Abstract:
The present invention is used for bi-directional communication between a telemetry gateway module and an internet server system. An agent module may have a first communication port connected to a telemetry gateway module and a second communication port connectable to an internet server system. The agent module may have a set of computer readable software instructions in a computer readable medium to optimize, secure and negotiate communications protocol between the telemetry gateway module and the internet server system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to devices and methods for bi-directional communication between a gateway module and an Internet server system. The new interface device decouples an Internet communication system from a gateway module that interfaces a device network and a local area network or computer in order for the interface device to select an efficient communication channel for the gateway module. 
     Telemetry gateway devices have been commercially available since approximately the late 1990&#39;s. A telemetry gateway device may perform the primary function of providing a communications channel between a computer network and an intelligent device network. Intelligent device networks serve the function of providing machine control and monitoring for a variety of applications such as air conditioning, lighting control, pumping systems and many other types of machine control and monitoring functions. Intelligent device networks may rely on protocols and technologies for communication that are not compatible with standard computer networks, hence the need for a telemetry gateway device. Additionally, telemetry gateway devices typically perform master-control functions such as scheduling, conditional logic execution and historical data logging. 
     In the role of translator between a computer network and a device network, the telemetry gateway may have an interface that is accessible via the computer network. This interface typically allows read/write access to the intelligent device network in such a way that certain details of the intelligent device network protocols and/or communication methodologies are abstracted and simplified. While this network-accessible telemetry gateway interface is useful for software systems residing on the local computer network along with the telemetry gateway, when internet connectivity is required such interfaces may not be accessible due to local computer network security constraints, e.g. firewalls, and other interface issues. 
     Some telemetry gateway devices attempt to circumvent the local computer network security constraints by implementing a “push” mechanism whereby data updates generated by the device network are delivered outbound to the internet server system, typically using mechanisms such as HTTP. While effective in some circumstances, this approach has very definite limitations in that changes or adaptations to protocols, methodologies or approaches in communications require a modification to the core telemetry gateway software module for the Internet, which will likely compromise or materially alter the functionality of the module. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to methods and systems for bi-directional communication between a telemetry gateway module and an internet server system. An agent module may have a first communication port connected to a telemetry gateway module and a second communication port connectable to an internet server system. The agent module may have a set of computer readable software instructions in a computer readable medium to optimize, secure and negotiate communications protocol between the telemetry gateway module and the internet server system. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an agent interface device communication between a telemetry gateway and an internet server system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description represents the best currently contemplated modes for carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. 
     An interface device, which may be a software module or hardware module with implementing software, such as an agent  20  module may be introduced into the software operational architecture to separate the concerns of the telemetry gateway device  10  and internet server system  14  communications. The telemetry gateway device  10  may then be free to perform its core, standard functions while offloading the handling of internet server communications to the agent  20 . The agent  20  operates to providing seamless, bi-directional communications between internet-based server systems  14  and the local telemetry gateway interface  16 . 
     One of the key benefits to this approach may be that the agent  20  can adapt to changing requirements on the computer network  42  without disrupting or affecting the standard telemetry gateway  10  communication channel. Adaptations by the agent  20  may include changing protocols, communication ports or message security overlays as needed to conform to constraints imposed by the computer network  42  in which the telemetry gateway device  10  is installed, example adaptations may include UDP, TCP, SOAP, XMPP, AIM, HTTP and the like. The agent  20  may receive adaptation instructions from the internet server system  14  as part of an informational exchange or the agent  20  may act independently to adapt to conditions that it discovers during normal operation. 
     The existence of the agent  20  also allows for a more efficient data transfer methodology since the agent  20  can combine multiple commands and/or information updates into a single message transfer or session. Additionally, the agent  20  can filter and limit certain types of data transfer as requested by the internet server system  14 . 
     Message security may also be implemented by the agent  20 , which allows for multiple security implementations and updates without the need to adapt the telemetry gateway  10  communications in any way. This allows for other, typically local, applications to access and utilize the telemetry gateway interface  12  without knowledge or understanding of the security protocols implemented as part of the internet server  14  communications channel. The agent  20  may serve as a proxy function between the telemetry gateway device  10  and the internet server system  14 . 
     The overall benefit of the described technology approach is that the telemetry gateway  10  installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance is greatly reduced over previous methodologies. This results in lower cost of installation and support. Additionally, resistance from local information technology users to the introduction of a telemetry gateway device  10  on a network infrastructure may be reduced due to the ability of the agent  20  to adapt to existing computer network  42  constraints. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the basic elements, connection points and communication channels involved in a system with an agent  20  are disclosed. In structure, the agent  20  software component may be resident as an application running on a telemetry gateway device  10  or as a process running on a separate computing hardware platform. 
     Upon initialization, the agent  20  may establish a connection with the telemetry gateway interface  12 . The connection details associated with this channel may be dependent upon the nature of the telemetry gateway interface  12 , but are commonly based upon TCP socket connection technology. This connection, once established, is monitored and maintained by the agent  20 . This includes reconnection if necessary. Once this connection is established the agent  20  may then attempt connection with the internet server system  14 , which may include attempting multiple channels and protocols in an attempt to negotiate the optimal channel based on the local area network  40  constraints. 
     After a connection may be established with the internet server system  14  the agent  20  may begin transmission of device network  30  changes and updates to the internet server system  14  as they occur. Additionally, the agent  20  may query the internet server system  14  for any data that requires delivery to the telemetry gateway  10  or its attached device network  30 . All received data is transferred in its original format to the telemetry gateway  10 . Instructions for the operation and behavior of the agent  20  may also be transmitted by the internet server system  14 . These instructions can include constraints on individual device network point updates and limiting or eliminating updates for certain points or classes of points. The agent  20  may monitor changes in the device  32  values as received by the telemetry gateway device  10  and communicate those changes to the internet server system  14  in near real time. The agent  20  may respond to instructions from the internet server system  14  for limiting, delaying or ceasing individual device  32  point update information for the purpose of reducing utilization of network resources. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to the illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.