WO2000036807A2 - Reseau prive virtuel chiffre servant a acceder a des detecteurs a distance - Google Patents

Reseau prive virtuel chiffre servant a acceder a des detecteurs a distance Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000036807A2
WO2000036807A2 PCT/US1999/030139 US9930139W WO0036807A2 WO 2000036807 A2 WO2000036807 A2 WO 2000036807A2 US 9930139 W US9930139 W US 9930139W WO 0036807 A2 WO0036807 A2 WO 0036807A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
image
sensor
user
server
images
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1999/030139
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2000036807A3 (fr
Inventor
David J. Boodman
Adam Furman
John Kozubik
Grean Chiranakhon
Original Assignee
Cybersigns, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cybersigns, Inc. filed Critical Cybersigns, Inc.
Priority to AU21939/00A priority Critical patent/AU2193900A/en
Publication of WO2000036807A2 publication Critical patent/WO2000036807A2/fr
Publication of WO2000036807A3 publication Critical patent/WO2000036807A3/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/02—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
    • H04L63/0272—Virtual private networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/04—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
    • H04L63/0428—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/08—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for authentication of entities
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/02—Protocols based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
    • H04L67/025—Protocols based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/12—Protocols specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/14—Session management
    • H04L67/142—Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • H04L69/30—Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
    • H04L69/32—Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
    • H04L69/322—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions
    • H04L69/329—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to a system for accessing remote sensors, and more specifically, to an encrypted virtual private network for accessing images from remote cameras. Description of the Related Technology
  • Parents or legal guardians are increasingly concerned about the safety and well-being of their family members or possessions that may be at a day care center, preschool, or other similar facility. Parents also frequently worry about the professionalism of the center employees.
  • a system that would permit a working parent to remotely and securely monitor their children would provide much peace of mind. Such a system should be inexpensive for the parent, easy to use, not require any special equipment or training, and provide security against unauthorized people viewing their children. If a parent is traveling, this monitoring system would allow monitor access of their children from anywhere in the world and also allow relatives that have permission from the parents to also monitor the children.
  • POTS plain old telephone service
  • DSL digital subscriber line
  • ISDN integrated services digital network
  • cable modem or similar connection to the internet, for example.
  • POTS plain old telephone service
  • DSL digital subscriber line
  • ISDN integrated services digital network
  • prior monitoring systems utilize "modem cameras" for display of a scene such as a highway, a beach, a ski hill and so forth. These cameras use point-to-point communications rather than a secure centralized system. A user can access the camera by knowing the telephone number associated with the camera and an optional password.
  • Other prior monitoring systems utilize a server that is installed at each day care center. A monitoring system that would utilize a centralized server in communication with a plurality of day care centers so as to conserve system resources would be desired.
  • the present invention comprises a system and method for monitoring children at a day care center, preschool facility, or other organization by use of multiple video cameras accessed via an encrypted virtual private network.
  • the centers may be accessed by use of POTS, ISDN, DSL, cable modem or other communication channels.
  • the system includes a centralized sensor computing environment which may be embodied as a sensor server or a group of networked servers.
  • the sensor server handles tasks such as user authentication, security, load balancing, and image caching for multiple viewers.
  • a sophisticated viewing system which includes video cameras that are installed in strategic locations throughout the center, provides images to the sensor server if requested by a remote authorized viewer from anywhere in the world. The viewer accesses the images at the sensor server via an ordinary web browser.
  • an encrypted remote monitoring system comprising a plurality of remotely located sensor networks, each one of the remotely located sensor networks comprising a plurality of sensors providing sensor data; a plurality of remotely located sensor monitors, each one of the remotely located sensor monitors being capable of selectively accessing the sensor data of at least one of the sensors located at a selected one of the remotely located sensor networks; and a centralized sensor computing environment having a first set of connections to the plurality of remotely located sensor networks and a second set of connections to the plurality of remotely located sensor monitors, wherein the first set of connections and the second set of connections form an encrypted virtual private network in a public packet switched network.
  • a method of remote monitoring in a system including a centralized server, a plurality of remotely located sensor networks, each network comprising a plurality of sensors, and a plurality of remotely located sensor monitors, the method comprising providing sensor data from at least one of the sensors; communicating the sensor data via an encrypted virtual private network in a public packet switched network to the centralized sensor server; storing the sensor data in the centralized sensor server; and selectively accessing the stored sensor data by at least one of the plurality of remotely located sensor monitors via the encrypted virtual private network.
  • an image sharing system comprising a plurality of image sensors, each sensor being capable of providing a unique sequence of images; a plurality of client computing devices, each client computing device being capable of receiving at least one of the unique sequence of images; an image fetch program in data communication with a selected one of the image sensors, the image fetch program being capable of fetching each one of the images in the image sequence from the selected image sensor; and an image distribution program in data communication with the image fetch program, the image distribution program being capable of distributing the image sequence to selected ones of the client computing devices, wherein the image sequence associated with the selected image sensor is shareably accessed by the selected ones of the computing devices.
  • an image sharing system comprising a plurality of image sensors, each sensor being capable of providing a unique sequence of images; a plurality of client computing devices, each client computing device being capable of receiving at least one of the unique sequence of images; an image server in data communication with a selected image sensor, the image server being capable of generating a sensor thread so as to fetch each one of the images in the image sequence from the selected image sensor; and a distribution server in data communication with an image output of the sensor thread, the distribution server being capable of generating a client data stream for access by a selected client computing device, wherein the image sequence is shared with respect to the selected image sensor by more than one of the client computing devices.
  • a method of sharing images in a remote monitoring system including a plurality of image sensors and a plurality of client computing devices, the method comprising providing a unique sequence of images associated with a selected one of the image sensors; fetching each one of the images in the image sequence from the selected image sensor; and distributing the image sequence to selected ones of the client computing devices, wherein the image sequence associated with the selected image sensor is shareably accessed by the selected ones of the client computing devices.
  • a method of sharing images in a remote monitoring system including a plurality of image sensors and a plurality of client computing devices, the method comprising providing a unique sequence of images associated with a selected image sensor; retrieving each one of the images in the image sequence from the selected image sensor with a sensor thread; storing the retrieved images of the image sequence in a storage medium; and retrieving the image sequence into a client data stream for shareable accessing the image sequence by selected ones of the client computing devices.
  • a method of providing security for a system having a standardized transport protocol server in data communication with a database containing authorized user identification information and a user browser comprising sending a set of connection state data indicative of an authorized user data from a standardized transport protocol server to a user browser corresponding with the authorized user; sending the user connection state data to the standardized transport protocol server when the authorized user selects a link to a secure area of a h ⁇ perlinked page; comparing the user connection state data to corresponding connection state data in the database; and granting access to the secure area by the authorized user if the comparison result indicates that the authorized user is permitted to access the secure area.
