Method and system for remote management of data over a wireless link

• US 7,349,996 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: XE.com, Inc. (Euronet Worldwide Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: XE.com, Inc. (Euronet Worldwide Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zhang, Frank Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred; Alford
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US10/830,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 710/2
• US Class Current: 710/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system and method for enabling remote management of data of devices using wireless communications. The system and method provides direct access to devices such as sensors from wireless devices having an integrated wireless transceiver and controller that are user programmable such a separate remote host controller is not required for managing the sensors. In one embodiment, a broadcast mode is provided wherein the wireless devices transmits a response for its corresponding sensors according to a predetermined sequence during a predetermined time slot according to a predetermined sequence.

Claims

1. In a system having an applications controller, a plurality of sensors, and two or more wireless modules each having a wireless transceiver and a communications controller, a first one of said wireless modules coupled to said applications controller via a digital bus for communication therewith, each of said other wireless modules coupled to one or more of said sensors via an I/O bus, a method for enabling remote management of a plurality of sensors, comprising the steps of:

receiving by said first one of said wireless modules a command from said applications controller;

transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules via a wireless link, said predetermined one determined based on said command;

receiving by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said command via said wireless link;

communicating as a function of said command by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules with one or more of said sensors via said I/O bus;

generating by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules a response based on said communicating;

transmitting by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said response to said first one of said two or more wireless modules via said wireless link;

receiving by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response; and

forwarding by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response to said applications controller via said digital bus,

wherein said I/O bus comprises a plurality of channels connected directly to a respective one of said other wireless modules, and said command identifies a selected one of the plurality of channels by which to exchange data with an associated one of said sensors coupled to said selected channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said command is an extension of the predefined modem AT command set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless modules are user programmable and said step of transmitting said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules is executable by any of said other wireless modules as a function of user programming.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command comprises broadcasting said command to each of said other wireless modules, each of said other wireless modules transmitting its response according to a predetermined sequence, and said first one of said wireless modules receiving said responses and transmitting said responses to said applications controller.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of said wireless modules has a predetermined unique identifier, each of said other wireless modules transmitting its response during a predetermined time slot as a function of said predetermined unique identifier.

6. In a system having an applications controller, a plurality of sensors, and two or more wireless modules each having a wireless transceiver and a communications controller, a first one of said wireless modules coupled to said applications controller via a digital bus for communication therewith, each of said other wireless modules coupled to one or more of said sensors via an I/O bus, a method for enabling remote management of a plurality of sensors, comprising the steps of:

receiving by said first one of said wireless modules a command from said applications controller;

transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules via a wireless link, said predetermined one determined based on said command;

receiving by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said command via said wireless link;

communicating as a function of said command by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules with one or more of said sensors via said I/O bus;

generating by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules a response based on said communicating;

transmitting by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said response to said first one of said two or more wireless modules via said wireless link;

receiving by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response; and

forwarding by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response to said applications controller via said digital bus,

wherein said I/O bus comprises digital and analog channels, and

wherein the command identifies a selected one of said channels by which to exchange data with an associated one of said sensors coupled to said selected channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said command is an extension of the predefined modem AT command set.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said wireless modules are user programmable and said step of transmitting said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules is executable by any of said other wireless modules as a function of user programming.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command comprises broadcasting said command to each of said other wireless modules, each of said other wireless modules transmitting its response according to a predetermined sequence, and said first one of said wireless modules receiving said responses and transmitting said responses to said applications controller.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said wireless modules has a predetermined unique identifier, each of said other wireless modules transmitting its response during a predetermined time slot as a function of said predetermined unique identifier.

11. In a system having an applications controller, a plurality of sensors, and two or more wireless modules each having a wireless transceiver and a communications controller, a first one of said wireless modules coupled to said applications controller via a digital bus for communication therewith, each of said other wireless modules coupled to one or more of said sensors via an I/O bus, a method for enabling remote management of a plurality of sensors, comprising the steps of:

receiving by said first one of said wireless modules a command from said applications controller;

transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command to a predetermined one of said other wireless modules via a wireless link, said predetermined one determined based on said command;

receiving by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said command via said wireless link;

communicating as a function of said command by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules with one or more of said sensors via said I/O bus;

generating by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules a response based on said communicating;

transmitting by said predetermined one of said other wireless modules said response to said first one of said two or more wireless modules via said wireless link;

receiving by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response;

forwarding by said first one of said two or more wireless modules said response to said applications controller via said digital bus;

pre-programming said predetermined one of said other wireless modules with a set of commands, the pre-programming further including defining one or more channels of said I/O bus, the set of commands allowing data to be exchanged with sensors via the defined channels; and

selecting said command from said set of commands pre-programmed in said predetermined one of said other wireless modules.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of transmitting by said first one of said wireless modules said command comprises broadcasting said command to each of said other wireless modules, each of said other wireless modules transmitting its response according to a predetermined sequence, and said first one of said wireless modules receiving said responses and transmitting said responses to said applications controller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of said wireless modules has a predetermined unique identifier, each of said other wireless modules transmitting its response during a predetermined time slot as a function of said predetermined unique identifier.