Remote monitoring and control of equipment over computer networks using a single web interfacing chip

• US 6,446,192 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Embrace Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Stemm, Mark, Narasimhan, Subram, Allred, Curtis, Balakrishnan, Hari
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Daniel H.
• Application Number:
  US09/326,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 709/319, 709/320, 709/311, 709/332, 709/219, 709/210, 709/315, 709/329, 709/218, 709/203, 709/230, 709/224, 709/232, 709/226, 709/234, 709/236, 709/245, 709/250, 709/253, 709/328, 709/324, 709/211, 709/221, 709/209, 709/231, 235/462.15, 235/472.01, 712/217, 712/28, 712/30, 712/31, 712/29, 712/38, 712/32, 713/201, 713/167, 713/153, 713/165, 713/200, 713/151, 713/202, 702/122, 707/513, 707/501, 707/2, 707/103, 707/104, 707/5, 707/3, 707/10, 705/51.14, 705/54, 717/118, 717/136, 717/148
• US Class Current: 712/29
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A single integrated circuit chip interfaces device control circuitry of a device to a client machine via a computer network. The chip comprises an internal data bus; a central processing unit connected to the internal data bus; an internal memory connected to the internal data bus; a device interface connected to the internal data bus, wherein the device interface comprises circuit blocks for communicating digital information between the integrated circuit and the device control circuitry; and a network interface connected to the internal data bus, wherein the network interface comprises circuit blocks for communicating digital information between the integrated circuit and the computer network. The internal memory comprises instructions for implementing complete internet protocol functionality on the network; translating information between network protocol formats and a format of the device; transferring information between the network and the device control circuitry; and sending customized software to the client machine over the network, wherein the software is executable on the client machine, and wherein the software enables the client machine to generate device control signals and to receive device status information. The single integrated circuit chip provides inexpensive, compact, powerful, and versatile interfacing of a large variety of devices to high performance computer networks.

Claims

1. A single self-contained and autonomous module for directly interfacing device control circuitry of a device to a client machine via a computer network, wherein the chip comprises:

a device interface comprising circuit blocks for communicating digital information between the integrated circuit and the device control circuitry;

a network interface comprising circuit blocks for communicating digital information between the integrated circuit and the computer network; and

a non-volatile configuration memory for storing configuration data wherein the internal memory comprises instructions for implementing an API with the device;

wherein the device interface, network interface, and memory are interconnected and perform operations for;

implementing internet protocol functionality on the network;

translating information between network protocol formats and a format of the device;

transferring information between the network and the device control circuitry; and

sending customized software to the client machine over the network, wherein the software is executable on the client machine, and wherein the software enables the client machine to generate device control signals and to receive device status information.

2. The module of claim 1 wherein the configuration memory contains customized device network address information.

3. The module of claim 1 further comprising an external memory interface circuit block.

4. The module of claim 1 wherein the software comprises bytecode instructions executable by a bytecode interpreter running on the client machine, wherein the instructions are customized to characteristics of the device, and wherein the instructions generate on the client machine a virtual interface with the device.

5. The module of claim 1 wherein the device interface comprises an asynchronous serial port, a synchronous serial port, a CPU bus interface, and a programmable input/output port.

6. The module of claim 1 wherein the network interface comprises an ethernet MAC and an asynchronous serial port.

7. The module of claim 1 wherein the internal memory comprises instructions for implementing on the network protocols and functionality of TCP/IP, UDP/IP, FTP, SMTP, and HTTP.

8. The module of claim 1 wherein the network interface comprises a physical interface, a media access control block, a UART, and a TCP/IP processor.

9. The module of claim 1 wherein the configuration memory contains the customized software in the form of bytecode.

10. The module of claim 1 wherein the configuration memory contains customized device interface port protocol information.

11. The module of claim 1 wherein the configuration memory contains instructions for reading customized device interface port protocol information from the device.