprises the Internet.

4. A remote diagnostic communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein said network comprises a private intranet.

5. A remote diagnostic communication system comprising:

a centrally located diagnostic center;

a point-of-presence (POP) server located on a network coupled to said centrally located diagnostic center;

at least one remote site for collecting diagnostic data and for initiating a local connection to said POP server to transfer said diagnostic data to said POP server so that said diagnostic data can then be retrieved from said POP server by said centrally located diagnostic center wherein said local connection comprises a dedicated telephone line; and

a paging channel between said centrally located diagnostic center and said at least one remote site for prompting said at least one remote site to initiate said local connection to said POP server.

6. A method for communicating diagnostic data between a remote site and a central diagnostic center while avoiding use of long distance telephone services, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a centrally located diagnostic center to a network;

placing at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station at a remote site for collecting diagnostic data at said remote site;

initiating a local coupling between said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station and a point-of-presence (POP) server on said network;

transferring said diagnostic data from said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station to said POP server for retrieval therefrom by said centrally located diagnostic center; and

initiating a page from said centrally located diagnostic center to said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station for prompting said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station to couple to said POP server wherein the step of initiating a local coupling is performed by said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station.

7. A method for communicating diagnostic data between a remote site and a central diagnostic center while avoiding use of long distance telephone services, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a centrally located diagnostic center to a network;

placing at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station at a remote site for collecting diagnostic data at said remote site;

initiating a local coupling between said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station and a point-of-presence (POP) server on said network;

transferring said diagnostic data from said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station to said POP server for retrieval therefrom by said centrally located diagnostic center; and

initiating a page from said centrally located diagnostic center to said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station for prompting said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station to couple to said POP server.

8. A method for communicating diagnostic data between a remote site and a central diagnostic center while avoiding use of long distance telephone services as recited in claim 7 wherein the step of initiating a local coupling comprises dialing a local telephone call to said POP server.

9. A method for communicating diagnostic data between a remote site and a central diagnostic center while avoiding use of long distance telephone services as recited in claim 7 wherein the step of initiating a local coupling comprises communicating to said point-of presence server via a dedicated line.

10. A method for communicating diagnostic data between a remote site and a central diagnostic center while avoiding use of long distance telephone services as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of initiating a local coupling between said POP server and said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station when diagnostic data are to be routed between said centrally located diagnostic monitoring center and said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station.

11. A method for communicating diagnostic data between a remote site and a central diagnostic center while avoiding use of long distance telephone services of claim 10, wherein the step of initiating a local coupling is performed by said at least one remote diagnostic monitoring station.

12. A method for communicating diagnostic data between a remote site and a central diagnostic center while avoiding use of long distance telephone services as recited in claim 7, wherein the step of initiating a local coupling is performed when an amount of data at said remote site exceeds a threshold.