Patent ID: 7392309

Claim:
A system comprising: a client; a sensor having an associated type; a network appliance housing the sensor and being configured to obtain sensor information from the sensor; a server coupled to the network appliance and the client, the server being configured to receive the sensor information from the network appliance, the server comprising: a memory storing instructions operable to enable the client to: submit requests for the sensor information; display the sensor information in a manner corresponding to the type of the sensor; and manipulate the sensor information in a manner corresponding to the type of the sensor; and a transfer module configured to provide the instructions to the client; wherein the client is configured to receive the instructions from the server and to use the instructions to submit a request to the server for the sensor information, to display the sensor information in a manner corresponding to the type of the sensor, and to manipulate the sensor information in a manner corresponding to the type of the sensor.