Communication interface device and method

• US 6,694,371 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamatake Corporation
• Inventors: Sanai, Daiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US09/144,520
• Time in Patent Office: 1,996 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200.6, 709/239, 709/203, 709/238, 709/303, 709/230, 707/501, 707/513, 714/57, 370/552, 370/355, 715/501.1, 715/513
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communication interface device connects communication object machines to communication networks that interconnect the communication object machines and management devices that operate or monitor the communication object machines. The communication interface device includes a socket server for converting signals between the communication object machines and the communication networks. A WWW server is connected to the communication networks, and a memory is connected to the WWW server. The memory stores application programs to be transferred to the management devices via the communication networks according to client programs stored in the management devices for execution on the client programs.

Claims

1. A communication interface device for delivering control information to a communication object machine via a communication network connected coupled between the communication object machine and a management device that issues the control information for selectably operating the communication object machine, and for delivering monitoring information to the management device via the communication network, the communication interface device comprising:

a socket server for receiving the control information from the management device in a TCP/IP communications protocol, converting the control information into a serial communications protocol and propagating the control information in serial communications protocol to the communication object machines, and in response to a request for connection from the management device, said socket server communicates the request for connection to the communication object machine using a serial communications protocol, receives the monitoring information in serial communications protocol converts the monitoring information into a TCP/IP communications protocol, and propagates the monitoring information in TCP/IP communications protocol to the management device; and

a WWW server coupled to the communication network, there being provided a nonvolatile memory connected to said WWW server, the nonvolatile memory being connected to said WWW server and having stored therein application data corresponding to an application program to be transferred to the management device by said WWW server via the communication network in accordance with a client program stored in the management device for execution on the client program;

wherein the request for connection by the management device to the communication object machine is responsive to the application data.

2. The communication interface device of claim 1, wherein the client program is an internet browser.

3. The communication interface device of claim 2, wherein the memory stores HTML document or other information in addition to the application program.

4. The communication interface device of claim 2, wherein the signal conversion performed by said socket server employs bidirectional conversion of a communication protocol effective between the machine and the communication network and a communication protocol effective between the socket server and the communication network.

5. The communication interface device of claim 1, wherein the application program is a general-purpose program name JAVA applet.

6. The communication interface device of claim 3, wherein the memory stores HTML document or other information in addition to the application program.

7. The communication interface device of claim 3, wherein the signal conversion performed by said socket server employs bidirectional conversion of a communication protocol effective between the machine and the communication network and a communication protocol effective between the socket server and the communication network.

8. The communication interface device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores HTML document or other information in addition to the application program.

9. The communication interface device of claim 8, wherein the signal conversion performed by said socket server employs bidirectional conversion of a communication protocol effective between the machine and the communication network and a communication protocol effective between the socket server and the communication network.

10. The communication interface device of claim 1, wherein the signal conversion performed by said socket server employs bidirectional conversion of a communication protocol effective between the machine and the communication network and a communication protocol effective between the socket server and the communication network.

11. The communication interface device of claim 1, wherein a TCP socket or a UDP socket is used for the socket server, and a TCP application protocol or a UDP application protocol is incorporated on the TCP socket or the UDP socket.

12. A communication object machine having a function to communicate with a management device via a communication network, the management device selectably operating and monitoring the action of the communication object machine, the communication object machine comprising:

a socket server for receiving control information from the management device in a TCP/IP communications protocol and converting corresponding control information signals bidirectionally into a serial communications protocol between the communication object machine and the communication network responding to a request for connection from the management device, said socket server communicates the request for connection to the communication object machine using a serial communications protocol, and to the communication network using a TCP/IP communications protocol;

a WWW server coupled to the communication network; and

a nonvolatile memory connected to the WWW server;

wherein the memory stores an application program to be transferred to the management device via the communication network according to a client program prepared in the management device and to be executed on the client program.

13. A communication method for communicating between a communication object machine and a management device via a communication network connected between the communication object machine and the management device for selectably operating the communication object machine and monitoring the action of the communication object machine, the communication method comprising the steps of:

connecting the management device to a WWW server according to a client program, such as an internet browser, stored in the management device, said step of connecting being responsive to a request for connection from the management device transmitted in a TCP/IP communications protocol;

executing an application program on the client program via the communication network from the WWW server, the application program being responsive to a client program in the management device;

establishing connection of the management device to the communication object machine by executing the application program on the management device; and

communicating bidirectionally between the management device and the communication object machine according to the application program in response to the request for connection from the management device, said step of communicating further including the step of employing a serial communication protocol to communicate with the communication object machine over a portion of the communication network.