On-demand web server

• US 6,785,724 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walchem Corporation
• Original Assignee: Walchem Corporation
• Inventors: Drainville, Michael, Flohr, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhary, Anita
• Application Number:
  US09/432,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/229, 709/225, 709/203, 709/223, 709/230-233, 709/217, 709/224, 707/102, 707/10, 379/102.2
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method that allows one network device that is connected to the Internet to gain access to another network device via the Internet that is initially off-line and connected to an idle phone line, but is ultimately brought on-line, on-demand, in a seamless manner by the first network device for information access.

Claims

1. A system for accessing a remote device, comprising:

a server with a static IP (Internet Protocol) address accessible on the public Internet, to manage requests to access information of the remote device the server including;

an application to manage client browser requests to connect to the remote device by sending a wake-up request to an on-demand device by making a phone call to a phone number provided by a client the number corresponding to a line connected to the on-demand device and receiving an assigned dynamic IP address of the on-demand device after upon receipt of a connection complete from the on-demand device and forwarding the dynamically assigned IP address to a web browser via an embedded HTML redirect tag;

an on-demand device that dials into a local ISP to connect to the Internet after receiving the wake-up request from the server with the static IP address and which receives the dynamic IP address from the local ISP, the on-demand device monitoring and providing information about the remote device, said on-demand device located remotely from the server with the static IP; and

a client device for transmitting authentication information to the server with the static IP address, and the client device executing the web browser application to transmit to the server the telephone number through which the server establishes communication with the on-demand device to initiate requests to access the on-demand device and receive the embedded HTML redirect tag from the application on the server to redirect the client device to the dynamic address of the on-demand device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the server with the static IP address is a tapping web server, the on demand device is an on-demand web server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the on-demand web server and the tapping web server each hosts at least one web page as user interface.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the wake-up connection from the tapping web server to the on-demand web server comprises a telephone ring through a telephone connection.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the on-demand web server gains Internet access via a telephone connection and a dial-up ISP (Internet Service Provider) account.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the on-demand web server is assigned the dynamic IP address by an ISP.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the client computer runs the web browser to access the at least one web page hosted by the tapping web server to transmit authentication information and the phone number of the on-demand device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the authentication information comprises a user ID and a password.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote device comprises a controller that monitors and/or controls an industrial process system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the on-demand web server resides on the controller.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the on-demand web server comprises a PC in electronic communication with the remote device.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the on-demand web server is connected electronically and monitors one or more network devices located remote from the on-demand web server.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the client device is located remotely from the tapping server and the on-demand server.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the on-demand web server listens to but does not answer a call made by the tapping server.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the on-demand web server is assigned a dynamic IP address by the ISP for gaining Internet access.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the on-demand web server passes the dynamic IP address to the client through the tapping web server.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the phone number corresponds to a line connected to a modem that is in communication with the on-demand device.

14. A system for accessing information available at a remote location, comprising:

a corporate web server continuously connected to the Internet, said corporate web server hosting at least one web page accessible to a client running a web browser;

a tapping web server linked to the corporate web server, said tapping web server hosting at least one web page for receiving requests from the client for accessing information at the remote location, the requests including a telephone number that the tapping web server can use to establish communication with an on-demand web server, said tapping web server being continuously connected to the Internet; and

the on-demand web server connectable to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider, after receiving a wake-up demand from the tapping web server through a modem, said on-demand web server providing information about the remote location through at least one web page accessible to the client through the Internet, and

a remote device providing information pertaining to monitoring and controlling of an industrial process to the client via web pages hosted by the on-demand web server.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wake-up demand from the tapping web server to the on-demand web server comprises a telephone ring through a standard POTS connection.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the client further transmits authentication information to the tapping web server for accessing information at the remote location and wherein the authentication information comprises a user ID and a password.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote device is used for waste water treatment monitoring and control.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the tapping web server is continuously connected to the Internet through an ISP using a dial-up modem.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the wake-up demand from the tapping web server comprises a Ping (Packet Internet Grouper).

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the tapping web server is connected to a database storing information connection status of the on-demand web server.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the tapping web server is linked to the corporate web server through a hyperlink in the at least one web page hosted by the corporate web server.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the client accesses the at least one web page hosted by the corporate web server by entering the domain name of the corporate web server in the web browser.

33. The system of claim 14 wherein the phone number corresponds to a line connected to a modem that is in communication with the on-demand device.

26. A method for accessing information from a remote device at a remote location, comprising;

issuing a connection request;

connecting an on-demand web server to the Internet in response to receiving the connection request by;

placing a telephone call to a telephone number specified in the connection request the telephone number corresponding to a device in communication with the on-demand web server to wake up the on-demand web server, the on-demand web server not answering the call but responding by using a modem to dial an ISP to connect to the Internet; and

accessing information regarding the remote device available at the on-demand web server through a web browser run on a client application connected to the Internet.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the device is a modem that is connected to the on-demand device.

27. The method of 26, further comprising:

establishing a connection between the web browser run on the client application and a tapping web server; and

sending authentication information and the telephone number from the client application to the tapping web server.

28. The method of 27, wherein connecting the on-demand web server to the Internet comprises:

receiving a dynamic IP address from the ISP.

29. The method of 28, wherein accessing information regarding the at least one remote device further comprises:

passing the dynamic IP address to the tapping web server; and

directing the web browser run on the client application from the tapping web server to the on-demand web server according to the IP address.

30. The method of 26, wherein placing a call comprises calling the on-demand web server through a POTS line.

31. The method of 26, wherein issuing a connection request comprises sending a PING to the on-demand web server to check connection status.