  • a security system for a web application comprising a web server being capable of sending a web page having at least one secure area; a web database in data communication with the web server, wherein the web database stores connection state data for a plurality of users; a client computing device running a user browser, the user browser being capable of receiving connection state data corresponding to an authorized user from the web server and sending the user's connection state data to the web server when the authorized user selects a link to the secure area of the web page; a security program, executing on the web server, being capable of comparing the received user's connection state data to the corresponding connection state data in the database and denying access to the secure area if the comparison result is negative.
  • Figure 1 is a top level block diagram of the system configuration of the invention.
  • Figure 2 is an exemplary screen display seen by a user of the system shown in Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the hardware components of the system shown in Figure 1.
  • Figure 4 is a top level operational flowchart of the system shown in Figure 1.
  • FIG 5 is a block diagram showing the servers, processes and multithreading performed on the sensor server shown in Figure 1.
  • Figure 6 is a flowchart of a Fetch Images process performed on the sensor server of Figure 1.
  • Figure 7 is a flowchart of a Dispatch Images process performed on the sensor server of Figure 1.
  • Figure 8 is a flowchart of the authentication and security aspect performed on the sensor server of Figure 1.
  • VPN virtual private network
  • the VPN system 100 comprises two network segments.
  • a first segment 120 exists between a child-care center, such as center 1 (130), center 2 (132) or center N (134), and a centralized sensor computing environment 110 at a central home office location.
  • the centralized sensor computing environment 110 may include a sensor server or one or more networked servers, as will be described hereinbelow.
  • a second segment 120' exists between the sensor server 110 and an authorized viewer at a remote sensor monitor, such as monitor 140, 142 or 144.
  • the links that make up these segments are differentiated in terms of transport and encryption.
  • the link 120 between a child care center, e.g., center 130, and the sensor server 110 consists of an encrypted virtual private network run across the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
  • PSTN public switched telephone network
  • a virtual private network is a network that is transposed on top of another network, but separates itself by means of encryption or other means of security. In this case, the data travels along data lines used for Internet, long distance, etc. but the interception of all or part of the data would not compromise the data since it is secured via encryption.
  • the link 120' between the sensor server 110 and a remote sensor monitor, e.g., 140 also consists of an encrypted virtual private network. Because the system 100 consists of only two links, and because each link is a VPN obscured with very strong encryption, the system 100 is invulnerable to attacks whose goal would be to compromise the system and allow images to be viewed by someone other than the authorized viewer.
  • telco access devices such as routers, DSL modems, ISDN modem-routers, cable modems, and multi-link point-to-point (MLPPP) modems, at the center 130.
  • the telco access devices are often referred to as 'routers' - for instance, a product available from Farallon is called a 'dual analog router'.
  • a telco access device provides an access point from a smaller network at the center 130 to the larger network that is the PSTN.
  • This data that is being passed between the nodes on the system network travels along the PSTN alongside long-distance telephone conversations, corporate data, and data comprising the public Internet. It is possible to safely transmit this data along these semi-public channels because the encryption of the data forms a VPN which cannot be accessed by other users of the PSTN, such as people placing telephone calls, for instance. Because of this, the system 100 isolates the images produced and transmitted only on the secure network, and never on the public Internet. Any mention of 'Internet Viewing' is simply intended as a means to convey the technology to unsophisticated users without confusing them. The only similarity between the technology of the system 100 and 'Internet Viewing' is that both are accomplished with web browsers.
  • the system 100 allows an authorized user to ask the sensor server 110 for a current picture, allows the sensor server 110 to fetch that picture from a sensor, e.g., a video camera, at the center 130, and finally transports the requested image from the sensor server 110 to the authorized user at the monitor 140.
  • a sensor e.g., a video camera
  • the sensor may comprise an infrared sensor, a motion sensor, a sound sensor, a tripwire, and so forth.
  • the sensor server 110 acts as a middleman between the camera and the user.
  • the system 100 is designed such that the camera will only answer requests from the sensor server 110 and will discard the requests of any other entity on the PSTN. The reason for this is twofold.
  • the sensor server 110 uses a three-tier authentication method that forces the user to identify their user name, password (between 8 and 12 characters, letters and numbers), and center identification code. This authentication has an inactivity timeout of a predetermined time interval, such as 15 minutes, and allows the user to choose a camera and view current images from that camera.
  • An inactivity timeout is a function that monitors the user for actions related to the web site (e.g., clicking on a link, viewing a camera, etc.). If none of those actions take place, even if the user is actively using other programs on their computer, the timeout will occur and the user will need to log into the system network again to view a camera.
  • the second reason to force ail users to use the sensor server 110 as a middleman is that it reduces the number of connections that a camera needs to support to one. If users were allowed to connect directly to cameras, each user would make a connection to the camera. This will not work efficiently, since the camera, in one embodiment, is physically limited to receiving only a predetermined number, e.g., five, of concurrent connections. Furthermore, additional network capacity between the center 130 and the link 120 would need to be added at the center 130 to accommodate the increased number of users accessing the sensors in the center. Therefore, the authorized users make their connection to the sensor server 110, and the sensor server 110 only opens one connection to each camera.
  • a predetermined number e.g., five
  • the system 100 comprises a web-based application. It is accessible using a standard web browser on any type of Internet connection. Parents and day care staff alike can access the system with their web browser by pointing their browsers to the system home page. Once logged into the system, parents and staff have access to features like message sending, news posts, progress reports as well as images from multiple cameras installed at day care centers.
  • a center identification code or school code This is a code that is unique to each school or organization and is required to login.
  • the system 100 utilizes an on-line sign-up form for parents so as to capture vital information for advertising purposes and to alleviate the workload for the system administrator.
  • parents wish to obtain an account, they access the form from the system web page, home page, or hyperlinked page. Such a page may be provided via a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).
  • HTTP hypertext transfer protocol
  • the parents then provide the requested information and answer a few questions on the form.
  • a message is immediately sent to the system administrator (via the "message area") that a new account is awaiting activation.
  • a welcome message is also sent to the new parent's account in their "message area”. At this point the account status is "pending" or awaiting activation.
  • the system administrator needs to login and assign a child and cameras to the account.
  • the system then notifies the parent via email that the account is ready.
  • the parent is then free to log onto the system. Initially, they will be prompted to change their temporary password. They will be asked for the temporary password that they received when they signed up and for a new password.
  • the temporary password is determined by the system based on a random selection of one of many pre-designated passwords. For security reasons, the password is delivered to the parents upon completion of the signup form via a secure (SSL) connection to the sensor server.
  • SSL secure
  • SSL Secure Sockets Layer
  • the exemplary screen 200 includes three frame windows; a top left pane 210, a lower left pane 220 and one pane 230 on the right.
  • the top left pane 210 initially presents a tip of the day or an advertisement. Once a sensor is activated, this frame 210 presents images from the cameras. A time and date area 212 associated with the image may also be presented in pane 210.
  • the lower left pane lists a group of sensors, e.g., cameras, available to be viewed by the parent, such as cameras in Room2 (222), Room3 (224), Gym (226) or Playground (228).
  • the right pane 230 is a feature window.
  • the News feature 232 shows parents general announcements posted by their daycare center staff. Upon logging in, this screen also informs the parents the last time their account was logged into as a security feature. Any unknown login time should be immediately reported to the system administrator and the account password should be reset. The News area also notifies a parent of new messages (a "new messages" message appears).
