Abstract: The present invention relates to sending control or monitoring information between two hardware devices utilizing email. Control information relating to either a first hardware device or a second hardware device is determined. This information is incorporated into an email message. Directing information for directing the control information is incorporated into the email message. Two hardware devices can then operate cooperatively over different remote networks. These networks only need to be compatible in the ability to exchange email for communication to persist between the two hardware devices. The control information and/or the directing information can encrypt. The control information and/or the directing information can be encoded. In embodiments of the present invention the encoding map is encrypted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sending control or monitoring information between two hardware devices utilizing email. Control information relating to either a first hardware device or a second hardware device is determined. This information is incorporated into an email message. Directing information for directing the control information is incorporated into the email message. Two hardware devices can then operate cooperatively over different remote networks. These networks only need to be compatible in the ability to exchange email for communication to persist between the two hardware devices. The control information and/or the directing information can be encrypted. The control information and/or the directing information can be encoded. In embodiments of the present invention the encoding map is encrypted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to creating device objects for maintaining communication between a interfacing device and a controlling device. These device objects are software object or software programs that are created according to information that is queried from the interfacing device. As a device object is created for each interfacing device, computer system resources are preserved during operation.

Abstract: In a system for remotely monitoring networked devices and appliances, email messages are sent across networks, the email messages containing configuration, status or other information. For flexibility, it is desirable to quickly and easily change the message type designation, and to easily determine a data structure definition based on the received message type. To achieve this goal, the message type designation of a given message's information may be defined within the message itself, and extracted at the receiving end before the information is analyzed or stored according to the data structure definition. Thus, a large number of devices is allowed to communicate configuration, status and/or other types of information in a variety of message types. A method is provided for receiving information concerning a remotely monitored device, the information being contained in a message that also includes a message type designation.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product including providing a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration, wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices to the main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN), and managing the electronic devices using the software. The electronic devices include at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device and may be monitored by monitoring management initiating parameters for the electronic devices, determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on the management initiating parameters, and transmitting a management action data packet to the electronic device to be managed. The monitoring management initiating parameters monitored may include monitoring at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sending control or monitoring information between two hardware devices utilizing email. Control information relating to either a first hardware device or a second hardware device is determined. This information is incorporated into an email message. Directing information for directing the control information is incorporated into the email message. Two hardware devices can then operate cooperatively over different remote networks. These networks only need to be compatible in the ability to exchange email for communication to persist between the two hardware devices. The control information and/or the directing information can encrypt. The control information and/or the directing information can be encoded. In embodiments of the present invention the encoding map is encrypted.

Abstract: A method involves retrieving from an email message, information concerning at least one remotely monitored device. The method involves obtaining a line of the email message containing the information, decoding the line obtained from the email message if it has been encoded, and decrypting the decoded line. The decrypting involves using an abstract decrypter class configured to perform a virtual function and using any one of a plurality of derived decrypter classes each of which is configured as a derived class of the abstract decrypter class. The abstract decrypter class and the any one of the derived decrypter classes are collectively configured to decrypt the decoded email message, using the any one of the derived decrypter classes with the abstract decrypter class without having to modify the abstract decrypter class.

Abstract: The present invention relates to querying an interfacing device to determine the manufacturer and model of the interfacing device. The querying is accomplished by first inputting signals with known communication means of particular manufacturers. By comparing the responses of the interfacing device to these signals and comparing them to anticipated responses, the manufacturer of the interfacing device can be determined. The anticipated response is the known response to the inputted signals of a particular manufacturer. In other words, the manufacturer of an interfacing device can be deducted according to its reaction to predetermined input signals. The interfacing device is then queried in a similar fashion to determine the model.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring at least one network connected device (monitored device) using a controller is disclosed. Initially, the controller/monitoring system attempts to establish communication with the monitored device. If the controller cannot be configured to interface with the monitored device, then configuration information, such as, manufacturer, model, and a unique identifier are obtained from the monitored device. In the process of determining the configuration information, a determination is made to find out if the monitored device is supported by the controller using information from System Support Database (SSD). A device object is created using information from the SSD, thus establishing a communication protocol between the controller and the monitored device Subsequently, configuration information for the monitored device is updated in the System Configuration Database (SCD).

Abstract: The present invention relates to determining the unique identification of an interfacing device. The interfacing device is first queried utilizing the hierarchical relationship of the interfacing devices communication means to acquire the unique identification. If this querying is unsuccessful, then a standard communication means (i.e. SNMP) is utilized to acquire the unique identification from the interfacing device. If use of the standard communication means is also unsuccessful, then assign a random code for the unique identification of the interfacing device.

