System, computer product and method for event monitoring with data centre

• US 7,596,613 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kontrol Energy Group Inc. (Kontrol Technologies Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Paul Silverthorne
• Inventors: Elbaz, Victoria, Russell, Jon, Silverthorne, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/015,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 701/24, 701/35, 701/36
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A system, computer product and method for monitoring and disseminating data form a plurality of electronic devices via the Internet is provided. The plurality of electronic devices, or further electronic devices connected to the plurality of electronic devices, generate signal data. A computer product of the present invention is loaded on the electronic devices such that the signal data is collected via the Internet at a remote web server. The web server stores this data in a database such that a client can monitor its signal data by means of the web server, via the Internet. The present invention also permits the client to disseminate the signal data, including signal data meeting alarm parameters, based on business rules established by the client. A method for deploying the system of the present invention across a plurality of electronic devices, including electronic devices across a plurality of locations is also provided.

Claims

1. A system for collecting and monitoring signal data across one or more electronic devices via the Internet comprising:

(a) a web server connected to the Internet, the web server including a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor;

(b) a web application loaded on the web server;

(c) a database; and

(d) at least one gateway device connected to the Internet for receiving the signal data from each of the one or more electronic devices and translating the signal data to a format comprehensible by the web server;

(e) a database management utility linked to the database, and responsive to the web application;

(f) whereby the web application;

(i) collects translated signal data from the gateway device and stores the signal data to the database;

(ii) is responsive to requests from one or more network connected devices in an authorized transmission to generate a series of web pages that display the signal data to the one or more network connected devices without having to connect directly to each said electronic devices.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, whereby said web application further includes a communication facility responsive to input provided by a client of the web server for automatically disseminating signal data to the one or more network connected devices.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, whereby the web application is responsive to input defining business rules of a client of the system for disseminating the signal data.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, whereby the business rules include threshold parameters for escalating signal data to alarm data, and rules for disseminating the alarm data, including based on escalation thereof.

5. A system as claimed in claim 2, whereby the one or more electronic devices are in a plurality of physical locations, and said signal data from said electronic devices is tagged as to its source.

6. A system as claimed in claim 2, whereby the one or more network connected devices are each linked to a gateway device that receives data from one or more electronic devices connected to the gateway device.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, whereby the gateway device is connected to a management system for monitoring and/or operating an electronic system.

8. A system as claimed in claim 2, whereby the web application includes a reporting facility for generating reports based on the signal data.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6, whereby the gateway device includes a gateway computer program that includes a communication facility for communicating the signal data to the web server.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, whereby the format comprehensible by the web server is a format comprehensible by the web application.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, whereby the gateway computer program is responsive to input defining a range of values associated with a client of the system for determining whether data received from the electronic devices is communicated to the web server.

12. A system as claimed in claim 8, whereby the web application further includes a data archive means for archiving the signal data to the database, and retrieving the archived signal data by means of the database management utility, including for generating historical reports by means of the reporting facility.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said method is a singular process.

13. A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, whereby the computer is functionally linked to each of one or more electronic devices that generate signal data, and the computer is connected to the Internet, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computer to permit the signal data to be collected and monitored by a remote web server,

the computer readable medium comprising:

(a) a communication facility including computer instructions for the computer to collect the signal data from the one or more electronic devices, translate the signal data to a format comprehensible by the web server and communicate the translated signal data to the web server, whereby a web application functionally linked to the web server collects the translated signal data from the computer and provides monitoring of the signal data in that the web application is automatically responsive to requests from one or more network connected devices in an authorized transmission to generate a series of web pages that display the collected signal data to the one or more network connected devices.

14. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 13, whereby the format understood by the web server is a format understood by the web application.

15. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 14, whereby the computer instructions store the location of the web server to the memory.

16. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 15, whereby the computer is a gateway device.

17. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 16, whereby the communication facility communicates signal data to the web server that meets predetermined threshold criteria.

18. A computer readable medium useful in association with a first computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions for loading computer instructions on a second computer that is functionally linked to one or more electronic devices that generate signal data, the computer readable medium comprising:

(a) an interface for selecting computer instructions corresponding to the second computer and/or the electronic devices functionally linked thereto; and

(b) a program loader for loading computer instructions on the second computer that provide a communication facility for the second computer to translate the signal data to a format comprehensible by the web server and communicate the translated signal data to a web server via the Internet, whereby the second computer and web server are connected to the Internet;

whereby a web application functionally linked to the web server automatically collects the translated signal data from the second computer and provides monitoring of the signal data in that the web application is responsive to requests from one or more network connected devices in an authorized transmission to generate a series of web pages that display the signal data from the electronic devices to one or more network connected devices associated with a client of the web server, for automatic and direct use by the client from said network connected devices.

19. A method of collecting and monitoring signal data across one or more electronic devices via the Internet comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a web server connected to the Internet, the web server including a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the web server further including a web application loaded on the web server, a web-based database and a database management utility linked to the database, and responsive to the web application;

(b) deploying one or more electronic devices at one or more locations, whereby the one or more electronic devices, or other devices connected thereto, generate signal data;

(c) linking a communication facility to the one or more electronic devices for translating the signal data to a format comprehensible by the web server and communicating the translated signal data to the web server;

(d) collecting the signal data from the one or more electronic devices known to the web application at the web server by means of the communication facility;

(e) storing the signal data to the web-based database; and

(f) providing monitoring of the signal data by means of the database management utility whereby the web application is responsive to requests from one or more network devices in an authorized transmission to generate a series of web pages that display the signal data from the one or more electronic devices to the one or more network connected devices;

(g) whereby said collecting and storing of the signal data to the web-based database is automatic and where the generation of the web pages is responsive to the requests.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, comprising the further steps of:

(a) providing as an input to the web application computer instructions defining business rules for disseminating signal data to one or more network connected device; and

(b) disseminating the signal data based on the business rules by operation of the web application.