FR2815744A1 - ADMINISTRATION APPLICATION MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND RELATED METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

A user of such a device uses a standard communication terminal, for example a personal computer (132) or a mobile telephone (133), to connect to a server (105). The server can implement administration software for systems such as traffic light networks (101), heating networks. The server is also connected to these systems. The server also provides the interface (113a, 113b) between the connection mode (112a, 112b) chosen by the user, and the administration application which is also chosen by the user. Thus, a user can simply manage a system remotely without needing means specific to this system.

Description

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L'invention a pour objet un dispositif de gestion d'application d'administration et un procédé associé. Le domaine de l'invention est celui de la télégestion de système. C'est à dire de la commande à distance, ou de la surveillance à distance, d'un réseau d'automates autonomes ; lesdits automates sont répartis dans une zone géographique dont l'extension peut être relativement grande. Un but de l'invention est de rendre la commande et la surveillance de ces réseaux le plus simple possible. Un autre but de l'invention est d'assurer un bon niveau de sécurité des applications qui permettent la commande et la surveillance de ces réseaux. Un autre but de l'invention est de rendre la commande et la surveillance de ces réseaux accessibles depuis le plus grand nombre d'endroits, et via le plus grand nombre d'appareils possibles. Administration application management device and associated method

The invention relates to an administration application management device and an associated method. The field of the invention is that of system remote management. That is to say, remote control, or remote monitoring, of a network of autonomous controllers; said automata are distributed in a geographical area the extension of which can be relatively large. An object of the invention is to make the control and monitoring of these networks as simple as possible. Another object of the invention is to ensure a good level of security of the applications which allow the control and monitoring of these networks. Another object of the invention is to make the control and monitoring of these networks accessible from as many places as possible, and via as many devices as possible.

 In the state of the art, devices are known which allow the remote management of such systems. We can for example consider a system which includes a network of automata connected to a centralizer. It is then, in the prior art, possible to connect remotely to the centralizer. However, the connection solutions are restrictive and often proprietary.

numéro est celui du centralisateur. Ainsi la personne souhaitant pouvoir se connecter à distance sur le centralisateur est obligée de souscrire un abonnement de téléphone spécifique pour pouvoir télégérer le centralisateur. Indeed, in the prior art, a remote connection to a centralizer requires specific equipment. This equipment can be either in the form of a device that can be connected to an access point which allows connection to the centralizer. This hardware can also be software that is installed on a laptop computer also connected to an access point to the centralizer. Known access points are for example a dedicated telephone line. That is to say a telephone line whose

number is that of the centralizer. Thus the person wishing to be able to connect remotely to the centralizer is obliged to take out a specific telephone subscription in order to be able to remote control the centralizer.

In addition, only one person at a time can connect to the centralizer.

 Another solution for connecting to the centralizer is the use of a dedicated line only dedicated to this connection. In this case the solution is even more expensive than the previous one.

 Another disadvantage of the state of the art is that the materials

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 used to establish and use the remote connection are specific. Indeed, either it is a device and it cannot be used for anything else, or it is software installed on a computer and this then requires installing this software on all computers to from which you want to connect to the centralizer. Insofar as the custom in the field of software is to charge for a license per station, that is to say per occurrence of the software installed, the number of stations from which one can remote control the centralizer is limited in order to limit the cost of installation. Thus a user who wishes to remote control the centralizer must therefore go to a station which allows this remote management. Often this position is located at the workplace. Thus a person who is on duty to monitor a system must therefore either spend his on-call time at his workplace, or not move away from it in order to be able to intervene quickly on the system.

 The invention solves these problems by installing management software on a server. This server is then connected to the centralizer by various means, for example radio or cable means. In the invention, gateways are installed on this server between the administration software and an HTLM server software (Hypertext language markup, or hypertext link editing language) or with a WML server software (Wireless Markup Language, c 'is to say a version of HTML adapted to the world of GSM). Thus, a user of the device and of the method according to the invention can connect to the server using either a standard GSM or a standard computer provided with an Internet browser. The server then checks its identity, and the gateways provide the interface between an HTML mode and the administration software. Thus a user declared on the server will be able to have access to the administration software from any place on condition of having at his disposal a personal computer, or a mobile phone. It is therefore no longer necessary to have specific means to be able to remote manage a system.

