Patent ID: 8239542

Claim:
An analog input system that uses an analog signal input terminal to convert an analog signal into a digital signal and send the converted digital signal to a host computer via a network, wherein the analog signal input terminal comprises at least: an analog signal input unit; an A/D converter for converting the analog signal into a digital signal; a network controller, said network controller controls data transmission and reception through an Internet protocol (IP) connection; a terminal-side IP connection establishing unit having an inbound socket connection for receiving control signals from the host computer and an independent outbound socket connection for sending digital signals to the host computer; a first control signal processing unit, said control signal processing unit receives a control signal related to at least one of a start request and a stop request received from the host computer; and a signal transmitting unit, said signal transmitting unit sends a digital signal to the control signal processing unit based on said control signal; and wherein the host computer comprises at least: a network adapter, wherein said network adapter controls data transmission and reception through an IP connection; a host-side IP connection establishing unit having an inbound socket connection for receiving digital signals from the analog signal input terminal and an independent outbound socket connection for sending control signals to the analog signal input terminal; a second control signal processing unit configured to generate and send at least a second control signal related to at least one of a start request and a stop request to the analog signal input terminal; an IP connection disconnecting unit connected to the host side IP connection establishing unit and configured to disconnect the inbound socket connection and the outbound socket connection; an application processing unit including: a high order application that generates settings, commands and data; a virtual sound driver that receives said settings, commands and data from said high order application; a buffer driver having temporary storage of said settings, commands and data received by said virtual sound driver; setting software that accesses said buffer driver, said setting software inputs and outputs said data to and from said analog input terminal; and an event notification feature, included in said buffer driver, that allows said buffer driver to compensate for the inability of the virtual sound driver and setting software to directly input and output said data by adjusting the timing, speed and amount of data input and output to the setting software and said virtual sound driver due to incorrect timing, speed and amount of data in said buffer driver; and, said setting software performs communication with said analog input terminal when said event notification feature is communicated from said buffer driver to said setting software.