Peripheral data acquisition, monitor, and adaptive control system via personal computer

A security system for monitoring a plurality of remotely-located stations by a central station over a radio frequency link, said system comprising:

• a plurality of remote stations each comprising:
• sensor means for sensing a security violation in said remote station and thereby producing an alert signal;
• a radio frequency (RF) transmitter including an RF modulator;
• circuit means for coupling said sensor means to said RF transmitter such that said alert signal is modulated and transmitted to the central station;
• and
• the central station comprising:
• a personal computer (PC) having a keyboard bus adapted to be coupled to a keyboard via a keyboard port, said keyboard bus including a bidirectional data line for normally providing two-way data communication between said keyboard and said PC, said PC adapted to communicate with said keyboard via said keyboard bus using a particular keycode format based upon a coding of keyboard keystroke information as individual sequential keyboard characters, said PC further having means for providing an alarm output;
• a radio frequency (RF) receiver including an RF demodulator which provides an alarm signal when said alert signal is received, said alarm signal having a signal format not directly compatible with said particular keycode format;
• and
• interface means for coupling said RF receiver to said PC via said keyboard port, said interface means including means for translating said alarm signal into keyboard code signals having said particular keycode format.

A system for controlling a plurality of remotely-located, electrically-controlled devices via a personal computer, each of said devices having at least two operational states, and having means for changing said operational states in response to a device control signal, each of said plurality of devices being physically located at a particular location within at least two geographically-separate sections of a predefined area, said system comprising:

• personal computer means for executing a plurality of different software programs under user control, said personal computer means including a central processor, a user display, means for inputting commands from the user, and means for providing a device command signal;
• interface means for interfacing said personal computer means to said plurality of electrically-controlled devices, said interface means including:
• means for coupling said device command signal from said computer means to said interface means;
• means for executing said device command signal and for providing said device control signal in response thereto;
• means for modulating a carrier signal with said device control signal for transmission;
• means for transmitting said modulated device control carrier signal via a wireless or AC power-line transmission media;
• and said system further comprising:
• control program means for instructing said personal computer means to control said plurality of devices in accordance with the following steps:
• (a) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents an overall geographic layout of the predefined area showing the separate sections of the predefined area within which said plurality of devices are located;
• (b) inputting a command from the user which identifies a particular section of the predefined area selected by the user;
• (c) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents the approximate physical location and function of each of said plurality of devices located within the particular section selected by the user;
• (d) inputting a command from the user which identifies at least one of the plurality of devices selected by the user;
• (e) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents a control mechanism for at least the one particular device selected by the user;
• (f) inputting a command from the user which corresponds to a desired control action for at least the one particular device selected by the user;
• and
• (g) providing said device command signal to said interface means to control at least the one particular device selected by the user in accordance with the desired control action.

A method of monitoring and controlling at least one peripheral electronic device by a computer having a keyboard port, the monitoring and controlling being performed through an interface unit coupled to the keyboard port, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) displaying an image to the user which substantially represents a control mechanism for the electronic device;
• (b) inputting a control command from the user which corresponds to a desired control action for the electronic device;
• (c) providing keyboard control data to control the electronic device in accordance with the desired control action;
• (d) coupling said keyboard control data from said computer to said interface unit using only said keyboard port;
• (e) translating said keyboard control data into a device control signal;
• (f) modulating a carrier signal with said device control signal for transmission;
• (g) transmitting said modulated device control carrier signal to the electronic device via a transmission media;
• (h) receiving a modulated device monitor carrier signal from the electronic device via said transmission media;
• (i) demodulating said modulated device monitor carrier signal to provide a device monitor signal;
• (j) translating the device monitor signal into keyboard monitor data;
• (k) coupling said keyboard monitor data from said interface unit to said computer using only said keyboard port;
• and
• (l) displaying an image to the user, based upon said keyboard monitor data, which substantially represents response from the electronic device to the desired control action.