System and method for transmitting data via data networks with data conversion by a com automatic marshaller

Abstract

A system and a method of transmitting data via data networks. A bidirectional data connection is created even behind firewalls, including from a client not visible to a server in the Internet. In the method and system, a first connection request for establishing a first transmission channel is sent to a server of an automation system from a first data processing device of a client via a data connection. This request is answered by the server via a second transmission channel. The data connection is kept permanently open, thereby allowing mutually time-independent bidirectional sending and receiving of data between the client and the server, via at least one data network. A COM automatic marshaller which incorporates itself into the communications chain between the client and the server is provided.

1 . A method for transmitting data via data networks, especially the Internet, comprising:
 transmitting a first connection request for setting up at least one first transmission channel to a server from a client via a data connection;   keeping at least one transmission channel permanently open, which is provided at any time for the transmission of data from the server to the client, independently of actions of the client, wherein:   the transmission takes place via a COM automatic marshaller, which is incorporated into the communications chain between the server to the client, the automatic marshaller interpreting a call to be carried out and transmitting the data relevant to the call to the server, which then carries out the actual call, where, to permanently maintain the transmission channel between the server to the client, apparent data are transmitted from the server to the client even when user data are not available.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising further transmitting the apparent data from the server to the client every 25-35 sec when user data are not available. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the server transmits information to the client, which informs the client that a transmission of data is intended, in order to permanently maintain the transmission channel. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in order to permanently maintain the transmission channel, by means of which quantities of data up to a defined size are transmitted from the server to the client, a request for a new connection demand is transmitted from the server to the client before the defined quantity of data is reached and, after this, a new request for a connection for setting up at least one new transmission channel is transmitted from the client to the server. 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of data to be transmitted via the transmission channel has a size of 15-25 MB. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a transport protocol, in particular an Internet transport protocol, is provided for controlling the data transmission. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a Hypertext Transport Protocol is used as a transport protocol. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a method for controlling and monitoring an automation system is provided via data networks, in particular via the Internet. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the client is not visible on the Internet. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the client does not have an Internet Information Server installed. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a control and monitoring system of the client initiates the provision of the transmission channel as a distributed object, in particular as a DCOM object, and in that a connection to the automation system is set up via the server designed as a DCOM server. 
   
   
       12 . A system for transmitting data via data networks, especially the Internet, comprising:
 at least one server, at least one client, at least one data network, and at least one data processing device of the client that can be connected to the data network;   a first data processing device being provided for setting up at least one transmission channel to the server, at least one transmission channel being permanently open, which is provided for the transmission of data from the server to the client at any time, independently of actions of the client, via a COM automatic marshaller, which is incorporated into the communications chain between client and server, the automatic marshaller interpreting a call to be carried out and transmitting the data relevant to the call to the server, which then carries out the actual call, the system for permanently maintaining the transmission channel between the server and the client transmitting apparent data from the server to the client even when user data are not available.   
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the system for permanently maintaining the transmission channel transmits information from the server to the client, which informs the client that a transmission of data is intended. 
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the system for permanently maintaining the transmission channel, by means of which quantities of data up to a defined size are transmitted from the server to the client, transmits a request for a new connection demand from the server to the client before the defined quantity of data is reached and, after this, cause the client to transmit a new request for a connection for setting up at least one new transmission channel to the server. 
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the system uses a transport protocol, in particular an Internet transport protocol, as a means for controlling the data transmission. 
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the system uses a Hypertext Transport Protocol as a transport protocol as a means for controlling the data transmission. 
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein a system for controlling and monitoring an automation system is provided via data networks, in particular via the Internet. 
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein a control and monitoring system of the client initiates the provision of a transmission channel as a distributed object, in particular as a DCOM object, and in that a connection to the automation system Is set up via the server designed as a DCOM server. 
   
   
       19 . A method for transmitting data via a data network, comprising:
 transmitting a first connection request for setting up at least one first transmission channel, the first connection request being transmitted to a server from a client via a data connection; and   maintaining at least one data connection permanently open, for the transmission of data from the server to the client, independently of actions of the client, the data connection being maintained via a Component Object Modeling automatic marshaller, provided between the client and the server.