Programmable Communicator

Abstract

A technical data monitoring device for use with a wireless data monitoring network includes a wireless communications circuit, and at least one technical device/system. The technical data monitoring device establishes a wireless communication link with a programmable interface of a programmable cellular telephone. The device is also configured to send and/or receive wireless packet switched data transmissions, generate data and send data over the wireless communication link for processing by the programmable cellular telephone, and has an associated status condition. Data from the device is (1) sent to be processed and displayed by the programmable cellular telephone and/or (2) sent to be processed and forwarded by the programmable cellular telephone to an Internet website. The device forms part of the wireless data monitoring network in communication with the programmable cellular telephone. The technical device/system can be one of a number of sensors, devices, or systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A programmable communicator device comprising:
 a wireless communications circuit for communicating through an antenna over a communications network;   a programmable interface for establishing a communication link with at least one monitored technical device, wherein the programmable interface is programmable by wireless packet switched data messages; and   a processing module for authenticating one or more wireless transmissions sent from a programming transmitter and received by the programmable communicator device by determining if at least one transmission contains a coded number;   wherein the programmable communicator device is configured to use a memory to store at least one telephone number or IP address included within at least one of the transmissions as a list of one or more linked numbers to which the programmable communicator device may send outgoing wireless transmissions if the processing module authenticates the at least one of the transmissions including the at least one telephone number or IP address and the coded number by determining that the at least one of the transmissions includes the coded number;   wherein the programmable communicator device is configured to use an identity module for storing a unique identifier that is unique to the programmable communicator device;   and wherein the one or more wireless transmissions from the programming transmitter comprises a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or other wireless packet switched data message;   and wherein the programmable communicator device is configured to process data received through the programmable interface from the at least one monitored technical device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message.   
     
     
         2 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing module is configured to process data received through the programmable interface from the at least one monitored technical device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         3 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1 , wherein the programmable communicator device comprises the identity module. 
     
     
         4 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  wherein the wireless communications circuit is configured to receive wireless transmissions compliant with Bluetooth wireless air interface standards. 
     
     
         5 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  wherein each linked number comprises a corresponding stored telephone number or IP address stored into a permitted callers list to which the wireless communications circuit is restricted to send outgoing wireless transmissions in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         6 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  further configured to request that an at least one monitored technical device send data through the programmable interface for processing by the programmable communicator device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         7 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  further configured to transmit the processed data to an at least one monitoring device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         8 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 7 , wherein the processing module is configured to cause the processed data to be transmitted to the at least one monitoring device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         9 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 7  further configured to determine whether the data request initiated by the monitoring device includes a required access code in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         10 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 9 , wherein the processing module is configured to determine whether the data request includes the required access code in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         11 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  further configured to determine whether the processed received data indicates a change in status of the at least one monitored technical device that crosses a threshold parameter, or that otherwise indicates an alarm condition in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         12 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 11  further configured to send an at least one transmission for alerting an at least one monitoring device of said change in status or other alarm condition in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         13 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  further configured to request that an at least one monitored technical device send data through the programmable interface for receipt by the programmable communicator device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         14 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  further configured to transmit the received data to an at least one monitoring device either periodically or in response to a data request initiated by the monitoring device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         15 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 14 , wherein the processing module is configured to cause the received data to be transmitted to the at least one monitoring device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         16 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  configured to process an at least one data monitoring or data collection request contained in an at least one transmission received from an at least one monitoring device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         17 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  further comprising a location processing module configured to determine an at least one location of the programmable communicator device, and wherein the programmable communicator device is configured to respond to an at least one transmission initiated by an at least one monitoring device requesting that said location data be sent to the monitoring device in response to programming instructions received in an incoming wireless packet switched data message. 
     
     
         18 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 17  wherein the location processing module comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) module. 
     
     
         19 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  wherein the monitored technical device is a sensor device. 
     
     
         20 . A programmable communicator device according to  claim 1  wherein the monitored technical device is a health monitoring system.