System and method for monitoring a controlled environment

• US 6,691,070 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2000
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MACK Information Systems
• Original Assignee: MACK Information Systems
• Inventors: Williams, Matthew R., Crusi, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L
• Application Number:
  US09/706,421
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 702/19-22, 702/33, 702/108, 702/121, 702/122, 702/127, 702/130, 702/182-185, 702/187, 702/188, 713/200, 436/43, 714/31, 714/47
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

A system is provided for monitoring a condition of a controlled environment. The system includes a first computer configured to store data corresponding to a condition of the controlled environment. The first computer is validated, wherein subsequent alteration of the first computer voids the validation of the first computer. The system further includes a second computer coupled to the first computer. The second computer is configured for access to the data stored in the first computer and for communication of the condition of the controlled environment to a user of the second computer, wherein alteration of the second computer does not void the validation of the first computer. A validation module of the system is configured to validate the second computer for the access and communication, thereby validating the system. A method for monitoring a controlled environment is also provided.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a condition of a controlled environment, said system comprising:

a first computer configured to store data corresponding to the condition of the controlled environment, said first computer being validated, wherein subsequent alteration of said first computer voids validation of said first computer;

a second computer coupled to said first computer, said second computer having an application program configured to facilitate access to the data stored in said first computer and for communication of the condition of the controlled environment to a user of said second computer, wherein alteration of said second computer does not void validation of said first computer; and

a validation module configured to validate the application program of said second computer for said access and said communication to confirm that the application program of the second computer is configured to communicate the condition of the controlled environment to the user, thereby validating said system comprising said first computer, said second computer, and said validation module.

2. The system defined in claim 1, said first computer comprising a central application program for storing data and said second computer comprising a separate application program for accessing the data.

3. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a data collector coupled to said first computer to transmit data to said first computer.

4. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a sensor positionable to detect the condition of the controlled environment, said sensor being coupled to said first computer to provide data corresponding to the condition of the controlled environment.

5. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of data collectors coupled to said first computer to transmit data to said first computer and a plurality of sensors coupled to said first computer via said data collectors to provide data to said data collectors.

6. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a communications network coupling said second computer to said first computer.

7. The system defined in claim 6, said communications network being selected from the group consisting of a LAN, a WAN, and the Internet.

8. The system defined in claim 1, said validation module being configured to transmit indicia to a user of said second computer and to verify the user'"'"'s receipt of the transmitted indicia.

9. The system defined in claim 8, said indicia being selected from the group consisting of sounds, symbols, colors, text, and combinations thereof.

10. The system defined in claim 1, said first computer comprising an application program configured to retrieve data corresponding to the condition of the environment.

11. The system defined in claim 1, said first computer comprising a database application program configured to store data corresponding to the condition of the environment.

12. The system defined in claim 1, said first computer comprising a server configured to facilitate communication between said first computer and said second computer.

13. The system defined in claim 1, said second computer comprising a browser configured to facilitate communication between said second computer and said first computer.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising an authentication module, residing in said first computer, for providing access permission to said second computer, wherein said validation module validates said application program of said second computer before or after providing access permission to said second computer.

15. In a system having a central application program that can be linked for communication with a separate application program, a method for monitoring a controlled environment comprising the steps of:

(a) validating the central application program;

(b) collecting and storing data from the controlled environment using the central application program;

(c) validating the separate application program for communication of data from the central application program;

(d) linking the separate application program for access to the central application program; and

(e) communicating data from the central application program to the separate application program without voiding validation of the central application program.

16. The method defined in claim 15, said validating step (c) comprising:

(a) transmitting indicia to a user of the separate application program in response to a request for data from the central application program;

(b) surveying the user of the separate application program regarding the user'"'"'s receipt of the transmitted indicia;

(c) verifying the accuracy of the survey results; and

(d) providing access by the separate application program to data collected and stored by the central application program.

17. The method defined in claim 16, wherein said transmitting, surveying, and verifying steps are completed prior to said providing step.

18. The method defined in claim 15, said validating step (c) being performed prior to said linking step (d) at each instance of a request for access to the central application program via the separate application program.

19. In a system having a central application program for collecting and storing data and a separate application program for accessing the data, a method for validating the separate application program for communication of data from the central application program before permitting access to the central application program by the separate application program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting indicia to a user of the separate application program in response to a request for data from the central application program;

(b) surveying the user of the separate application program regarding the user'"'"'s receipt of the transmitted indicia;

(c) verifying the accuracy of the survey results; and

(d) providing access by the separate application program to data collected and stored by the central application program.

20. The method defined in claim 19, said transmitting step comprising transmitting indicia selected from the group consisting of sounds, symbols, colors, text, and combinations thereof.

21. The method defined in claim 19, wherein said transmitting, surveying, and verifying steps are completed prior to said providing step.

22. A system for monitoring a condition of a controlled environment, said system comprising:

a first computer configured to store data corresponding to the condition of the controlled environment, said first computer being validated, wherein subsequent alteration of said first computer voids validation of said first computer;

a second computer coupled to said first computer, said second computer having an application program configured to facilitate access to the data stored in said first computer and for communication of the condition of the controlled environment to a user of said second computer, wherein alteration of said second computer does not void validation of said first computer; and

a validation module configured to validate the application program of said second computer for said access and said communication, thereby validating said system, said validation module being configured to transmit indicia to a user of said second computer and to verify the user'"'"'s receipt of the transmitted indicia.