System and method for obtaining equipment status data over a network

• US 7,688,952 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Far North Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robelight LLC
• Inventors: Roberts, Jon L., Light, Elliott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/517,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 379/39, 379/42, 379/43, 379/88.12, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/90.01, 379/93.04, 379/93.17, 379/201.01, 379/207.04, 379/207.06, 379/207.07, 340/506, 700/276
• US Class Current: 379/42
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23178 Display status of currently selected controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/387 using subscriber identification cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 : for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 : Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1215 : where a cable TV network is used as an access to the PSTN/ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 : where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 : Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 : Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 : Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 : Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 : Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1318 : Ringing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13274 : Call rejection, call barring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13374 : Paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet

Abstract

A portable status sentry comprises a portable memory device, an interface adapted for connecting the portable memory device to a computing device, and auto-run instructions. The auto-run instructions comprise status instructions and are executed by the computing device when the portable memory device is installed in the computing device. Upon execution of the status instructions the computing device is adapted for accessing a query network, acquiring status data from a status file accessible to the query network and associated with a monitored device, and processing the status data to produce a status measure relating to a status of the monitored device.

Claims

1. A portable status sentry comprising:

a portable memory device;

auto-run instructions resident on the portable memory device, the auto-run instructions comprising status instructions, wherein the auto-run instructions are configured to be executed by a computing device to load the status instructions into memory of the computing device when the portable memory device is in communication with the computing device, the status instructions configured to cause the computing device to;

acquire status data associated with a monitored device from a corresponding status file accessible via a first network, wherein the status data is continually updated by the monitored device via a second network that is distinct from the first network;

process the continually updated status data to produce a status measure relating to a status of monitored device;

process the status measure to issue an alert associated with the monitored device;

acquire status data associated with a telephone in response to the issued alert, wherein the telephone has a telephone status file accessible via the second network and the telephone status file is associated with a telephone number of the telephone;

process the status data associated with the telephone to produce a status measure relating to a status of the telephone, wherein the status measure is indicative of a change in a hook state of the telephone; and

issue a control command to send the issued alert associated with the monitored device to the telephone based on the status measure relating to the status of the telephone.

2. The portable status sentry of claim 1, wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is further adapted to process status data relating to a status of another monitored device to produce a status measure relating to a status of the another monitored device, wherein the status measure relating to the status of the another monitored device comprises a value.

3. The portable status sentry of claim 1, wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is further adapted to issue another control command to another monitored device.

4. The portable status sentry of claim 3, wherein the another monitored device is security monitoring equipment adapted to monitor security of a space, and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is adapted to process status data associated with the security monitoring equipment to produce a status measure relating to a status of the security monitoring equipment, wherein the status measure relating to the status of the security monitoring equipment is indicative of a breach of security, and wherein the another control command comprises an instruction for issuing an alert.

5. The portable status sentry of claim 3, wherein the another monitored device is visual imaging equipment, and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is adapted to process status data associated with the visual imaging equipment to produce a status measure relating to a status of the visual imaging equipment, wherein the status measure relating to the status of the visual imaging equipment is indicative of a current field of view of the visual imaging equipment, and wherein the another control command comprises an instruction for changing the current field of view.

6. The portable status sentry of claim 5, wherein the instruction for changing the current field of view comprise one or more commands selected from the group consisting of pan left, pan right, pan up, pan down, zoom in, zoom out, and focus.

7. The portable status sentry of claim 3, wherein the another monitored device is HVAC equipment, and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is adapted to process status data associated with the HVAC equipment to produce a status measure relating to a status of the HVAC equipment, wherein the status measure relating to the status of the HVAC equipment is indicative of a thermostat setting, and wherein the another control command comprises an instruction for adjusting the thermostat setting.

8. The portable status sentry of claim 7, wherein the instruction for adjusting the thermostat setting comprises an instruction for increasing or decreasing the thermostat setting.

9. The portable status sentry of claim 1, wherein the portable memory device is adapted for storing data and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, at least one of the status measure relating to the status of the monitored device or the status measure relating to the status of the telephone is stored in the portable memory device.

20. The portable status sentry of claim 1, wherein the second network is a cable network, a packet switched network, a public switched telephone network, the Internet, a wireless network, or a cell phone network.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a portable status sentry coupled to the processor via an interface, wherein the portable status sentry comprises;

a portable memory device;

auto-run instructions resident on the portable memory device, the auto-run instructions comprising status instructions, wherein the auto-run instructions are configured to be executed by a computing device to load the status instructions into volatile memory of the computing device when the portable memory device is in communication with the computing device, the status instructions configured to cause the computing device to;

access a first status file configured to store status data associated with a device over a network;

process the status data from the first status file to produce a status measure relating to a status of the device, wherein the status measure relating to the status of the device is indicative of the device operating outside a range;

access a second status file configured to receive status data associated with a telephone over the network based at least in part on the status measure relating to the device;

process the status data associated with the telephone to determine a status measure relating to the telephone, wherein the status measure relating to the telephone is indicative of a hook state; and

issue a control command to send an alert to the telephone based on the status measure relating to the telephone indicating that the telephone has changed from an off-hook state to an on-hook state, wherein the alert is indicative of the status measure relating to the status of the device operating outside the range.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the device a machine including usage and service parameters.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein, the network is selected from the group consisting of the a PSTN, a packet switched network, a cable network, a wireless network, and an Internet network.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is further adapted to process status data relating to a status of another device to produce a status measure relating to a status of the another device, wherein the status measure relating to the another device comprises a value.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the alert is sent via a service selected from the group consisting of an email service, a instant messaging service, a text-messaging service, a paging service, and a cell phone service.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the portable memory device is adapted for storing data and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, at least one of the status measure relating to the device and the status measure relating to the telephone is stored on the portable memory device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein when the status instructions are executed by the computing device the computing device is further adapted to send another control command to at least another device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the another device is security monitoring equipment adapted to monitor security of a space, and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is adapted to process status data to produce a status measure relating to a status of the security monitoring equipment.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the another device is visual imaging equipment, and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is adapted to process status data to produce a status measure relating to a status of the visual imaging equipment, wherein the status measure relating to the status of the visual imaging equipment is indicative of a current field of view of the visual imaging equipment.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein of the another device is HVAC equipment, and wherein upon execution of the status instructions, the computing device is adapted to process status data to produce a status measure relating to a status of the HVAC equipment, wherein the status measure relating to the status of the HVAC equipment is indicative of a thermostat setting.