Wireless data interface system for fixed point-to-point communications

• US 6,678,255 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1997
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuriyan, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOAKYE, ALEXANDER O
• Application Number:
  US08/946,745
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: 370/261, 370/310, 370/252, 370/341, 370/349, 370/338, 375/222, 375/223, 379/93.01, 379/93.37, 379/40, 455/403, 455/466, 380/24
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0038 System on Chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]

Abstract

A system for transmitting process control information from remote sites is disclosed. In one embodiment, data is collected by a remote monitoring device or devices and transmitted to a first Cellular Digital Packet (“CDPD”) modem via one or more RS232 interfaces. The applications program in the first CDPD modem transmits a signal to a second CDPD modem initiating communications. The applications program in the second CDPD modem returns a signal, indicating the status of the interface. Data transmission is initiated when the status of both serial data interfaces is established.

Claims

1. A method for providing wireless monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving data from a monitoring device according to a physical layer signaling protocol that includes RS-232;

receiving a control signal having a HIGH value on a line from the monitoring device to initiate communication with a computing device;

setting status of the line to SEND;

changing the status of the line to ESTABLISHED upon receiving acknowledgement from the computing device; and

transmitting the data to a computing device according to the physical layer signaling protocol over a wireless point-to-point link using a cellular protocol, wherein the wireless link is transparent to an application that resides on the computing device and utilizes the physical layer signaling protocol.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cellular protocol includes a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) protocol.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device in the receiving step includes at least one of a flow measurement device, a temperature measurement device, and a pressure measurement device.

4. A method for providing wireless monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving data from a monitoring device according to a physical layer signaling protocol, which includes RS-232, over a wireless point-to-point link using a cellular protocol, wherein the wireless link is transparent to an application that resides on a computing device and utilizes the physical layer signaling protocol;

receiving a packet from the monitoring device to initiate communication with the computing device, the packet indicating a status of a line of SEND and associated value as HIGH;

changing the status of the line to ESTABLISHED;

receiving acknowledgement to establish the communication upon the computing device setting a second line to HIGH; and

transmitting the data to the computing device according to the physical layer signaling protocol, wherein the wireless link is transparent to an application that resides on the computing device and utilizes the physical layer signaling protocol.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the cellular protocol includes a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) protocol.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the monitoring device in the receiving step includes at least one of a flow measurement device, a temperature measurement device, and a pressure measurement device.

7. A method for providing wireless monitoring, the method comprising:

generating data by an application based upon measurements, the application complying with a physical layer signaling protocol that includes RS-232;

sending a control signal having a HIGH value on a line to a modem to initiate communication with the computing device, wherein a modem sets status of the line to SEND and changes the status of the line to ESTABLISHED upon receiving acknowledgement from the computing device; and

transmitting the data according to the physical layer signaling protocol to a modem, wherein the modem transmits the data to the computing device according to the physical layer signaling protocol over a wireless point-to-point link using a cellular protocol, wherein the wireless link is transparent to the application and to a receiving application that resides on the computing device and utilizes the physical layer signaling protocol.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the cellular protocol includes a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) protocol.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the measurements in the generating step include at least one of flow measurements, temperature measurements, and pressure measurements.

10. A method for providing wireless monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving data generated according to a physical layer signaling protocol that includes RS-232 from a remote monitoring device via a local modem over a wireless point-to-point link using a cellular protocol;

receiving a packet from the monitoring device to initiate communication with a computing device, the packet indicating a status of a line of SEND and associated value as HIGH;

setting a second line to HIGH to acknowledge establishment of the communication with the monitoring device; and

processing the data according to an application utilizes the physical layer signaling protocol, wherein the wireless link is transparent to the application.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the cellular protocol includes a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) protocol.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the monitoring device in the receiving step includes at least one of a flow measurement device, a temperature measurement device, and a pressure measurement device.

13. A method for providing wireless monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving, according to a signaling protocol including RS-232, a control signal having a HIGH value on a line from a monitoring device to initiate communication with a computing device;

setting status of the line to SEND; and

changing the status of the line to ESTABLISHED upon receiving acknowledgement from the computing device,

wherein data is transmitted to the computing device over a wireless point-to-point link using a cellular protocol, and the wireless link is transparent to an application that resides on the computing device and utilizes the signaling protocol.