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Method and apparatus for inexpensively monitoring and controlling remotely distributed appliances

  • US 7,792,946 B2
  • Filed: 06/24/2009
  • Issued: 09/07/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for transmitting appliance data, comprising:

  • generating data at the appliance;

    collecting the data generated at the appliance by a first communications device;

    formatting and storing the collected data at the first communications device;

    transmitting the formatted data over a local area network (LAN);

    receiving the transmitted data at a second communications device;

    acknowledging a received transmission by the second communications device;

    checking for an acknowledgement from the second communications device by the first communications device;

    retransmitting the formatted data to the second communications device by the first communications device if acknowledgement is not received;

    retransmitting the formatted data to a third communications device by the first communications device upon at least two unacknowledged transmissions to the second communications device, wherein the third communications device acknowledges a received transmission;

    reformatting and storing the received data at the second or third communications device;

    retransmitting the reformatted data over a wide area network (WAN);

    receiving the retransmitted data at a server;

    reformatting the data at the server; and

    storing the data in a database.

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