  • parent features may be standard with the system 100. These features, which will be discussed further below, are accessible through the exemplary feature icons, e.g., 234-246, that appear at the top of the right pane 230. Note that the location and types of content may vary for each implementation of the system.
  • the sensor server 110 gets images from the selected camera and sends them to the parent's browser as fast as possible.
  • parent's link/modem speed other Internet applications running on parent's' computers, Internet congestion, Internet Service Provider (ISP) congestion, link speed from the day care center, and other parents accessing the system, all contribute to the speed at which images are delivered to parents.
  • ISP Internet Service Provider
  • parents should receive images every two to five seconds.
  • the average update time for parents accessing the system over a 33.6 Kbps modem can range from 4-10 or more seconds.
  • the system 100 employs several different delivery models for images based upon which browser the parent is using to access the system.
  • Parents using Netscape version 3.01 and up are delivered images using "server push". This technology (presently supported only by Netscape) sends a constant stream of data to the browser.
  • the browser processes it as a constantly-refreshing image. Clients accessing the system with other browsers are automatically given a Java Applet which automatically loads and reloads images as they become available. Occasionally, cameras may be inaccessible due to downed links or other technical problems. When this happens, parents are given a message that the camera is temporarily unavailable and to try again later.
  • the icons that appear in the right pane 230 include a mail icon 234, a chat icon 236, a child information icon
  • a preferences icon 240 When the mail icon 234 is selected, a screen is displayed that lists the contents of the parents' "mailbox". Messages are listed in reverse chronological order (with the newest messages first). The status of the message will indicate whether the message has been viewed ("read") or has not yet been read (“unread”). The sender and the subject of the message are also listed. To see the contents of a message, the user clicks on the "view" link. Once clicked, the contents of the message are displayed. Parents are then given several options, such as Delete Message, Back to Messages, Reply to Message, Forward Message, and New Message.
  • messages are transferred inside the system 100 and do not travel to other servers on the Internet. Therefore, it is not possible to send messages using conventional e- mail, i.e., parents cannot send a message to a friend on a public e-mail service. Messages are delivered instantaneously. Once the recipient logs in, he or she is notified of the new message.
  • a screen is displayed that provides a convenient way for daycare providers to post information about a child's performance.
  • Daycare center staff will periodically enter information into this area such as "grades" or progress reports. This information is specific for individual children and parents (or authorized viewers) are given access to information about their children. In the case that the 'authorized user' is a grandparent or other relative, the same information that is available to the parent or guardian is also available to other 'authorized users'.
  • preferences icon 240 When the preferences icon 240 is selected, a screen is displayed that allows parents to specify certain settings on their account. Initially, the screen displays current settings. Once the desired changes are made, a "Save Preferences” button saves the changes.
  • a "Listing” feature allows parents to determine whether or not they want their name to be listed in the "New Message" area. Unlisting causes their name to not appear on the list among other parents. This will a) prevent other parents from knowing that that parent (or their child) belongs to that daycare center; b) prevent other parents from sending them messages. The daycare center staff, customer support, and other service personnel are able to still send messages to unlisted parents. If a parent chooses to be unlisted, they can still send messages to other people, and the recipient will be given the opportunity to reply. However, no one can create a new message to an unlisted parent.
  • a “Change Password” feature allows parents to change their password at any time. The user enters their old password and new password (they will be asked to type it in twice to confirm). If accepted, the password change takes effect immediately.
  • a “Change Login” feature allows parents to change their login at any time. The user enters their old login and new login (they will be asked to type it in twice to confirm). If accepted, the login change takes effect immediately.
  • a "Change Email” feature allows parents to change their email address at any time.
  • exit icon 246 is the safest and most secure way to exit the system 100.
  • the browser window is updated and informs the parent that they are being logged out and their browser is being closed.
  • a confirmation window pops up asking them if they want to close their browser. They should then click "yes" and let their browser close, which completes the logout process.
  • the system web site allows administrators and system personnel to add and delete authorized users, change the cameras at a given center that a user has access to, and generally customize the way that the system is used at a particular center. These procedures are completed by logging into the web site with a user name and password combination that denotes a system administrator.
  • the system administration is done solely through the web site, and allows a system administrator to perform these updates and other tasks from any web browser, anywhere in the world. This feature provides a friendly, familiar manner for the day care personnel to make updates to the system.
  • System Topology Referring now to Figure 3 and also Figure 1, one embodiment of the hardware components of the system
  • the system 100 comprises two main network segments.
  • the first network segment 120 consists of the link between a day care center, e.g., center 130, and the sensor server 110.
  • the second network segment 120' consists of the link between the sensor server 110 and an authorized viewer, such as at a computer 322, 326 or 329.
  • the first network segment 120 begins in the center, e.g., 130.
  • An incoming network connection (such as
  • telco access device 388 is connected to a telco access device 388.
  • exemplary telco access devices include a Paradyne HotWire 5446 DSL modem, model number 5446-a2-200-0rm, a 3Com 56K MLPPP switch, model number 3c430000, and a Netgear ISDN modem, model number RT328.
  • the cabling used in this connection depends on the type of network service being provided.
  • the telco access device 388 is then connected to an encryption device 386, such as a Ravlin-4 wireline encryption device, with a 10-base-T cable.
  • the encryption device 386 is then connected to a hub 382, such as an Ethernet 10-Base-T non-switching hub, with a 10-base-T cable.
  • the hub 382 is connected to a network computer/thin client device, such as a network computing device (NCD) 384, which includes a Microsoft Windows-based network computer running a compatible browser.
  • NCD network computing device
  • the hub 382 is also connected to one or more camera servers 380 (remote sensor servers) such as the Axis model 240, or Axis model
  • Each of the Axis camera servers 380 connects to a power supply and media aggregator device 374 via RCA type cables, in one embodiment.
  • Each of the cameras 370, 371, 372 connects to the media aggregator 374 with a 75 ohm coaxial video cable.
  • the camera may be an auto-iris solid-state color camera, with a 6mm lens utilizing 12 volt DC power.
  • the media aggregator 374 optionally connects to a multiplexer 376, such as an Advanced Technology model DPX16, with an RCA-type cable.
  • the multiplexer 376 further connects to a video cassette recorder (VCR), such as a Sanyo SRT-768, with an RCA-type video cable.
  • VCR video cassette recorder
  • the above architecture describes the 'day care center network'.
  • one skilled in communication technology could substitute other hardware devices or utilize software to perform some of the above tasks, e.g., the encryption.
  • Important aspects of the physical topology include the following: • The use of encryption devices 386, 336 between the center 130 and the sensor server 110. This ensures that all data traffic passed on the segment 120 via the PSTN from the center 130 to the sensor server 110 is completely secure and forms a VPN connection 316 using a 168-bit triple DES encryption level. Other types of encryption may be used in another embodiment. Of equal importance, the encryption devices 386, 336 ensure that the cameras, e.g., camera 370, cannot be contacted in any way by anyone on the PSTN except by the computers at the location of the sensor server 110.