Abstract: A method of managing electronic devices includes providing a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration, receiving at the main server wireless data packets from a plurality of wireless electronic devices, and determining a registered device among the plurality of wireless electronic devices. The registered device is then wirelessly connecting to the main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN), and is managed using the software. The registered device may be an appliance, an environmental control device, or an entertainment device and the LAN may be a home or office LAN.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a user's usage of a target application on an application unit. Such a target application can, as examples, be a software program running on a computer or a workstation, an image forming device, an appliance, etc. The application unit includes a user interface with a plurality of commands which a user can select. In the example of the target application being a software program, the commands may be icons displayed on a computer screen which a user can point to with a mouse pointer and then click on. In the case of the application unit being an image forming device or an appliance, the interface may be an operation panel with buttons, a touch pad, etc. which a user can press. The present invention monitors the user's usage of such interfaces and logs data of the user's usage of such interfaces. The logged data can then be communicated by the sending unit to a designated location.

Abstract: A remote position monitoring system, method, and computer-program product using a global position satellite receiver and information from at least two global position satellites to determine a position of a mobile object with the global position satellite receiver and report via Internet the position of the mobile object to a recipient in search of the mobile object. A remote position reporting device of the monitoring system can be part of or attached to any mobile object such as a child, a skier, a car, and expensive items. The remote position reporting device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, monitoring software and an Internet access module. The monitoring software (e.g., a dynamic link library) supports multiple data formats and multiple protocols to communicated the position information. The GPS receiver provides the monitoring software with position information at prescribed times, and the monitoring software records the position information.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for implementing communication to download a driver to a target device or business office appliance using an electronic network message or e-mail. A newest driver for the device/appliance may be downloaded from, for example, a service center connected to the device/appliance through a Wide Area Network (WAN) such as the Internet. The device driver of a client computer using the device/appliance may be updated from the target device/appliance if it is determined that a user of the client computer desires to update the driver of the client computer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system, method, and computer-program product for tracking and mapping a position of mobile object. A global position satellite receiver and information from at least two global position satellites is used to determine a position of a mobile object with the global position satellite receiver. The position of the mobile object is reported via the Internet to a recipient in search of the mobile object. A remote position reporting device of the monitoring system can be part of or attached to any mobile object such as a child, a skier, a car, and expensive items. The remote position reporting device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, monitoring software and an Internet access module. The monitoring software (e.g., a dynamic link library) supports multiple data formats and multiple protocols to communicate the position information.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a user's usage of a target application on an application unit. Such a target application can, as examples, be a software program running on a computer or a workstation, an image forming device, an appliance, etc. The application unit includes a user interface with a plurality of commands which a user can select. In the example of the target application being a software program, the commands may be icons displayed on a computer screen which a user can point to with a mouse pointer and then click on. In the case of the application unit being an image forming device or an appliance, the interface may be an operation panel with buttons, a touch pad, etc. which a user can press. The present invention monitors the user's usage of such interfaces and logs data of the user's usage of such interfaces. The logged data can then be communicated by the sending unit to a designated location.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a graphical user interface for creating and editing a mapping of structured information to different structured information, which allows a user to interactively define the mapping. The present invention operates as a user tool by accepting interactive input from a user of a source input, processing the input to display the source input in a format for accepting user commands to create or edit a transformation map of source components to target components. Interactive user input is accepted for selection of an input file to be transformed and selection of a transformation map for the requested transformation. Interactive user input is accepted for processing for selection of individual components of the first structured information format for mapping, and for selection of options for the target components.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing information used by a plurality of communication protocols to extract status information related to a monitored device among distinct devices communicatively coupled to a network. The method includes selecting a communication protocol among the plurality of communication protocols; retrieving, from a first memory, information for accessing the device using the selected communication protocol; and accessing the device using the selected communication protocol and the information retrieved from the first memory. In addition, a vendor-model support map, a protocol parameter map, and a status information map are maintained to allow for the efficient extraction of status information from monitored network devices using the plurality of communication protocols.

Abstract: A method involves retrieving from an email message, information concerning at least one remotely monitored device. The method involves obtaining a line of the email message containing the information, decoding the line obtained from the email message if it has been encoded, and decrypting the decoded line. The decrypting involves using an abstract decrypter class configured to perform a virtual function and using any one of a plurality of derived decrypter classes each of which is configured as a derived class of the abstract decrypter class. The abstract decrypter class and the any one of the derived decrypter classes are collectively configured to decrypt the decoded email message, using the any one of the derived decrypter classes with the abstract decrypter class without having to modify the abstract decrypter class.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a graphical user interface for creating and editing a mapping of structured information to different structured information, which allows a user to interactively define the mapping. The present invention operates as a user tool by accepting interactive input from a user of a source input, processing the input to display the source input in a format for accepting user commands to create or edit a transformation map of source components to target components. Interactive user input is accepted for selection of an input file to be transformed and selection of a transformation map for the requested transformation. Interactive user input is accepted for processing for selection of individual components of the first structured information format for mapping, and for selection of options for the target components.