System and method for providing to multiple user computers concurrent telephonic access to multiple remote devices

• US 7,546,372 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ibeam Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ibeam Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Irwin, Gregg, Allen, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Higa; Brendan Y
• Application Number:
  US10/193,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208, 709217-229, 709204-207, 379/102.02, 379 37- 51, 379/43, 455/403, 455/404.1, 455/557, 455/550.1, 370259-262, 726 1- 4
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]

Abstract

A method and system for acquiring and managing data from multiple remote devices. A server is programmed to automatically dial and connect to remote devices that are connected to standard phone lines. The invention allows multiple remote user computers to concurrently control and access data supplied by the remote devices over combined computer network and telephone systems.

Claims

1. For communication between a plurality of user computers and a plurality of devices, the plurality of user computers being communicatively linked to a computer network, each of the plurality of devices being communicatively linked to a telephone system by a modem coupled to a telephone connection, each modem having a modem telephone number, each of the plurality of devices being not directly connected to the computer network, a method comprising:

receiving a user identification of a first computer user who is using a first user computer communicatively linked to the computer network;

verifying, from the provided user identification for the first computer user, that the first computer user is authorized and if so, establishing a first user-host communication link between the first user computer and a host computer via the computer network;

determining a first set of the devices that the first computer user is authorized to access, the first set comprising a plurality, if not all, of the plurality of devices;

using device access information, including the modem telephone number of each of the first set of the devices, from a directory located on a computer other than any of the plurality of user computers to direct a modem pool coupled to the telephone system to establish first host-device communication links via the telephone system with the first set of the devices, with the first host-device communication links being concurrent with the first user-host communication link and providing simultaneous access for the first user computer to the first set of devices via the first user-host communication link;

receiving a user identification of a second computer user who is using a second user computer that is communicatively linked to the computer network;

verifying, from the provided user identification for the second computer user, that the second computer user is authorized and if so, establishing a second user-host communication link between the second user computer and the host computer via the computer network, the second user-host communication link being coincident with the first user-host communication link;

determining a second set of the devices that the second computer user is authorized to access, the second set comprising a plurality, if not all, of the plurality of devices; and

using device access information, including the modem telephone number of each of the second set of the devices, from a directory located on a computer other than any of the plurality of user computers to direct the modem pool coupled to the telephone system to establish second host-device communication links via the telephone system with the second set of the devices, with the second host-device communication links being concurrent with the second user-host communication link and providing access for the second user computer to the second set of devices via the second user-host communication link, and the second host-device communication links being concurrent with the first host-device communication links.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the first computer user is verified as authorized, sending to the first user computer a registered device list listing devices that the first computer user is authorized to access.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting from the registered device list those devices desired to be accessed by the first computer user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing second host-device communication links further includes verifying for each of the second set of devices whether an active first host-device communication link already exists and if so, using the active first host-device communication link as the second host-device communication link for the device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second user-host communication links and the first and second host-device communication links are PPP connections.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining which of the devices can be accessed by the first computer user is based upon information stored in a user directory on the host computer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying user-host communication links and the host-device communication links that have an absence of traffic for a predetermined duration and inactivating the so identified communication links.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second host-device communication links provide simultaneous access for the second user computer to the second set of devices via the second user-host communication link.

9. A computer recordable medium whose contents cause a host computer to support communication between a plurality of user computers and a plurality of devices, the plurality of user computers being communicatively linked to a computer network, the plurality of devices being communicatively linked to a telephone system, by:

coupling a separate modem to each of the plurality of devices, the separate modem being coupled to a separate telephone connection with the telephone system, each modem having a modem telephone number, each of the plurality of devices being not directly connected to the computer network;

receiving a user identification of a first computer user who is using a first user computer communicatively linked to the computer network;

verifying, from the provided user identification for the first computer user, that the first computer user is authorized and if so, establishing a first user-host communication link between the first user computer and the host computer via the computer network;

determining a first set of the devices that the first computer user is authorized to access, the first set comprising a plurality, if not all, of the plurality of devices;

using device access information, including the modem telephone number of each of the first set of the devices, from a directory located on a computer other than any of the plurality of user computers to direct a modem pool coupled to the telephone system to establish first host-device communication links via the telephone system with the first set of the devices, with the first host-device communication links being concurrent with the first user-host communication link and providing simultaneous access for the first user computer to the first set of devices via the first user-host communication link;

receiving a user identification of a second computer user who is using a second user computer that is communicatively linked to the computer network;

verifying, from the provided user identification for the second computer user, that the second computer user is authorized and if so, establishing a second user-host communication link between the second user computer and the host computer via the computer network, the second user-host communication link being coincident with the first user-host communication link;

determining a second set of the devices that the second computer user is authorized to access, the second set comprising a plurality, if not all, of the plurality of devices; and

using device access information, including the modem telephone number of each of the second set of the devices, from a directory located on other than any of the plurality of user computers to direct the modem pool coupled to the telephone system to establish second host-device communication links via the telephone system with the second set of the devices, with the second host-device communication links being concurrent with the second user-host communication link and providing access for the second user computer to the second set of devices via the second user-host communication link, and the second host-device communication links being concurrent with the first host-device communication links.

10. The computer recordable medium of claim 9, wherein establishing the second host-device communication links further includes verifying for each of the second set of devices whether an active first host-device communication link already exists and if so, using the active first host-device communication link as the second host-device communication link for the device.

11. The computer recordable medium of claim 9, wherein the first and second user-host communication links and the first and second host-device communication links are PPP connections.

12. The computer recordable medium of claim 9, wherein determining which of the devices can be accessed by the first computer user is based upon information stored in a user directory on the host computer.

13. The computer recordable medium of claim 9, wherein the second host-device communication links provide simultaneous access for the second user computer to the second set of devices via the second user-host communication link.