Communications links
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting time dependent information in a first format, the time dependent information being associated with associated serial information in a second format across a data network having a network protocol, the method comprising:
- using time stamps to capture the time-dependent information in the network protocol;
converting the second format of the associated serial information to the network protocol;
forming a message in the network protocol, the message including the time dependent information and the serial information in the network protocol;
transmitting the message in the network protocol format across the network to a destination terminal; and
at the destination terminal,extracting the time stamp information from the message, andusing the time-stamp information to reconstitute the time-dependent information, and converting the format of the serial information from the network protocol to the second format.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system including a plurality of remotely configurable telephone network communication terminals (102) is adapted to communicate with a programming terminal (134) over a data network (222) by adding a remote interface means (RIM) (202) for each terminal to convert communications between the terminal to or from a format adapted for transmission over the data network, the programming terminal having a modem emulator (202) having communication and programming capabilities to interface the programming terminal with the network; by converting the programming terminal data to a network compatible format, obtaining an address for the RIM, connecting the programming terminal and the RIM via the data network, connecting the RIM and the communication terminal, transmitting the converted programming terminal data to the RIM, reconstituting the converted data to a format suitable for the communication terminal, and transmitting the reconstituted data to the communication terminal.
20 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting time dependent information in a first format, the time dependent information being associated with associated serial information in a second format across a data network having a network protocol, the method comprising:
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using time stamps to capture the time-dependent information in the network protocol; converting the second format of the associated serial information to the network protocol; forming a message in the network protocol, the message including the time dependent information and the serial information in the network protocol; transmitting the message in the network protocol format across the network to a destination terminal; and at the destination terminal, extracting the time stamp information from the message, and using the time-stamp information to reconstitute the time-dependent information, and converting the format of the serial information from the network protocol to the second format.
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2. A method of providing remote configuration access for a programming terminal via one or more data networks to one or more remote terminals;
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the programming terminal being adapted to program said one or more remote terminal via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) using an analog dial up modem; the remote terminals being designed to be remotely configured via the public switched telephone network;
whereina first remote interface means (RIM) is connected to one or more of the remote terminals; the first RIM being adapted to provide a bi-directional interface between a remote terminal and one of said one or more data networks;
whereina modem emulator function is provided to interface the programming terminal with said one of said one or more data networks; the modem emulator function including programming capabilities adapted for transmitting information via said one or more data networks; the method comprising; obtaining an address for the first RIM or a corresponding remote terminal; converting the programming terminal output signals to a message having a network format suitable for transmission via one or more data networks; establishing a data connection between the programming terminal and the first RIM via one or more of the data networks using the address of the RIM or corresponding remote terminal; establishing communication between the first RIM and the corresponding remote terminal; initiating a transmission of the message to the first RIM; in the first RIM, converting the network format of the message to a remote terminal format used in programming or configuring the corresponding remote terminal; transmitting the message in said remote terminal format to the corresponding remote terminal;
whereinthe programming terminal output signals include time-dependent information, the method further comprising; adding time stamps to at least the time-dependent information; converting the information and associated time-stamps to the network protocol; transmitting the information in network protocol format across the data network to a destination terminal; and using the time-stamps to reconstitute the time-dependent information. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A system for transmitting time dependent information and serial data across a data network, the time dependent information having a first format, the serial data having a second format, the system comprising:
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a data network having a network protocol; a modem emulator means adapted to convert the format of the serial data from the second format to the network protocol; the modem emulator means being adapted to capture time-dependent information in the network protocol; the modem emulator being connected to a first edge of the network; a remote network interface connected to a second edge of the network; a data conversion means connected to the remote network interface; the data conversion means being adapted to reconstitute the time-dependent information and the serial data. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A communications system including a programming terminal and one or more remote terminals for use with an existing alarm panel of a type which is adapted to use a telephone line as its primary communications path to transmit data, the communications system providing the existing alarm panel with the ability to transmit and receive signals via a path through a data network having a network protocol, the data including time dependent information in a first format and serial data in a second format, wherein
the existing alarm panel includes a ring detection means adapted to detect a ring signal from the telephone intercept and to activate a voice frequency (vf) data modem associated with the existing alarm panel; -
the communications system including; a programming terminal associated with a modem emulator functionality, the programming terminal including programming software; the programming terminal being adapted to convert the format of the serial data and the format of the time dependent information to the network protocol; the programming software enabling the programming terminal to transmit serial data via the emulator and the network to a remote terminal; the remote terminal including; a network interface; a telephone intercept means adapted to interface with the existing alarm panel; a programmable data store; and a processor means adapted to enter and retrieve data from the store; and wherein the telephone intercept means is adapted to reconstitute the time dependent information for transmission to the existing alarm panel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of providing remote configuration access for a programming terminal via one or more data networks to one or more remote terminals, the programming terminal being adapted to program said one or more remote terminals via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) using an analog dial up modem,
one or more of the remote terminals being designed to be remotely configured, via the PSTN, wherein a first remote interface means is connected to one or more of the remote terminals, the first remote interface means being adapted to provide a bi-directional interface between a remote terminal and one of said one or more data networks, wherein a modem emulator means is provided to interface the programming terminal with said one of said one or more data networks, the modem emulator means including programming capabilities adapted for transmitting information including time dependent information via said one or more data networks, the method comprising: -
providing the programming terminal with one or more sets of instructions and data; selecting one of the sets of instructions and data including associated time dependent information; converting the selected set of instructions and data and associated time dependent information to a format compatible with the said one of the one or more data networks, and transmitting the selected set of instructions and data and associated time dependent information to one or more remote terminals via said one or more data networks.
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Specification