  • the cameras e.g., camera 370
  • the cameras are connected to the power supply and media aggregator device 374 with video cable.
  • This cable allows the camera 370 to transmit its video images to the device 374 and further to the camera server 380.
  • the power to run the camera is passed through this same video cable as well, and permits installing the cameras at a center 130 without running separate lines for power and video.
  • audio is supported on these cables as well as video and power.
  • the camera servers 380 do not utilize the audio capability.
  • the camera servers 380 are connected directly to the hub 382 which is connected directly to the PSTN (through the encryption device 386 and the telco access device 388), no computer is necessary at the center 130.
  • the center network is set up and functions without a computer.
  • the camera server 380 is known as a "thin” server and is not a computer.
  • the camera server 380 comprises a processor and memory, but does not include a keyboard or pointing device, a video display device nor a mass storage device, e.g., a hard disk drive.
  • a "thin” server provides network connectivity for non-personal computer devices, such as video cameras.
  • the network computer 384 at the center 130 is provided for convenience in accessing an administration system (not shown). It is not necessary for the operation of the system to deliver images.
  • the network computer 384 has no moving parts and is controlled directly from the sensor server 110. It is not user configurable, but is given its configuration from the computers at the sensor server location (at the home office).
  • the encryption device 386 at the center 130 is remotely configurable from the location of the sensor server 110.
  • a Microsoft Windows based personal computer may be used in place of the network computer 384.
  • telco access device 388 may be deleted from the center network.
  • the center network at the center 130 is connected to the 'sensor server network' through a combination of Public Switched Telephone Networks and private business data lines.
  • the particular combination is not important, and is administered entirely by one or more Regional Bell Operating Companies, Long Distance Carriers, etc.
  • the second network segment 120' begins at the sensor server network.
  • the second network connection comes from the same PSTN and leased data line cloud that the outgoing center network is connected to.
  • This second network connection is connected to a telco access device 338, which is in turn connected to the encryption device 336 with a 10-base-T cable.
  • the encryption device 336 is then connected to a switched-hub 334 with another 10-base-T cable.
  • the hub 334 is further connected to a sensor server network 332, such as a Fast-Ethernet network.
  • the incoming data traffic flows on the second network segment in the order outlined above.
  • the outgoing data traffic travels a similar course, but in reverse: from the sensor server network 332 to the hub 334, and traveling through the encryption device 336.
  • the outgoing data travels through the encryption device 336 in an unencrypted form when the data is not headed to a center, e.g., center 130.
  • a center e.g., center 130.
  • data flows to one of the remote sensor monitors 140 it is encrypted by software via a 128-bit SSL connection 318 and travels out to the PSTN and leased data line cloud.
  • the virtual line 318 indicates that the encryption device 336 passes the outgoing data traffic transparently to the telco access device 338.
  • 128-bit SSL is currently the strongest level of this encryption supported by most major browsers. Other levels or types of encryption may be used in another embodiment.
  • the destination of this outgoing traffic is the authorized viewers at the remote sensor monitors, e.g.
  • the sensor server network 332 may include one or more servers to facilitate operation of the system.
  • the sensor server network 332 may include one or more web servers 350 to service incoming requests from a remote sensor monitor, e.g., monitor 144.
  • the monitor 144 may include a browser running on a client computing device such as a personal computer 329 that connects to the segment 120' via a modem 328 using the SSL link 318.
  • the monitor 140 may include a modem 320 and an IBM compatible personal computer 322, and the monitor 142 may include a modem 324 and a portable computer 326.
  • a load balancer 352 such as a RADWare WSD Pro, interfaces the web servers, e.g., servers 350, 350', to the network 332.
  • the sensor server network 332 may also include an image server 330 to obtain images from the center 130, a distribution server 340 to provide the obtained images to an authorized user, a data storage or database 362 for storing the obtained images, authorization data and other related information, and a database server 360 for storing and accessing data in the data storage 362. The accessed data is utilized by the web server 350, the image server 330, and the distribution server 340.
  • the system 100 is designed to be easy to use, and require little or no training or special software to operate. Therefore, the system works over any Internet connection, using any number of web browsers. Although the goal is to support every make and version of browser, in one embodiment, browsers accessing the system support the following features:
  • Frames - browser window can support frames, creating panes that can contain independent information.
  • SSL 2.0 a secure TCP/IP transmission standard created to allow secure data transmissions between servers and browser clients.
  • Java or server push - Browsers that are Java compliant will be able to run Java Applets.
  • Applets are a type of plug-in that runs and functions within a browser. Clients that support server push (e.g., Netscape) do not need to support Java. Browsers that have been tested include Netscape 3.01 and up, Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) 3.0 and up, and MSIE 3.0 for America Online (AOL). Static (non auto-updating) images are presented to users accessing system 100 with WebTV. Although almost any speed modem is sufficient enough to connect to the system 100, it is recommended that parents use at least a 28.8 Kbps or faster modem, e.g., modem 320. Slower speed modems will result in slow image updates.
  • MSIE Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • AOL America Online
  • Accessing the system 100 via the Internet does not requires a special internet connection.
  • An ordinary user account from an ISP that allows Internet access is sufficient. Companies such as AOL, Microsoft Network (MSN), Earthlink, Mindspri ⁇ g, IBM Internet, Netcom, or others provide this service to thousands of users. However, not all ISPs provide equal service. Many factors may influence how fast data (images) get delivered from the system servers to the parent. Users at large ISPs may suffer from bottlenecks due to the large amount of users competing for a limited amount of available bandwidth. Operational Flow and Server Configuration
  • FIG. 4 a top-level operational flow process 400 of the system 100 will be described.
  • the servers, processes and threads used by the operational flow process 400 are shown in Figure 5, which will also be referred to in this description.
  • process 400 moves to state wherein a user accesses the system web site by typing the world wide web address for the system 100 into their web browser, e.g., user browser 2 (522), which is running on the user's client computing device, e.g., computer 329 ( Figure 3).
  • Line 526 shows this request and a response by one of the web servers, e.g., web server 350, of the sensor server 110 ( Figure 3).
  • the request and the response which is information that comprises the web site home page, are transferred via segment 120' ( Figure 1).
  • the user can choose to leave the web site at state 406 and complete process 400 at end state 408 or to browse informational areas of the web site at state 410.
  • the user can click on any link on the home page to view the information that that link points to, however, one link (the 'parent login' button) takes the user into an authentication mechanism, and ultimately, into the secure portion of the web site.
  • process 400 proceeds to state 412, wherein the web server 350 responds, in one embodiment, by initiating a secure 128-bit SSL connection with the browser 522 running on the client computing device and generating a login screen with spaces for center code, user name, and password.
  • the user responds at state 412 by providing the data needed to perform authentication, e.g., center code, user name, and password, which are sent to the database server 360 on line 528.
  • the database server 360 then accesses the database 362 by the center code.
