Apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling remote interactive systems

• US 6,513,068 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nacimiento Software Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nacimiento Software Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Timothy L., Travis, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oda, Christine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benson, Walter
• Application Number:
  US09/282,232
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 434/276, 463/1, 709/203, 709/205, 709/227, 709/230, 709/238, 709/236, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling remote interactive systems includes a client, a client computer, and a client server for a computer network. A bidirectional data stream of information about a remote interactive instrument/game is provided on the server. A communication socket, creating a connection-oriented communication path between the client computer and the server is provided for enabling transfer of the bidirectional data stream between the client computer and the server. A detachable header is provided on the server which describes and identifies the data stream, separate and apart from the bidirectional data stream, and provides access to the bidirectional data stream by the client.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling remote virtual instrumentation systems comprising:

a) a client, a client computer and a server for a computer network;

b) multiple sessions of unique messages in the form of a bidirectional data stream of information relative to a remote interactive system on said server;

c) a communication socket means, creating a connection-oriented communication path between said client computer and said server for enabling bidirectional transfer of said data stream between said client computer and said server, and

d) a detachable header on said server, describing and identifying said data stream, separate and apart from said data stream, for providing access to said data stream by said client, connectable to said bidirectional data stream per multiple session and not to each unique message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detachable header is on said client computer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detachable header further comprises:

a) detachable header identifying information; and

b) an archived property change event stream.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said detachable header information further comprises:

a) a data server identifier;

b) a version number;

c) an applet ID;

d) a static substream list size; and

e) a static substream list of types.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said detachable header further comprises a static file.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said detachable header further comprises security information about said data stream.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data stream further comprises data substreams.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said detachable header further comprises information identifying some of said data substreams.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said data stream further comprises:

a) a message packet including a message type identifier and values associated with a message;

b) an action packet including an action type identifier and values associated with an action; and

c) a property change packet for changing a property associated with said data substreams.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said data stream is unidirectional.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said data substreams further comprise object, type and property information.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said detachable header further comprises visual representation information about said data substreams.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said detachable header further comprises naming information about said data substreams.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said data stream is fetched from a file.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a replicator means connected to said server for providing access to said server by more than one client computer.

16. A method for monitoring and controlling remote interactive systems comprising the steps of:

a) connecting a computer means for monitoring and controlling interactive objects to and interactive object;

b) connecting said computer means to a server for a computer network so that multiple sessions of unique messages in the form of a bidirectional data stream with said interactive objects are on said server;

c) connecting a client computer to said server with a communication socket means, creating a connection-oriented communication path between separate software processes, for transferring said bidirectional data stream between said server and said client computer;

d) creating a detachable header describing and identifying said bidirectional data stream, separate and apart from said bidirectional data stream, on said server, for use by a client in accessing said bidirectional data stream and connecting said detachable header to said bidirectional data stream per multiple session and not per each unique message; and

e) said client using said client computer and accessing said bidirectional data stream, through said communications socket, on said server by means of said detachable header connected to said bidirectional data stream per multiple session and not per each unique message and monitoring and controlling said interactive objects.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of connecting a replicator means to said server for providing access to said server by more than one client.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of creating a detachable header further comprises the steps of:

a) including a data server identifier;

b) a version number;

c) an applet ID;

d) a static substream list size; and

e) a static substream list of types.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of creating a detachable header further comprises the step of providing security information about said bidirectional data stream in said detachable header.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said bidirectional data stream further comprises data substreams and the step of creating a detachable header further comprises the step of providing information identifying some of said data substreams.