Method and system for monitoring computer networks and equipment

• US 6,714,977 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1999
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: NetBotz, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Cullen, Gerard L., Fowler, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/429,504
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 348/152, 348/153, 348/154, 348/155, 348/64, 700/83, 700/258, 700/259, 340/506, 340/539.22, 340/539-4-5, 340/541, 340/545.2, 702/187-189, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for monitoring a space, and in particular, an enclosure, and its contents over a network. The system can include an microprocessor to provide processing and network connectivity capability, and sensors to detect physical parameters associated with the space. A converter can convert sensor signals to a digital format and provide the signals to the microprocessor. The system includes instructions for processing the signals. An alarm signal can be generated when any of the physical parameters exceeds a corresponding threshold value. The system of the present invention can have at least one port for communicating with the network and memory modules for storing system data. The system of this invention can have a network-based interface such as an HTML interface for providing programming instructions to the microprocessor and for receiving monitoring status and alarm information from the system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a physical environmental parameter associated with a space, the sensor configured to generate a sensor signal associated with the physical environmental parameter, the sensor selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor, a relative humidity sensor, and an air flow sensor;

a standalone housing physically separate from monitored equipment and having space between the hosing and the monitored equipment, the housing including;

at least one microprocessor responsive to the sensor and configured to process the sensor signal;

video imaging circuitry configured to capture an image of the space;

memory coupled to the at least one microprocessor, the memory including;

instructions from processing the sensor signal;

instructions for processing the image of the space;

a web server application;

instructions for generating a webpage including the processed sensor signal and the processed image of the space;

a threshold value associated with the sensor signal; and

instructions for initiating a notification signal when the sensor signal violates the threshold value; and

at least one network port, addressable using its own URL and static IP address, coupled to the at least one microprocessor and configured for communicating the webpage over a distributed computer network to a remote location for display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a binary input to activate the video imaging circuitry to capture an image of the space.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an external sensor, wherein the external sensor provides the binay input upon the occurrence of a preset condition.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the external sensor is a magnetic switch for sensing the opening of a door to the space and wherein the preset condition is the opening of the door.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising instructions for generating and forwarding an email status report to at least one user.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the status report indicates that the sensor signal has exceeded a corresponding threshold value.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising instructions for generating and forwarding an email alarm report to one or more users when the sensor signal exceeds a corresponding threshold value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microphone.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an audio element that generates a signal upon detecting an audible alarm.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions for processing can be updated via the web server application.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions for processing comprise parameter threshold values.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the webpage comprises an image display area, a monitored parameter display area, an alarm threshold display area, and an apparatus user information display area.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus user information display area can be configured by a user to display customized information.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising instructions for software agents operable to investigate an internal condition of a network component, the network component accessible via the at least one port.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the software agents investigate the internal condition of compatible network components through communication in accordance with an interface, the interface being an SNMP, DMI, or SMBIOS interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more binar outputs connected to one or more relays to control one or more external loads, and instructions for controlling the one or more binary outputs.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the external load is an air conditioning unit.

18. The apparatus claim 1, wherein the distributed computer network comprises a global computer network.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distributed computer network comprises an intranet.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distributed computer network comprises a wireless network.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more connectors to interface with external devices.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distributed computer network is accessed via an Ethernet interface, and wherein the Ethernet interface has compliant TCP/IP stacks.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency interface operable to communicate wirelessly within the distributed comptuer network.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency interface operable to communicate with a device external to the distributed computer network.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an air flow sensor comprising a hot-wire anemometer circuit.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions for processing operably generate an alarm signal in the event that the sensor signal exceeds a parameter threshold value.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising instructions for generating and forwarding a status report via electronic paging.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source; and

a rechargeable backup battery to provide power upon loss of the power source.