  • the database server 360 checks all of the user name and password combinations for that particular center and looks up the user name that the user entered. Proceeding to a decision state 414, the password is then compared. If the user-entered password does not match the password in the database 362, process 400 advances to a decision state 416 to determine if the user has reached the limit for trying to enter the authentication data. If not, the user is allowed to try again at state 412. However, if the user has reached the limit for trying to enter the authentication data, as determined at decision state 416, process 400 continues at state 418 wherein the user is logged off the system web site and the process 400 completes at end state 408.
  • process 400 continues at state 418 wherein the user is logged off the system web site and the process 400 completes at
  • process 400 moves to state 420 wherein the user is authorized for the secure portion of the web site. If the time interval since the date of the last password change exceeds the time allowed for a user to keep a single password, the web server 350 prompts the user to change their password. The web server 350 then requests the database server 360 to check the database 362 to obtain a list of camera names that the particular user is allowed to view at the center identified by the center code. Proceeding to state 422, the web server 350 generates a web page with three frames as seen in Figure 2. Frame 230 contains all of the support links (such as child information, preferences, chat, etc.). The top-left frame 210 contains the space for a video image to be displayed, and the bottom-left frame 220 contains a list of all of the cameras names that the user has access to view.
  • Frame 230 contains all of the support links (such as child information, preferences, chat, etc.).
  • the top-left frame 210 contains the space for a video image to be displayed, and the bottom-left frame 220 contains a list of all
  • the web server 350 sends a user request to the image server 330 via line 530 to initiate a connection with the selected camera. Proceeding to function 430, the image server 330 portion of the sensor server 110 instructs the selected camera to transmit the most current image. The most current image is then placed in a directory in the data storage
  • the current image may be alternatively placed into a data storage device on the image server 330.
  • a connection is made between the distribution server 340 and the browser of the authorized user only when a new current image is received from the camera into the data storage 362.
  • the image is sent from the distribution server 340 to the user via the web server 350.
  • requests may be sent directly to the image server 330 and sensor data returned by the distribution server 340 to the user browser, e.g., browser 522. In this manner, bandwidth is preserved and connections are only made on each of the two links of the system network when necessary.
  • the most current image e.g., image 512, is then transmitted from the data storage 362 to the web browser 522, of the user's computing device.
  • the image server 330 does not contact the camera additional times, but rather the distribution server 340 just establishes more connections between the data storage 362 and the authorized viewers, in this way, only one connection is ever made with the camera even if several users are viewing the particular camera.
  • the image server 330 If the image server 330 senses a problem with a camera during the transmission of the images from the camera, the image server 330 pauses the image transmission and uses the Telnet protocol to contact the camera and reset it. After allowing time for the camera to reset, the image transmission resumes.
  • process 400 waits for a user action, such as clicking on a different camera name in the frame 220, or for a user timeout. Proceeding to a decision state 434, if the user does not click any links, buttons, cameras names, or so forth on the web page for a predetermined time interval, e.g., fifteen minutes in one embodiment, process 400 moves to state 436. At state 436, process 400 informs the user that their inactivity has caused the system 100 to disconnect them. To continue using the system at this point, the user must log in again. Note that in one embodiment, a particular camera may have a different timeout period, e.g., five minutes, than the user timeout for lack of user activity.
  • the user timeout interval and the camera timeout interval can be set to other time values as determined by a home office administrator.
  • the servers, processes and threads will now be further discussed.
  • the problem of collecting images from cameras in the field, and distributing them efficiently to remote web browsers in such a manner that the facilitating equipment (i.e., the servers in the middle) can be scaled easily and economically has not yet been solved in the marketplace until this invention.
  • the solution to this problem includes splitting the sensor server 110 ( Figure 1) into several portions or duties, each of which may be represented by a process that resides on an individual server.
  • the following discussion describes how the application has been split into four portions, and how these four portions run on the individual servers.
  • the web server 350 is used to display the system home page and collect the input of users clicking links on the home page.
  • a program or process which runs on the image server 330, is used to fetch images from the cameras and deposit them in the data storage 362.
  • a program or process which runs on the distribution server 340, is used to take the deposited images and distribute them to authorized viewers.
  • the web server 350 queries this database to determine which cameras a parent is allowed to use, and verify login information such as user names and passwords. These are the four portions of the sensor server 110.
  • the system 100 was developed to operate the four aspects independently and enable communication with each other using a computer network. In this manner, each portion runs on a separate machine, for a total of four computers.
  • the unique solution to the problem of efficiently and securely conveying images from cameras in the field to remote users with browsers, is the division of the problem into these duties, and the placement of the duties among the servers of the sensor server 110. In one embodiment, four servers are used. Of course, one skilled in communication technology could utilize different partitioning to perform some of the above duties.
  • a user at a remote location brings up their web browser and types in the web address of the system home page.
  • This action causes the web server 350 to send a copy of the home page.
  • the user clicks on a link leading to a "login" page that prompts them to enter their center code, user name and password to log into the system web site.
  • This action causes the web server 350 to query the database server 360. Presuming the database server 360 affirms that the user name and password are valid, the web server 350 sends a page to the user's browser that allows the user to select and view images from one of the cameras at the center identified by the center code.
  • the web server first checks with the database server 360 for a list of the camera names accessible by the particular user and just displays those camera names on the lower left pane of the page.
  • the web server 350 after receiving the request for a particular camera link, checks with the database server 360 to confirm that the particular user has access to that camera. If so, the web server 350 then initiates image retrieval by a request to a sensor process at the image server 330, while, at the same time, initiating image distribution by a request to a user process at the distribution server 340.
  • these two servers 330, 340 check with the database server 360 (via line 532 for the image server and not shown for the distribution server) to see how long they should run before terminating, and will then proceed to fetch, deposit, and distribute images until the expiration time.
  • the web server 350 watches for the processes on these servers 330, 340 to expire. When the processes expire, the web server 350 then takes over again and displays a time-out message or a general information message in the top-left pane 210 ( Figure 2) in place of the images from the center.
  • the sensor server 110 serves images to parents at remote locations, and collects images from cameras installed in day care centers. These two tasks are completed with separate programs or processes - a program that fetches the images from a day care center, and a program that dispatches the fetched images to clients using web browsers. These two programs each reside on separate servers that are linked with a network, although, in another embodiment, can reside simultaneously on one server. Fetch Images Process
  • a Fetch Images process 600 will now be described.
  • the process 600 that fetches images requires three things: a stimulus to begin fetching, a camera to fetch from, and a storage medium to place the images, once fetched.
  • An example of a stimulus that would cause process 600 to begin fetching would be a user clicking on a sensor link on a web page, or a clock reaching a preset time.
  • Cameras from which to fetch images are located in day care centers 130 ( Figure 1 ) in remote locations that are accessible by the process through the computer network 120.
  • An example of the data storage 362 ( Figures 3 and 5) in which to store the images would be a disk drive residing on the data server 360.
  • the image server utilizes the Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4 SP3 with internet Information Server (IIS) version 4.0 operating software.
  • IIS internet Information Server
  • the process 600 is written in the Java, perl, and C + + programming languages.
