System and method for especially graphically monitoring and/or remote controlling stationary and/or mobile devices

• US 6,803,854 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lang, Thomas, Adams, Knut
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/937,770
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 340/937, 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/531, 340/426.13, 340/426.18, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/539.25, 455/560
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

System and method for, in particular graphical, monitoring and/or remote control of stationary and/or mobile apparatuses

The invention relates to a system and a method for, in particular graphical, monitoring and/or remote control of stationary and/or mobile apparatuses (F1 . . . Fn), in particular of vehicles, truck semitrailers, construction-industry machines, agricultural vehicles, demountable truck body systems, and/or containers, by means of a signaling apparatus (MC) from a control center (15), with the mobile apparatus (MC) having a first function block (BB) for measured-value detection, for monitoring and/or for producing an alarm in accordance with rules that can be predetermined, and having a second function block (BC) for storing application-specific data relating to the mobile apparatus (MC), and with the control center (15) and the mobile apparatus (MC) having means for communication via at least two communication channels (B1, B2), with the first communication channel (B1) being intended for communication between a communication server (KS) in the control center (15) and the second function block (BB) in the mobile apparatus (MC), and the second communication channel (B2) being intended for communication between a visualization system (VS) in the control center (15) and the second function block (BB) in the mobile apparatus (MC).

Claims

1. A system for monitoring mobile apparatuses, comprising:

a mobile signaling apparatus having a first function block for measured- value detection, to perform at least one of monitoring and producing an alarm in accordance with predetermined rules, and having a second function block for storing application-specific data relating to the mobile signaling apparatus; and

a control center having an alarm system, a communication server, and a visualization system, the control center being connected to the mobile signaling apparatus via at least two communication channels, with the first communication channel providing communication between at least one of the alarm system and the communication server in the control center and the second function block in the mobile signaling apparatus, and the second communication channel providing communication between the visualization system in the control center and the second function block in the mobile signaling apparatus, the visualization system in the control center having a selection unit to implicitly select the mobile signaling apparatus associated with a message, in such a way that the mobile signaling apparatus associated with the message is automatically selected for setting up a connection by choosing the message from a message table.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile signaling apparatus has at least one radio transmitting/receiving apparatus for temporary connection to at least one control center and to a subscriber who is authorized to receive messages.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile signaling apparatus has a third function block which has functions for position-finding and vehicle park management and/or fleet management, and which has means for communication with a user at the same location as the mobile signaling apparatus.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the mobile signaling apparatus has a data analyzer which is integrated in the first function block and receives predetermined input signals supplied from the data analyzer by sampling data sequences from signal sources,

the mobile signaling apparatus is provided with a date and time stamp for stamping the detected data signals, and

the mobile signaling apparatus is intended for transmitting the sampled data sets to the control center for graphical display within a control and monitoring system.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile signaling apparatus has an alarm system which is integrated in the first function block for transmitting alarm messages in accordance with predetermined rules, and for protecting the transmitted messages.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the alarm system stores alarm messages in the mobile signaling apparatus, transmits the alarm message to a predetermined control center, and monitors an acknowledgement of the transmitted alarm messages by the control center.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application-specific data and programs which can be stored in the second function block can be loaded remotely from a control center.

8. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control center and the mobile signaling apparatus communicate via a third communication channel, with the third communication channel being used for communication between the communication server in the control center and the third block in the mobile signaling apparatus.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the mobile signaling apparatus has an associated identifier for identification of the mobile signaling apparatus,

the mobile signaling apparatus has a transmitter to transmit the identifier to the control center together with a message, and

the control center has a storage and visualization unit to store and view the identifier.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

at least one of the visualization system and the control and monitoring system has an alarm window for optical visualization of messages, and

the alarm window has information relating to the identification of the message.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the visualization system and the control and monitoring system in the control center has a telephone book window for visualization of each of the mobile signaling apparatuses administered by a control center.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the visualization system the control and monitoring system in the control center has a selection unit to explicitly select a mobile signaling apparatus in such a manner that a mobile signaling apparatus is automatically selected for setting up a connection by selection of said mobile signaling apparatus from the telephone book table.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control center has a storage unit to store the data transmitted from the mobile signaling apparatus to the control center, in order to archive such data.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile signaling apparatus has a GPS module for finding the position of a mobile apparatus which is coupled to the mobile signaling apparatus, with the mobile signaling apparatus transmitting the position-finding data to the control center.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the messages are chosen from the message table by a double clicking or by operating an enter function.

16. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein

the alarm window visually displays at least one of an alarm message, a warning message and a defect message, and

the information relating to the identification of the message includes a date and fault description.

17. A method for monitoring mobile apparatuses coupled to a mobile signaling apparatus, comprising:

using a first function block in the mobile signaling apparatus to detect measured values, to monitor the measured values and to emit alarms in accordance with predetermined rules;

using a second function block to store application-specific data relating to the mobile signaling apparatus;

communicating between the control center and the mobile signaling apparatus via at least two communication channels;

communicating over the first communication channel between an alarm system and a communication system in the control center and the first function block in the mobile signaling apparatus; and

communicating over the second communication channel between a visualization system in the control center and the first function block in the mobile signaling apparatus.

18. A computer readable medium storing a program to control a computer to perform a method for monitoring mobile apparatuses, comprising:

using a first function block in the mobile signaling apparatus to detect measured values, to monitor the measured values and to emit alarms in accordance with predetermined rules;

using a second function block to store application-specific data relating to the mobile signaling apparatus;

communicating between the control center and the mobile signaling apparatus via at least two communication channels;

communicating over the first communication channel between an alarm system and a communication system in the control center and the first function block in the mobile signaling apparatus; and

communicating over the second communication channel between a visualization system in the control center and the first function block in the mobile signaling apparatus.