Remote Monitoring of embedded devices

From: Mike V. (valemike_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 11/03/04 

Date: 3 Nov 2004 04:40:58 -0800

I have an application where I there may be several automatic
pedestrian doors (the sliding and swinging doors you see in airports,
supermarkets, department stores, etc.).

Each installation shall be able to communicate to some
gateway/logger/concentrator/router, whatever you call it, whether it
be via CAN, RS232, and one day, even wireless, to the gateway. This
gateway then will communicate certain alarms and status announcements
to a remote workstation, whether it be via GSM/cellular, broadband,
website, fax, dialup, e-mail, pager, you name it.

I know such an app is technically feasible, but...
For those who have such remote monitoring applications, what are the
challenges in getting your customer to adopt it? For example, I don't
think a customer would always be willing to give you access to their
intranet/internet to get the messages across.

Also, say I go the GSM/cellular route -- is there a subscription
service meant for such applications?

Is the gateway best to be its own standalone device with a web server
and capable of its own communications? Or better to keep it simple,
and just let the gateway/logger talk to a PC, which then assumes the
actual gateway functions to the outside world. I'm sure a customer
would not want to buy his/her own PC dedicated solely for my remote
monitoring solution.

The only places I see such solutions are in ESP magazine - I have yet
to see vending machines, washing machines, etc. adopt a remote
monitoring solution. Who knows, maybe because of privacy issues?
Costs?

Anyone with opinions or experiences in remote monitoring of embedded
devices, please chime in.

Thanks,
Mike

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