  • Process 600 is running on the image server 330 at all times - it has no dormant, or inactive mode. Beginning at a start state 602, process 600 moves to state 604 where a stimulus to begin fetching an image is received.
  • process 600 if process 600 receives a stimulus to begin fetching and depositing images from a camera that already has a previous, un-expired thread that is fetching images, it will not duplicate the effort. Rather, it extends an expiration time (sensor timer) of the existing thread at state 612, and then proceeds to state 614 to access the selected sensor. In this way, no matter how many users attempt to view a specific camera, only one thread is actually transferring the images.
  • process 600 continues at state 608 and spawns a sensor thread, e.g., thread 1 (550) for sensor (1) 370 ( Figure 3), thread 2 (552) for sensor 2 (371), or thread N (554) for sensor N (372), to match that stimulus. That sensor thread services the camera/sensor whose address is specified in the stimulus.
  • process 600 sets the sensor timer to a predetermined time and activates the sensor timer.
  • the process receives the stimulus (for instance, a user clicking a link on a web page) and spawns a thread that would fetch and deposit images for 5 minutes, for example. At the end of the five minute period, the thread would terminate.
  • the stimulus for instance, a user clicking a link on a web page
  • process 600 accesses the selected sensor, and then at state 616, fetches the image and places that image, e.g., image 512, in the data storage medium 362. Moving to a decision state 618, process 600 determines if a user action has occurred, such as clicking on a different sensor link. If so, process 600 proceeds to state 606 to determine if a thread for the newly selected sensor is already active.
  • Process 600 is multi-threaded. This means that if two such stimuli are received, two separate instances of the process are not needed to facilitate fetching and depositing to satisfy the two stimuli. Rather, a separate thread is spawned from the single instance of the persistent sensor process that is running on the image server 330, each satisfying one stimulus by fetching images from the specified camera and depositing them in the specified directory.
  • the number of threads that can be simultaneously spawned (and which will expire after a set period of time, or, in another embodiment, immediately after fetching and depositing one image) is limited (practically) by the speed of the computer that the process is running on.
  • the number of images that a specific thread can fetch and deposit before that thread times out is limited by the speed at which the image can be transmitted from the camera to the computer.
  • process 600 advances to a decision state 620 to determine if the sensor timer has expired, if so, process 600 moves to state 624, terminates the spawned thread and then waits for another new stimulus at state 626.
  • a new stimulus e.g., user request 530
  • process 600 continues at state 604 as described above.
  • decision state 620 if it has been determined that the sensor timer has not expired, process 600 moves to a decision state 622 to determine if the distribution server 340 is still providing images to the user browser. If no one is requesting the images at the client browser, process 600 terminates the thread at state 624.
  • process 600 moves to state 614 to get another image from the selected sensor. After all threads have timed out and no additional stimulus is received, the number of active threads is zero, and the program will (once again) not be fetching or depositing any images in the data storage 362. At this time, process 600 is waiting for a new stimulus.
  • the image server 330 makes a connection to the camera at the day care center using the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). If a connection cannot be made, it will wait a specified interval (that can be easii ⁇ changed) and try again. If it fails a predetermined number of times, it will discontinue its efforts after first displaying one image to the user informing the user that the camera is down. If the camera is not down, however, the image server 330 requests the most recent picture taken by the camera - this request is also made using HTTP. When the requested image is received, it is placed in a specified directory in the data storage 362.
  • HTTP hypertext transfer protocol
  • process 600 waits a specified amount of time and then repeats the process, but this time, in one embodiment, deleting the existing image in the directory before placing the new one there.
  • the system names each image as a new one is brought in, and saves the images until a command is issued to stop saving the images. If at any stage of this process the image server 330 receives an image of size zero, or cannot successfully log in to the camera using the predetermined login name and password, it will attempt to log in to the camera using the Telnet protocol and issue a reset command. This usually cures the camera of any problems it might be having. Dispatch Images Process
  • the process 700 is a persistent user process running on the distribution server 340.
  • the distribution server 340 utilizes the Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4 SP3 with Internet Information Server 4.0 operating software.
  • the process 700 is written in Java, perl, and C + + programming languages.
  • Process 700 While process 600 ( Figure 6), which fetches and deposits images, is running, process 700, which dispatches images to remote clients (users with web browsers), is also running. Process 700 also receives a stimulus from an outside source, i.e., a request from the web server 350. Process 700 responds to this stimulus by taking the most recent image from the depository area of data store 362 that the fetching program dumps its images in and sending it to the remote client.
  • an outside source i.e., a request from the web server 350.
  • Process 700 responds to this stimulus by taking the most recent image from the depository area of data store 362 that the fetching program dumps its images in and sending it to the remote client.
  • process 700 runs on the distribution server 340 at ail times - it has no dormant, or inactive mode. Beginning at a start state 702, process 700 moves to state 704 wherein the distribution server 700 receives a request to dispatch an image to a user browser.
  • Process 700 responds to the stimulus by spawning a client data stream, e.g., client data stream 1 (556), client data stream 2 (558), or client data stream M (560), that sends or transports either one image to the remote client, or multiple images until a time period expires. If more than one stimulus is received, more than one client data stream is spawned, each servicing the stimulus that spawned it until the client data stream expires.
  • client data stream e.g., client data stream 1 (556), client data stream 2 (558), or client data stream M (560
  • process 700 sets a sensor timer to a predetermined time, e.g., five minutes, and activates the timer. Proceeding to state 710, process 700 accesses the image for the particular sensor selected by the user, e.g., image 512, in the data storage 362, which was provided by the fetch process 600. Advancing to state
  • process 700 determines if the remote user has stopped using the process 700, for instance, if they close their browser. If so, process 700 proceeds to state 718 and notes that it has nowhere to send the image, and therefore stops sending the images by terminating the client data stream. Further, if the user has not closed their browser, as determined at state 714, process 700 continues at a decision state 716 to determine if the sensor timer has expired.
  • process 700 waits for the next image to be available in the storage 362 for the particular sensor and accesses that image at state 710, as described above. If the sensor timer has expired, as determined at state 716, process 700 proceeds to state 718 to terminate the client data stream. If process 700 determines that no client data streams anywhere are serving the specific images to remote users, and determines that the fetch process 600 is still fetching images for these non-existent users, rather than allow the fetching and depositing to continue until the timer expires (in process 600), the dispatch process 700 moves to state 720. At state 720, process 700 sends a message to the image server 330 (on line 534) to terminate the relevant thread of the fetch process 600.
  • Process 700 ends at an end state 722.
  • the number of client data streams spawned by process 700 is equal to the number of remote viewers that query a camera for images. Unlike the fetch process 600 that fetched and deposited images from a camera with one thread, regardless of the number of users querying the camera, process 700 runs a single client data stream for every user, because each user needs their own stream of images sent directly to their specific browser address. in one embodiment, process 700 watches the specified directory in the storage 362 that the fetch process
  • process 700 is writing images into and sends every new image it finds there out to the end user. If there are fifty end users at a particular time, for example, process 700 will make fifty separate connections for the end users, whereas the fetch process 600 still only makes one connection to each camera. Finally, process 700 does not send an image to a user unless it is a new one - it sends an image only when a new image is fetched by the fetch process 600. Authentication and Security
  • the system 100 is an Internet-based application providing authorized users with the capability to remotely view children in day care centers and other facilities.
