Replies to post #1673 on Viscount Systems (VSYS)

[tedpeele]

Maybe I'm dreaming too much but I like this part of the patent:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

A software implemented method or process is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. These steps require physical manipulations of physical quantities. Often, but not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It will be further appreciated that the line between hardware and software is not always sharp, it being understood by those skilled in the art that software implemented processes may be embodied in hardware, firmware, or software, in the form of coded instructions such as in microcode and/or in stored programming instructions.

Physical Devices

There are many physical devices and systems that may be managed and controlled by the present invention. For example, intrusion devices may be connected such as alarm keypads. Such an alarm keypad may operate over an RS-485 connection that is converted to a TCP/IP protocol for transmission over the Internet, or it may be an IP alarm keypad. Other devices may include burglar alarms, fire alarms, IP fire alarms, card readers, RFID entry devices, biometric entry devices, intercoms, IP voice devices and CCTV cameras. Combination devices may also be managed, such as an IP camera-intercom system or an IP camera-microphone-keypad-reader system.

Non-security devices may also be managed by the system, and may include, for example, HVAC and other building management components and devices, such as lights, daylight sensors, light level sensors, temperature sensors, heating appliances, air conditioning systems, humidity detectors, automated blind controls, occupancy sensors and smoke sensors. Also included may be IP Programmable Logic Controllers, nurse call devices, any kind of SCADA device and batch systems, etc. While these are not security devices, they may well require passwords and permissions to be granted in order for users to use them. In fact, any kind of managed device that has an IP address or may be allocated an IP address may be incorporated in the system.

Devices such as cars, forklift trucks, buses, cranes, diggers, workshop machinery, laboratory equipment, furnaces, production lines, public announcement systems, showers, microwaves, electric bikes, and any other vehicle, machine or piece of equipment are further examples of physical devices that may be provided with an IP address and linked to the system such that access to them is granted by a user's logging on to a central permissions directory with a single password. Such physically detached devices may be connected to the system using known wireless connection and communication methods.