Methods and Apparatus for Monitoring and Control of Electronic Devices

Abstract

Various aspects of the present invention relate generally to telemetry methods and systems and more particularly, to telemetry network connectivity systems, devices and methods. In some embodiments, an inventory management system may be configured to provide machine-to-machine network connectivity. The inventory management system may be used in conjunction with a location device configured to transmit a vehicle identification number (VIN) and a device identifier of the location device. In some embodiments, the inventory management system may be configured to: (1) track whether the location device is located within a predetermined perimeter; (2) provide current inventory and ownership status associated the location device; and/or (3) place the location device in a sleep and/or passive state with periodic check-ins.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device translation server in communication with first and second location devices via a wireless communication network, the device translation server programmed to execute commands to:
 receive first information transmitted from the first location device, the first information formatted in a first device-specific protocol;   receive second information transmitted from the second location device, the second information formatted in a second device-specific protocol that is different from the first device-specific protocol;   translate the first information from the first device-specific protocol into a common protocol;   translate the second information from the second device-specific protocol into the common protocol; and   provide the first and second information to a user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The device translation server of  claim 1  wherein the common protocol is an industry standard protocol or a proprietary protocol that is different from the first and second device-specific protocols. 
     
     
         3 . The device translation server of  claim 1 , further programmed to execute commands to:
 transmit a script using the first device-specific protocol to reprogram the first location device over-the-air via the wireless communication network; and   transmit a script using the second device-specific protocol to reprogram the second location device over-the-air via the wireless communication network.   
     
     
         4 . The device translation server of  claim 1 , further programmed to execute commands to:
 communicate user credentials for the first location device via the wireless communication network using the first device-specific protocol; and   communicate user credentials for the second location device via the wireless communication network using the second device-specific protocol.   
     
     
         5 . The device translation server of  claim 1 , further programmed to execute commands to:
 communicate messages to and from the first location device via the wireless communication network using the first device-specific protocol; and   communicate messages to and from the second location device via the wireless communication network using the second device-specific protocol.   
     
     
         6 . The device translation server of  claim 1  wherein one or both of the first and second device-specific protocols are selected from group consisting of XML, SOAP over HTTP, WSDL, UDDI, SMTP, binary encoding over TCP, ReFlex, GPRS, EDGE, Mobitex, CDMA, EVDO, VSAT, wired LAN, Wired WAN, message queues via Microsoft Windows MSMQ. 
     
     
         7 . The device translation server of  claim 1  wherein the first information comprises first information in first units of measurement, the second information comprises second information in second units of measurement that are different from the first units of measurement, and the device translation server is programmed to execute commands to:
 convert the first units of measurement for the first information and the second units of measurement for the second information into common units of measurement; and 
 provide the first and second information to a user interface device in the common units of measurement.