  • the nature of the information being transmitted requires certain measures to ensure only authorized users are able to access the system (including images of the children). Given the broad range of web-browsers and Internet Service Providers, special steps are taken to ensure uniform security measures across all browsers on all platforms.
  • process 800 To gain access to the system 100, a parent or other user utilizes their web browser, e.g., browser 522 ( Figure 5), to connect to the system web site. Beginning at a start state 802, process 800 moves to state 804 wherein a login page asks for a school or organization code, a login name, and a user password. From this point forward (until logging out), all communications between the user's browser and the sensor server 110 ( Figure 3) are sent using SSL. Once submitted, the entered login name and user password are compared against the data in the database associated with the database server 360 ( Figure 5) for an exact match.
  • a login page asks for a school or organization code, a login name, and a user password. From this point forward (until logging out), all communications between the user's browser and the sensor server 110 ( Figure 3) are sent using SSL.
  • the entered login name and user password are compared against the data in the database associated with the database server 360 ( Figure 5) for an exact match.
  • process 800 advances to state 808, refuses further access to the user and an error message is provided to the user. If the match is valid, process 800 proceeds to state 810 wherein the user is considered 'authorized' and is permitted to access the secure area of the system web site.
  • one of the web servers 350 sends a "cookie" to the authorized user's browser.
  • a cookie which may also be referred to as "connection state data" is a set of information stored in a web browser that is used to identify a user to a particular web server.
  • the cookie contains basic information about that user's account including the school identification (ID), their account ID, their child (or children's) account ID, what browser they are using, a random and unique code, and an expiration time and date for that cookie.
  • process 800 advances to state 814 wherein the user is seamlessly sent to the 'private/secure' area of the system 100 where all the features and viewing are accessible.
  • the private area is only accessible to users with a valid user name and user password.
  • an authorized user can selected one of a plurality of secure camera/sensor links to access images of their child.
  • process 800 determines if the user has selected a link to a secure area of the web site, e.g., a camera link, if not, process 800 moves to state 818 wherein a non-secure task is performed, such as when the links icon 242 ( Figure 2) is selected. However, if the user has selected a link to a secure area of the web site, as determined at state 816, process 800 proceeds to state 820 wherein the user cookie is presented by the web browser 522 to the web server 350.
  • a link to a secure area of the web site e.g., a camera link
  • System 100 circumvents this potential loophole by utilizing specially-designed cookies. Every time an authorized user clicks on a link to access any secured or private part of the system 100, the user's cookie is presented by the web browser to the web server at state 820. Advancing to state 822, the web server immediately processes the contents of the cookie and compares the contents to data stored in the database associated with the database server 360 ( Figure 5). Information such as the ID of the user and the random unique code are compared to the database for validity. Continuing at a decision state 824, if a match is not found, process 800 moves to state 826 wherein the user is presented with a failure message and service is refused.
  • process 800 advances to a decision state 828 to determine if the user has been inactive in the web site for a preselected amount of time. If the user has been active in the web site within the time interval, process 800 proceeds to state 830 and transmits the requested data to the user browser. Advancing to a decision state 832, process 832 determines if there has been a user action in the web site. If not, process 800 moves back to decision state 828 to see if the timeout interval has been reached.
  • process 800 proceeds through connector A (834) to decision state 816 to process the action as described above. If an authorized user, after logging in to the system 100, chooses to visit another web site and, after the preselected time interval, e.g., 15 minutes, uses the 'back' key to return to the system web site, they will be refused access. In addition to comparing the random unique code and ID contained in the cookie, the web server 350 also looks in the database associated with the database server 360 to determine the expiration time for a user login.
  • the preselected time interval e.g. 15 minutes
  • the inactivity time setting in the database is determined by incrementing the setting 15 minutes into the future every time the authorized user accesses the system 100. If that user does not have a user action in the system web site, or visits another site and comes back to the system web site 15 minutes later, the process 800 recognizes that the login session has 'expired' and that the user needs to log in again.
  • a user visits another site on the Internet and then uses their 'back' key to return to the system web site within the preselected time, e.g., 15 minutes, they are able to view the secure/private areas of the system and click on sensor links.
  • the act of clicking on a sensor or other link at that time would increment their inactivity time by 15 minutes into the future.
  • an attempt to click on any secured- content link would then result in an inactivity timeout as determined by the process 800 at decision state 828.
  • the technology employed in this security measure ensures that authorized users using a cookie-enabled web browser experience a high-level of security and user authenticity.
  • the system 100 makes use of standard browser features in a unique fashion. Users who don't enter a valid login name or user password are not issued a cookie from the web server, and therefore are unable to access any of the secure system content.
  • the system 100 includes various other security features. Some of the features making the system secure are in place and function regardless of user intervention. However, some other features, such as granting parents access to cameras, and granting accounts, require staff members and the system administrator to adhere to certain rules.
  • Encrypted Transmission In one embodiment, information sent from the system servers to the parent, is encrypted using a 128-bit Class 3 SSL. This encryption type is currently one of the highest levels of encryption permitted by the United States. This is the same level of encryption that U.S. banks use to do web-commerce.
  • the ability to show images from the same camera to multiple users while only one connection is made to the camera from the server is made possible by using the sensor server at the home office as a middleman. This conserves bandwidth between the home office and the child care center, and ensures that the number of parents that can simultaneous access images from one particular camera is limited only by the bandwidth between the home office and the authorized user.
  • the system design ensures that bandwidth between the home office and the authorized user is also conserved as an image is only sent to the user when a new image is received by the sensor server from the camera, rather than a system that transmits the image from the server at a specified interval, regardless of whether the image has actually been updated from the camera.
  • the sensor server after determining that the user has entered a valid login and password, checks the database again to determine which of the cameras at that particular center the user has access to. In this manner, parents can be given access to all of the cameras at a center, or only a subset of the cameras at the center.
  • the sensor server ever senses that a camera is not responding correctly, a diagnostic measure is taken by logging into the camera via the Telnet protocol and resetting the camera. In this manner, the cameras can be fixed if they stop functioning, and this fixing does not involve human interaction. In most situations, this is not noticed by the user accessing the camera in question. If the user does not produce any activity (such as clicking a link, etc.) for the preselected time interval, e.g.,
  • the user cannot leave the system web site once a secure 128-bit VPN has been established and then use the browser's 'back' button to return to the session if the 15 minute inactivity time-out has elapsed. This is in contrast to many on-line banking applications on the web that establish a secure connection, and allow the user to come and go in and out of that secure connection at will. This is an added security measure, and ensures that if the user leaves the secure connection for an extended period, they cannot come back unless they log in again.
  • the passwords are required to be between 8 and 12 characters long with upper and lowercase letters, and numbers. This makes for very strong passwords that cannot be easily guessed. In addition, only one person can log on with a given user name at a time.
