Universal configurable device gateway

• US 8,769,106 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modius, Inc., Elan Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Original Assignee: Elan Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Inventors: Sheehan, Thomas, Hartley, Jay, Clementi, Stephen, Nowak, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Kyung H
• Application Number:
  US11/194,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20060067209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,259 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/227, 709/223, 399/8, 370/216
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25217 Configure communication protocol, select between several
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing a configurable, object-oriented, protocol-neutral interface between a physical device and a server. The method includes coupling an application gateway with the physical device, where the application gateway includes a protocol gateway module configured for physical communication with the physical device, and an object adapter module configured for virtual communication between the physical device and a client application running on a server. The method further includes configuring a service starter to launch and bind the object adapter module with the protocol gateway module, configuring the protocol gateway module to define the physical interface between the physical device and the protocol gateway, and establishing communication between the protocol gateway module and the physical device, such that the physical device is exposed as a network device on the server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

coupling an application gateway to a physical device and a network, said application gateway having a non-transitory memory for storage of program instructions,

said physical device being disposed to be controlled by said application gateway, said physical device including at least one register including register information manipulable by said application gateway, wherein manipulation of said register information controls said physical device;

receiving at the application gateway, at least correlation information between the physical device and said at least one register, wherein synchronous communications with the network are mapped to asynchronous communications with the physical device, and

controlling the physical device by manipulating the register information using synchronous type communication between two network-connected systems to exchange messages between the physical device and a server coupled to the application gateway;

receiving command information from the physical device;

translating relevant command information into register operations,

wherein the command information includes asynchronous operations not part of the native interface command of the physical device.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

receiving command information for the device;

transmitting register information in response to that command information.

3. The method of claim 2 further including:

altering the register information before transmitting, said altering in response to instructions in the correlation information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

the correlation information is en-coded in extensive markup language (XML).

5. A system comprising:

a physical device coupled to an application gateway, said physical device controlled by asynchronous commands,

said physical device being disposed to be controlled by said application gateway, said physical device including at least one register including register information manipulable by said application gateway, wherein manipulation of said register information controls said physical device;

a server coupled to the application gateway;

said application gateway operable to receive information comprising at least correlation information between the physical device and said at least one register, wherein synchronous type communication between two network-connected systems to exchange messages between the physical device and a server coupled to the application gateway;

receiving command information from the physical device;

translating relevant command information into register operations,

wherein the command information includes asynchronous operations not part of the native interface command of the physical device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein

the attribution information is an extensive markup language (XML) file.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein controls the physical device includes either reading from or writing to the register.

8. A device comprising:

a processor coupled to a network, said processor coupled to a non-transitory memory for storage of program instructions;

a port coupled to the processor, said port operable for connecting to at least one analog signal,

wherein said analog signal is disposed to be coupled to at least one register at a physical device, said register being manipulable by said processor;

said processor having instruction code operable to

receive information comprising at least correlation information between the port and the network;

map the port to a register, and

read from or write to the register to acquire and aggregate data from the physical device using synchronous type communication between two network-connected systems to exchange messages between the physical device and a server coupled to the application gateway;

wherein the analog signal is asynchronously controlled;

wherein asynchronous control of said analog signal effects control of said physical device;

receiving command information from the physical device;

translating relevant command information into register operations,

wherein the command information includes asynchronous operations not part of the native interface command of the physical device.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein

the instruction code further includes instructions for:

controlling a physical device coupled to the port using commands that are not native to the physical device.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein

the information is an extensive markup language (XML) file.