System and method for monitoring and controlling remote devices

A method for collecting information and providing data services, comprising:

• adaptively configuring at least one transmitter electrically interfaced with a sensor wherein the transmitter generates an information signal consisting of a transmitter identification code and an information field,
• wherein the information signal is received by another nearby transmitter electrically interfaced with a sensor and repeated in the same signal type as received to additional transmitters each electrically interfaced with a sensor for communicating the information signal to a gateway, the gateway providing access to a WAN;
• translating the information signal within the gateway into a WAN compatible data transfer protocol;
• transferring the information signal via the WAN to a computer wherein the computer is configured to manipulate and store data provided in the information signal;
• and
• granting client access to the computer.

A system for monitoring remote devices, comprising:

• at least one sensor adapted to generate an electrical signal in response to a physical condition;
• at least one wireless transmitter electrically interfaced with the sensor and configured to encode the electrical signal, the wireless transmitter further configured to transmit the encoded electrical signal and transmitter identification information in a radio-frequency (RF) signal;
• one or more additional wireless transmitters each electrically interfaced with a sensor and configured to receive the RF signal and retransmit the RF signal;
• at least one gateway connected a wide area network (WAN) configured to receive and translate the retransmitted RF signal, the gateway further configured to deliver the encoded electrical signal and transmitter identification information to a computer on the WAN;
• and
• a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that formats and stores select information responsive to the electrical signal for retrieval upon demand from a remotely located device.

A system for controlling a remote device comprising:

• a target remote device having an actuator to be controlled;
• a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that generates at least one control signal responsive to a system input signal;
• said computer integrated with a wide area network (WAN);
• a gateway connected to the WAN configured to receive and translate the at least one control signal
• a wireless transmitter coupled with the gateway for transmitting a wireless signal that contains the control signal;
• a first wireless transceiver electrically interfaced with an actuator for receiving the wireless signal and further retransmitting the wireless signal to the target remote device;
• and
• logic coupled to the target remote device for extracting the control signal from the retransmitted wireless signal and imparting an action on the actuator in response to the extracted control signal.

A system for remote data collection, assembly, storage, and event detection and reporting, comprising:

• a computer configured to execute at least one computer program that formats and stores select information for retrieval upon demand from a remotely located device, said computer integrated with a wide area network (WAN);
• a plurality of non-earth orbiting transceivers dispersed geographically at defined locations, each transceiver integrated with a sensor and configured to receive select information and identification information transmitted from another nearby wireless transceiver in a predetermined signal type and further configured to wirelessly retransmit in the predetermined signal type the select information, the identification information associated with the nearby transceiver and transceiver identification information associated with the transceiver making retransmission;
• and
• at least one gateway connected to the wide area network configured to receive and translate the select information, the identification information associated with the nearby wireless transceiver, and transceiver identification information associated with one or more retransmitting transceivers, said gateway further configured to further transmit the translated information to the computer over the WAN.