  • a particular child care center is determined when the user enters the 'center code' but at no time is the center actually identified by name, nor are the actual network addresses of the cameras revealed. This makes it difficult for an unauthorized user with unsavory intentions to determine where the children they are looking at are located.

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Abstract

Un aspect de l'invention concerne un système et un procédé permettant d'accéder en toute sécurité à des détecteurs à distance par l'intermédiaire d'un réseau (316) privé virtuel chiffré. Ce système (100) met en application une architecture échelonnable et comprend un serveur centralisé (110) de détecteurs reliés à une pluralité de centres (130, 132, 134) possédant des détecteurs (370, 371, 372) par l'intermédiaire d'un réseau privé virtuel chiffré. Ce serveur centralisé est également relié à une pluralité de moniteurs (140, 142, 144) de détecteurs à distance par l'intermédiaire d'un réseau privé virtuel. Ce dernier peut être mis en application sur un réseau à commutation par paquets (120) tel qu'Internet, tandis que le moniteur de détecteur à distance utilise un chercheur Web (520, 522, 524). Ce système partage des images (512) provenant d'un détecteur spécifique entre des usagers multiples par l'intermédiaire du serveur centralisé afin de conserver la largeur de bande et de limiter les coûts du système. Celui-ci met en oeuvre différentes caractéristiques de sécurité et d'authentification, de manière à protéger les données des détecteurs.
PCT/US1999/030139 1998-12-18 1999-12-17 Reseau prive virtuel chiffre servant a acceder a des detecteurs a distance WO2000036807A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU21939/00A AU2193900A (en) 1998-12-18 1999-12-17 Encrypted virtual private network for accessing remote sensors

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US21638898A 1998-12-18 1998-12-18
US21670098A 1998-12-18 1998-12-18
US21641598A 1998-12-18 1998-12-18
US09/216,388 1998-12-18
US09/216,700 1998-12-18
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WO2002037441A1 (fr) * 2000-11-06 2002-05-10 Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson Systeme de surveillance et controleur
FR2834851A1 (fr) * 2002-01-17 2003-07-18 Lork System Module d'interface entre un reseau de communication et des capteurs et/ou actionneurs
EP1408657A1 (fr) * 2001-06-22 2004-04-14 Ipex Co., Ltd. Systeme de fourniture d'information au moyen d'une ligne de communication
EP1480413A1 (fr) * 2003-04-30 2004-11-24 R. Brent Johnson Systéme pour monitoriser, détecter et analiser des menaces de type chimique, biologique ou de radiations
EP1617617A1 (fr) * 2004-07-15 2006-01-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et système à fournir des licences d'accès pour un dispositif d'automatisation
WO2008135080A1 (fr) * 2007-05-03 2008-11-13 Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ) Système de gestion de données
WO2010109128A1 (fr) * 2009-03-23 2010-09-30 France Telecom Systeme de fourniture de service tel qu'un service de communication
FR2969889A1 (fr) * 2010-12-28 2012-06-29 Radiotelephone Sfr Procede de controle a distance d'un equipement reseau et systeme associe
WO2012139902A1 (fr) * 2011-04-12 2012-10-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif de communication pour la protection cryptographique d'une communication de données d'un appareil de terrain
ES2400643R1 (es) * 2010-12-31 2013-05-29 Nuevas Estrategias De Mantenimiento S L Sistema inmunologico artificial autonomo para activos complejos con largo ciclo de vida
US8504688B2 (en) 2010-12-22 2013-08-06 Guest Tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd. System and method for aggregate monitoring of user-based groups of private computer networks
EP3129888B1 (fr) 2014-04-11 2018-03-28 AVL List GmbH Transmission de données d'un mémoire securisé

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Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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WO2001099375A1 (fr) * 2000-06-22 2001-12-27 Steven Low Procede et systeme de communication d'informations visuelles
WO2002037441A1 (fr) * 2000-11-06 2002-05-10 Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson Systeme de surveillance et controleur
US6771741B2 (en) 2000-11-06 2004-08-03 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Surveillance arrangement and controller
EP1408657A1 (fr) * 2001-06-22 2004-04-14 Ipex Co., Ltd. Systeme de fourniture d'information au moyen d'une ligne de communication
EP1408657A4 (fr) * 2001-06-22 2009-12-30 Ipex Co Ltd Systeme de fourniture d'information au moyen d'une ligne de communication
FR2834851A1 (fr) * 2002-01-17 2003-07-18 Lork System Module d'interface entre un reseau de communication et des capteurs et/ou actionneurs
US7475253B2 (en) 2002-05-01 2009-01-06 Johnson R Brent System to monitor, detect and analyze chemical, radiation and/or biological threats
EP1480413A1 (fr) * 2003-04-30 2004-11-24 R. Brent Johnson Systéme pour monitoriser, détecter et analiser des menaces de type chimique, biologique ou de radiations
US7941858B2 (en) 2004-07-15 2011-05-10 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Access licensing for an automation device
EP1617617A1 (fr) * 2004-07-15 2006-01-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et système à fournir des licences d'accès pour un dispositif d'automatisation
WO2008135080A1 (fr) * 2007-05-03 2008-11-13 Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ) Système de gestion de données
WO2010109128A1 (fr) * 2009-03-23 2010-09-30 France Telecom Systeme de fourniture de service tel qu'un service de communication
US9900373B2 (en) 2009-03-23 2018-02-20 Orange System for providing a service, such as a communication service
US8504688B2 (en) 2010-12-22 2013-08-06 Guest Tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd. System and method for aggregate monitoring of user-based groups of private computer networks
US9306798B2 (en) 2010-12-22 2016-04-05 Guest Tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd. Aggregate monitoring of internet protocol television (IPTV) channel activity across user-based groups of private computer networks
FR2969889A1 (fr) * 2010-12-28 2012-06-29 Radiotelephone Sfr Procede de controle a distance d'un equipement reseau et systeme associe
EP2472821A1 (fr) * 2010-12-28 2012-07-04 Société Française du Radiotéléphone-SFR Procédé de contrôle à distance d'un équipement réseau et système associé
ES2400643R1 (es) * 2010-12-31 2013-05-29 Nuevas Estrategias De Mantenimiento S L Sistema inmunologico artificial autonomo para activos complejos con largo ciclo de vida
WO2012139902A1 (fr) * 2011-04-12 2012-10-18 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif de communication pour la protection cryptographique d'une communication de données d'un appareil de terrain
CN103460669A (zh) * 2011-04-12 2013-12-18 西门子公司 用于现场设备数据通信的密码保护的方法和通信装置
CN103460669B (zh) * 2011-04-12 2016-03-23 西门子公司 用于现场设备数据通信的密码保护的方法和通信装置
EP3129888B1 (fr) 2014-04-11 2018-03-28 AVL List GmbH Transmission de données d'un mémoire securisé
EP3129888B2 (fr) † 2014-04-11 2023-02-22 AVL List GmbH Transmission de données d'un mémoire securisé

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