US6505245B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System and method for managing computing devices within a data communications network from a remotely located console
Assignee: TDI TECHNOLOGIES Inc
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Filing: 2000-08-22
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Granted: 2003-01-07
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Expires: 2020-08-22
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for remotely controlling a set of computing devices on a computer network is described herein. The system can include: a plurality of computing devices connected to the computer network; an user interface that allows a plurality of users to manage the computing devices; a plurality of profiles, wherein each user has at least one associated profile; means for detecting events and sending notifications for such events; and a reporting mechanism. The reporting mechanism can include a means for logging all accesses an all actions to each computing device. The means for detecting events can include classifying the events by severity, and the notification sent can include the severity. The plurality of profiles can include each computing device the associated user can access. The plurality of profiles can also include a system administrator that has total control over the system and all computing devices. The method can include: monitoring a plurality of computing devices for output; receiving output from at least one of the plurality of computing devices; logging and time stamping the received output if the output meets a predetermined criteria to be time stamped; examining output to determine whether a notification is required to be sent to a user of a plurality of users; and determining whether an action is required to be executed and if so, executing the action.
Inventors
- 👤 David G. North
- 👤 John P. Engstrom
- 👤 Stephen L. De Rudder
- 👤 David L. Cathey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:12
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/04; H04L41/046; H04L41/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
A management system for computing devices connected to a computer network, the system comprising: a plurality of disparate manageable computing devices connected to the computer network, the computing devices generating output data indicating an operational status of the computing device wherein the plurality of disparate manageable computing devices have at least two different operating systems; a management application executing on a management console connected to receive data output directly from a console operator interface of each of the computing devices via the computer network; a graphical user interface operating on a console connected to and remotely located from the computing devices, the user interface enabling a plurality of users to manage the computing devices; a plurality of profiles, wherein each user has at least one associated profile; and a reporting mechanism; wherein the computing devices are arranged in logical groups according to computing environment; and wherein for each logical group, the computing devices of the logical group are managed by a unique invocation of the management application corresponding to the logical group, such that data output from computing devices of a first one of the logical groups is transmitted to a first invocation of the management application, and wherein each invocation of the management application comprises: an event detection module for determining from received output data whether one of a plurality of predefined events related to an operational status of a computing device has occurred at one of the computing devices of the corresponding logical group; and an action initiation module for initiating an action responsive to a determination by the event detection module that an event has occurred.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
269 words
A management system for computing devices connected to a computer network, the system comprising: a plurality of disparate manageable computing devices connected to the computer network, the computing devices generating output data indicating an operational status of the computing device wherein the plurality of disparate manageable computing devices have at least two different operating systems; a management application executing on a management console connected to receive data output directly from a console operator interface of each of the computing devices via the computer network; a graphical user interface operating on a console connected to and remotely located from the computing devices, the user interface enabling a plurality of users to manage the computing devices; a plurality of profiles, wherein each user has at least one associated profile; and a reporting mechanism; wherein the computing devices are arranged in logical groups according to computing environment; and wherein for each logical group, the computing devices of the logical group are managed by a unique invocation of the management application corresponding to the logical group, such that data output from computing devices of a first one of the logical groups is transmitted to a first invocation of the management application, and wherein each invocation of the management application comprises: an event detection module for determining from received output data whether one of a plurality of predefined events related to an operational status of a computing device has occurred at one of the computing devices of the corresponding logical group; and an action initiation module for initiating an action responsive to a determination by the event detection module that an event has occurred.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the reporting mechanism includes means for logging all accesses to and all actions in connection with each computing device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the event detection module classifies the detected events by severity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the action comprises sending to a user a notification including the severity of the event and wherein the severity determines a property of the notification.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of profiles includes a list of the computing devices the associated user can access.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of profiles defines a system administrator that has total control over the system and all computing devices.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
265 words
A method for managing computing devices connected to a computer network, the system comprising: connecting a plurality of disparate manageable computing devices connected to the computer network, the computing devices generating output data directly from a console operator interface indicating an operational status of the computing device wherein the plurality of disparate manageable computing devices have at least two different operating systems; using a management application executing on a management console connected to the computing devices for receiving data output from the computing devices via the computer network; managing the computing devices with a graphical user interface operating on a console connected to and remotely located from the computing devices, the user interface enabling a plurality of users to manage the computing devices; associating a plurality of profiles, with each user; and logging the events, notifications, and all accesses and actions to each computing device; the method further comprising: arranging the computing devices in logical groups according to computing environment; and managing the computing devices of each logical group using a unique invocation of the management application corresponding to the logical group, such that data output from computing devices of a first one of the logical groups is transmitted to a first invocation of the management application, the step of managing comprising: determining from received output data whether one of a plurality of predefined events related to an operational status of a computing device has occurred at one of the computing devices of tie corresponding logical group; and initiating an action responsive to a determination by the event detection module that an event has occurred.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
265 words
A method for managing computing devices connected to a computer network, the system comprising: connecting a plurality of disparate manageable computing devices connected to the computer network, the computing devices generating output data directly from a console operator interface indicating an operational status of the computing device wherein the plurality of disparate manageable computing devices have at least two different operating systems; using a management application executing on a management console connected to the computing devices for receiving data output from the computing devices via the computer network; managing the computing devices with a graphical user interface operating on a console connected to and remotely located from the computing devices, the user interface enabling a plurality of users to manage the computing devices; associating a plurality of profiles, with each user; and logging the events, notifications, and all accesses and actions to each computing device; the method further comprising: arranging the computing devices in logical groups according to computing environment; and managing the computing devices of each logical group using a unique invocation of the management application corresponding to the logical group, such that data output from computing devices of a first one of the logical groups is transmitted to a first invocation of the management application, the step of managing comprising: determining from received output data whether one of a plurality of predefined events related to an operational status of a computing device has occurred at one of the computing devices of tie corresponding logical group; and initiating an action responsive to a determination by the event detection module that an event has occurred.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the determining whether one of a plurality of predefined events has occurred includes classifying the events by severity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the initiating an action comprises sending a notification including the severity and wherein the severity determines a property of the notification.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the associating the plurality of profiles includes listing each computing device the associated user can access.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the associating the plurality of profiles includes creating a system administrator that has total control over the system and all computing devices.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for managing computing devices connected to a computer network, the system comprising: monitoring each of a plurality of disparate computing devices for output indicative of an operational status of the computing device wherein the plurality of disparate manageable computing devices have at least two different operating systems; receiving output from at least one of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the output is transmitted directly from a console operator interface of the at least one computing device; logging and time stamping the received output if the output meets a predetermined criteria to be time stamped; examining the output to determine whether one of a plurality of predefined events related to an operational status of the computing device has occurred; and determining whether an action is required to be executed and if so, executing the action.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for managing computing devices connected to a computer network, the system comprising: monitoring each of a plurality of disparate computing devices for output indicative of an operational status of the computing device wherein the plurality of disparate manageable computing devices have at least two different operating systems; receiving output from at least one of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the output is transmitted directly from a console operator interface of the at least one computing device; logging and time stamping the received output if the output meets a predetermined criteria to be time stamped; examining the output to determine whether one of a plurality of predefined events related to an operational status of the computing device has occurred; and determining whether an action is required to be executed and if so, executing the action.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the examining the output includes classifying the output by severity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the action comprises sending to a user a notification including the severity of the event and wherein the severity determines a property of the notification.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 12 further including associating a plurality of profiles including listing each computing device an associated user can access.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15 further including creating a system administrator that has total control over the system and all computing devices.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the action comprises a corrective action for correcting a problem experienced by the one of the computing devices.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 17 wherein the corrective action comprises issuing a command to the one of the computing devices.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the notification is sent using a method selected from a group consisting of e-mail, telephone, and pager.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the action comprises a corrective action for correcting a problem experienced by the one of the computing devices.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the corrective action comprises issuing a command to the one of the computing devices.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the notification is sent using a method selected from a group consisting of e-mail, telephone, and pager.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the action comprises a corrective action for correcting a problem experienced by the one of the computing devices.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 23 wherein the corrective action comprises issuing a command to the one of the computing devices.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the notification is sent using a method selected from a group consisting of e-mail, telephone, and pager.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-01-06 | 2006-07-08 | 2007-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-01-06 | 2010-07-08 | 2011-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-01-06 | 2014-07-08 | 2015-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |