System and method for allowing simultaneous TCP connections to a point-to-point TCP connected device
AssigneeHarman Professional, Inc.
InventorDaniel Allan Nagle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A central server communicates requests from the at least one third-party device, in a plurality of third-party devices having a TCP connection with the central server, to a target device using the TCP connection established between the central server and a point-to-point receiver. The central server receives data from the target device using the TCP connection established between the central server and the point-to-point receiver. The central server delivers data to all of the plurality of third-party devices using the TCP connections established between the central server and each of the plurality of third-party devices.
Claims9
A system comprising:
- a target device;
- a point-to-point receiver having a connection to the target device and a capability for at least one transmission control protocol (TCP) connection;
- a central server capable of handling a plurality of TCP connections, at least one being a TCP connection with the point-to-point receiver;
- a plurality of third-party devices, each capable of establishing a TCP connection with the central server;
- the central server establishing and maintaining the TCP connection with the point-to-point receiver upon a request and establishment of a TCP connection with at least one third-party device in the plurality of third-party devices, the central server immediately communicates requests for data from at least one third-party device to the target device using the TCP connection established between the central server and the point-to-point receiver;
- and
- upon receiving the requested data from the target device, the central server communicates the data requested by the at least one third-party device simultaneously to all of the third-party devices that have a TCP connection to the central server regardless of which third-party device made the request.
A method for managing data communicated between a target device and a plurality of third-party devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a connection between the target device and a point-to-point receiver;
- establishing a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection between the point-to-point receiver and a central server;
- establishing a TCP connection between each third-party device actively seeking data from the target device and the central server;
- at least one third-party device in the plurality of third-party devices requesting data from the target device by way of the connection between the central server and the point-to-point receiver;
- the central server receiving the data requested by the at least one third-party device from the target device by way of the connection between the central server and the point-to-point receiver;
- and
- the central server communicating the data requested by the at least one third-party device simultaneously to all of the third-party devices in the plurality of third-party devices that have a TCP connection with the central server regardless of which third-party device made the request.
A system for facilitating communication between a plurality of third-party devices and a target device having only a serial port for communication, the system comprising:
- a point-to-point receiver having a serial connection to the target device;
- a central server maintaining a single transmission control (TCP) connection between the central server and the point-to-point receiver and at least one TCP connection to at least one of the plurality of third-party devices to communicate requests for data about the target device;
- requests for data about the target device being made by at least one of the plurality of third-party devices are received at the central server;
- the central server communicates the requests for data to the target device by way of the single TCP connection with the point-to-point receiver;
- requested data from the target device is received at the central server by way of the single TCP connection with the point-to-point receiver;
- and
- the central server simultaneously delivers the requested data to all of the third-party devices having a TCP connection to the central server regardless of which third-party device made the request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.