Patent ID: 7290037
Filing Date: 2007-10-30
Classification: G08C,H04W

Abstract:
1. A system for controlling, monitoring and receiving data from a plurality of devices of various types located at a remote site, said system comprising: a network operations center for keeping track of one or more remote sites, said network operations center having a plurality of protocols for a plurality of applications, said network operating center having means for selecting one of said protocols corresponding to one of said applications; a customer interface having two-way communications with said network operating center to allow a customer's applications to control and monitor said plurality of remotely located devices, said customer interface further providing an ability to receive messages relating to an alert condition at one or more of the plurality of remotely located devices; a master unit to bi-directionally communicate directly with the network operations center via a network, said master unit also being in bi-directional communication with one or more remote units, wherein the master unit permits scaling up or down the number of remote units communicating with the master unit; a remote slave unit located at the remote site, said remote slave unit being in two-way communication with the plurality of devices and with at least one remote unit, wherein the at least one remote unit bi-directionally communicates directly with both the remote slave unit and the master unit; wherein the remote slave unit periodically initiates a registration subroutine to poll the plurality of devices to determine the identity of each of the devices, and to automatically register any new devices on the system; and wherein the remote slave unit is adapted: