Patent ID: 7346405

Claim:
A programmable interface apparatus for connecting one of a plurality of industrial machines having different data format and storage configurations and different electrical interface characteristics to a communications medium for remote monitoring and control comprising: (a) a memory for storing data in predetermined locations and in a predetermined format, and for storing both electrical interface configuration information and data translation configuration information relating to the at least one of the industrial machines; (b) a configurable electrical interface adapted to be directly connected to one of the industrial machines and responsive to the configuration information for configuring the electrical interface characteristics of the electrical interface in response to the stored electrical interface configuration information relating to at least one of the plurality of industrial machines for receiving machine data from the industrial machine and sending data to the industrial machine; (c) a configurable data translator responsive to the stored data translation configuration information, receiving data from the interface and transforming the data to the predetermined format; (d) a processor responsive to the configuration information for reading data from and writing data to the predetermined locations in the memory; and (e) a communications port connected to the communications medium.