 The subject of the invention is therefore an application management device allowing remote administration of systems, characterized in that it comprises a server comprising: - means for implementing at least one administration software,

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 - means for managing a remote connection to at least one administration software present on the server, - means for controlling remote access.

 The invention also relates to an application management method allowing remote system administration, characterized in that: - at least one administration software is implemented on a server, - a remote connection is established with the at least one administrative software accessible via the server, - remote access to at least one administrative software accessible via the server is controlled.

 The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. These are presented as an indication and in no way limit the invention. The figures show: - Figure 1: an illustration of means useful for implementing the method according to the invention.

 - Figure 1b: illustration of a possible structure for a server database.

 - Figure 2: an illustration of process steps according to the invention.

107, une mémoire 108 d'application, le microprocesseur 107 et la mémoire 108 étant connectés à un bus 109. Un bus est un ensemble de fils ou de pistes comportant ces éléments en nombre suffisant pour véhiculer des signaux d'adresses, de commandes, d'interruption, de données, d'horloge et d'alimentation. La mémoire 108 comporte plusieurs zones, notamment une zone 108a comportant des codes d'instruction correspondant à un premier For the description, the remote management of a red light system in an area of a city is taken as an example. FIG. 1 shows a network 101 of automata connected wirelessly by links 102 and 103 to a centralizer 104. The centralizer 104 is connected to a server 105 via a link 106. In the example of FIG. 1, the link 106 is carried out using a cable. In practice, the link 106 must have a sufficient speed to allow several users connected at the same time to the server 105 to access the centralizer 104 without the wait which each user must undergo is too long. In practice an Ethernet type link is sufficient. Server 105 includes a microprocessor

107, an application memory 108, the microprocessor 107 and the memory 108 being connected to a bus 109. A bus is a set of wires or tracks comprising these elements in sufficient number to carry signals of addresses, commands, interrupt, data, clock and power. The memory 108 comprises several zones, in particular a zone 108a comprising instruction codes corresponding to a first

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 administration software, or application, and an area 108b comprising the instruction codes corresponding to a second administration software. The memory 108 possibly includes other areas corresponding to other administration software. The instruction codes contained in the memory 108 are executed by the microprocessor 107. This execution corresponds to the implementation of administration software. The elements 107 to 109 therefore constitute means which allow the server 105 to cover at least one administration software.

 FIG. 1 also shows that the server 105 comprises a connector 110 connected to the bus 109. The connector 110 makes it possible to connect the server 105 to hardware layers of a network 111 of the Internet type. In practice, the connector 110 can comprise a modem in order to implement a modulation compatible with the hardware layer, or the connector 110 can be directly connected to a router of the network 111.

 The server 105 also includes a protocol memory 112. The memory 112 has several areas. A first zone 112a includes instruction codes which control the microprocessor 107 when the server 105 is connected to a user using the HTLM protocol. The memory 112 also includes an area 112b which contains instruction codes which control the microprocessor 107 when a user connects to the server 105 using the WML protocol. The memory 112 can contain other zones corresponding to the management of other protocols by the server 105.

d'administration. La mémoire 113 comporte aussi une zone 113b comportant des codes instruction qui commandent le microprocesseur 107 lorsqu'il doit faire dialoguer le programme WML avec le deuxième logiciel d'administration. Dans la pratique la mémoire 113 peut comporter autant de zones que nécessaire pour faire communiquer chacune des applications comportées par la mémoire 108 selon chacun des protocoles que l'on souhaite voir géré par le serveur 105. Pour que le serveur soit opérationnel il n'est pas nécessaire que tous les cas aient été prévus. Par exemple il est The server 105 also includes a gateway memory 113. The memory 113 comprises several zones, in particular a zone 113a which includes instruction codes which control the microprocessor 107 when it has to make the HTML program communicate with the first software.

of Directors. The memory 113 also includes an area 113b comprising instruction codes which control the microprocessor 107 when it has to make the WML program dialogue with the second administration software. In practice, the memory 113 can include as many zones as necessary to communicate each of the applications comprised by the memory 108 according to each of the protocols that it is desired to see managed by the server 105. For the server to be operational it is not it is not necessary that all cases have been foreseen. For example it is

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 it is quite possible that it is only planned to connect to the administration application 1 using the HTML protocol. The number of programs contained in the memory 113 therefore depends on the conditions of use desired by the user of the server 105.

 The elements 107, 109, 110 and 112 therefore allow the server 105 to manage remote connections. Thanks to the programs that the memory 113 contains, the server 105 can manage these remote connections according to known protocols by interfacing them with administrative software included in the memory 108. It is noted that gateways for proprietary protocols can be used.

 The server 105 also includes a database memory 114. The memory 114 is preferably a non-volatile storage memory. The memory 114 comprises information on authorized users of the server 105. The memory 114 comprises inter alia fields for identifying and defining the rights of these users.

 FIG. 1b shows that the memory 114 can be structured in the form of a table, each column corresponding to an item of information, each row corresponding to a user. Thus each user is identified by an identifier 184. The identifier is for example the name of the user. Each identifier is associated with a password 185, an authorization 186 for reading, an authorization 187 for writing, rights 188 for administering the server 105, rights 189 for maintaining the server 105.

The memory 114 can also contain, for each user, other rights corresponding to the actions which it is possible to perform via the remote connection to an administration software contained in the memory 108. For example the first administration application may allow a user connected to the server 105 to consult information recorded in the centralizer 104. This consultation may be subject to authorization. In this case the information corresponding to the authorization, or non-authorization, of the user to have access to this information is recorded in the memory 114 in a line corresponding to the identifier of the user. The memory 114 is connected to the bus 109.

 The server 105 is connected to the centralizer 104 via the link 106 and a connector 115 connected to the bus 109. The connector 115 ensures the conversion of the signals between the signal format used on the bus 109 and the

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 signal format used for connection 106.

 FIG. 1 also illustrates an architecture of a network 101 connected to a centralizer. The centralizer 104 includes a microprocessor 116.

The microprocessor 116 is connected to a bus 117. The centralizer 104 also includes a memory 118 and GSM circuits 119. The elements 118 and 119 are connected to the bus 117. The memory 117 comprises several zones. A first area 117a includes instruction codes which constitute centralization software. The instruction codes of the area 117a control the microprocessor 116 when the centralizer 104 is in communication with the network 101 or when it performs centralization tasks. When controlled by instruction codes from area 117a, the microprocessor 104 can control the GSM circuits 118. The GSM 118 circuits make it possible to produce modulated radio signals, via an antenna 119, from digital signals which it receives by the bus 117. Conversely, the GSM 118 circuits also make it possible to produce digital signals from signals modulated that it receives via the antenna 119. Via the connections 102 and 103, the microprocessor 104, controlled by the instruction codes of the zone 117a, can retrieve information on the state of the network and of the automata which compose it, or issue orders based on previous repatriated results. The role of a centralizer is therefore mainly to coordinate actions of PLCs on a network, and to recover information measured by these PLCs.

instruction qui commandent le microprocesseur 116 lorsqu'une communication est établie avec le serveur 105. Le serveur 105 peut mettre en oeuvre plusieurs logiciels d'administration. Chaque logiciel d'administration peut avoir son propre mode de communication avec le centralisateur. Il ya donc autant de zones du type 117b dans la mémoire 117 qu'il y a de modes de communication possibles avec le centralisateur 104. The memory 117 includes an area 117b which includes codes

instructions which control the microprocessor 116 when a communication is established with the server 105. The server 105 can implement several administration software. Each administration software can have its own mode of communication with the centralizer. There are therefore as many zones of the type 117b in the memory 117 as there are possible modes of communication with the centralizer 104.

In the example of FIG. 1, an area 117c has been shown which is of the same nature as area 117b. It is considered that the instruction codes of the area 117b are implemented when a communication is established with the server 105 and that it is the application 1 which is implemented by the server. The instruction codes of the area 117c are implemented by the microprocessor 116 when a communication is established between the

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 centralizer 104 and the server 105 and that the application 2 is implemented on the server 105. In the example of implementation of the invention, it is therefore possible to access the centralizer 104 with two administration software and via a single server. This is completely transparent to the user who only connects to the server 105, in order to be able to access all the centralizers which are connected to the server 105.

 The centralizer 104 also includes a connector 120 connected to the bus 116 which makes it possible to provide the interface between the signals received via the connection 106 and the signals circulating on the bus 117.

 FIG. 1 shows that the network 101 has two controllers 121 and 122. In practice, the network 101 may very well have only one controller, or more than two. In any case, the controllers 121 and 122 are of the same nature, only the controller 121 will therefore be described.

 The controller 121 includes a microprocessor 122, a program memory 123, a GSM module 124 connected to an antenna 127, and a connector 125. The elements 122 to 125 are connected to a bus 126. The connector 125 is also connected to a network of red lights 128 and 129 and to a network of sensors 130 and 131. FIG. 1 represents only two three-color lights 128 and 129, as well as two sensors 130 and 131. In practice, the network of three-color lights and sensors can be much more extensive. The memory 123 has several areas. A first area 123a includes instruction codes which control the microprocessor 122 when the controller 121 performs control operations. These control operations consist in the repatriation of the information measured by the sensors 130 and 131, the processing of this information, and the control of the lights 128 and 129. The information repatriated by the sensors 130 and 131 can for example be a traffic density . This information on traffic density makes it possible to control the three-color lights 128 and 129 in order to regulate traffic as well as possible. This is of course here only an example of use for the network 101. In practice it may be a heating network in a building, a network of gas cylinders in a hospital, or any other network, whether home automation or industrial.

 A user who wishes to connect to the server 105 can use either a personal computer 132 or a mobile telephone 133. The personal computer then includes software that allows it to connect to

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 Internet, and the user of the personal computer has a subscription to an Internet service provider 134 for example. If it is a professional computer, the computer may very well be connected directly to a router on the Internet 111 network. In all cases, the computer 132 includes navigation software on the network to which it is connected. In the example in Figure 1 it is the Internet.

 If the user uses a mobile telephone 133, this mobile telephone is connected via a network to a WAP access provider. That is to say a provider of access to a component of the Internet which can be reached via a GSM. Such devices are known as the Wap phone.

 FIG. 2 shows a preliminary first step 201. In step 201 a user wishes to connect to the server 105. He can either use a computer 132 or a telephone 133. The main difference between the two modes of use is in the memory program 112 which will be implemented on the server 105. If the user uses the computer 132, it will be the program of the zone 112a which will be implemented, otherwise it will be the program of the zone 112b. Initially, the user is considered to be using a computer 132. The user therefore launches a browser on the computer 132 and connect to the network 111, then he enters the Internet address, or a name, of the server 105 in order to to connect to it. A browser, or navigation software, is software that allows you to communicate using the HTTP protocol (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, or hyper text transmission protocol) associated with an HTML language. The browser also makes it possible to interpret the HTML language to produce images which can be displayed on a screen. A browser can also produce commands corresponding to a user action. Once the connection established between the computer 132 and the server 105, the microprocessor 107, controlled by the instruction codes of the zone 112a sends, via the Internet network, to the computer 132 a home page. A page is a file in HTML format which can be interpreted by the browser. This interpretation causes a display on the screen of the computer 132. This display includes a certain number of zones on which the user of the computer 132 can act. Actions on these zones cause messages 132 to be sent by the computer 132 to the server 105. These messages will then be interpreted and

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 processed by the microprocessor 107 controlled by the instruction codes of the zone 112a.

 When the home page is displayed, the user of the computer 132 is offered to enter a name and a password. We then go to a step 202 for entering the name and the password.

 In step 202, the user fills in a field corresponding to a name and a field corresponding to a password. Then the user validates his entries. The name and password are then sent to the server 105 via the network 111. The microprocessor 107 will then search the memory 114 for the name of the user as an identifier. If it finds this name in memory 114, it compares the password present in the line corresponding to the identifier and the password which has been entered by the user. If there is a match, we go to a step 203 for presenting the actions and the rights. If there is no match, we go to a step 204 in which, for example, the user is asked again to enter his password. The number of password entries may be, for security reasons, limited. In step 203, the microprocessor 107, controlled by instruction codes from the area 112a, traverses the line of the memory 114 corresponding to the identifier of the user of the computer 132. The microprocessor 107 reads the authorizations which have the user of computer 132 to perform certain actions. According to these authorizations, the microprocessor 107 constitutes a page in HTML format which it sends to the computer 132 via the network 111. This page presents all the actions that the user of the computer 132. Can take among these actions there can be consultation actions, command actions, server administration actions 105 or others. In a variant, it is possible, via a field of the memory 114, to associate an application of the memory 108 with a user. In this case, this application is executed as soon as the user connects to the server 105, and this without the home page being issued. Other connection modes are also possible, such as for example the presentation of the applications present on the server 105.

 In an example, it is considered that among the possible actions which are presented to the user, there is the possibility of consulting the traffic statistics in the area where the network 101 is installed. The user of the computer 132 therefore selects this option by selecting an area on

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 the screen of the computer 132. We then go to a step 204 for entering an action on the remote terminal.

 In step 204 the user of computer 132 has entered a possibility which was offered to him on the screen of his computer. This input caused the computer 132 to send a command via the Internet 111 network to the server 105. In a variant, this command can be accompanied by the user identifier and his password so that the server 105 can recheck that the person identified by the identifier has the rights to perform this action. In the example we consider that the person has rights. If this is not the case, the action is not carried out and a message indicating this state of affairs is sent back to the computer 132. This message is then displayed so that the user can read it.

 The command message is received by the microprocessor 107 controlled by the instruction codes of the zone 112a. This command message includes the command, as well as the name of the application which must carry out this command. Depending on the application which is to carry out this command, the program in zone 112a will call on one of the programs in memory zone 113. Let us assume, for example, that the command must be executed by the first administration application .

de la zone 113a. Ce programme effectue alors une conversion et transmet la commande convertie à l'application de la zone 108a. Il s'agit là de la réception de la commande sur le serveur dans l'étape 205 ainsi que de la traduction de la commande par une passerelle dans l'étape 206. De l'étape 206 on passe à une étape 207 de mise en oeuvre de l'application d'administration. Une fois que la commande a été traduite et reçue par l'application, l'application est mise en oeuvre par le microprocesseur 107. In this case, the HTML program uses the program in the interface area 113a between the HTML module and the first application. The HTML program therefore transmits the command as it was received to the program

of area 113a. This program then performs a conversion and transmits the converted command to the application of area 108a. This is the reception of the order on the server in step 205 as well as the translation of the order by a gateway in step 206. From step 206 we go to a step 207 of setting administration application work. Once the command has been translated and received by the application, the application is implemented by the microprocessor 107.

directement connecté au centralisateur 104. Un ordre, produit grâce à la première application d'administration, est donc émis depuis le serveur 105 en direction du centralisateur 104. Cet ordre correspond à la saisie qu'a effectué In step 207, for the user, everything happens as if the application 1 had been installed on the computer 132 and that the computer 132 was

directly connected to the centralizer 104. An order, produced using the first administration application, is therefore sent from the server 105 towards the centralizer 104. This order corresponds to the entry made

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 the user of the computer 132. This order is transmitted during a step 208 of connection with the centralizer.

 We go to a step 209 for transmitting information by the centralizer. In step 209, the microprocessor 116 controlled by instruction codes from the area 117a executes the command which has been passed to it.

concernant des statistiques de circulation dans la zone géographique couverte par le réseau 101. Soit le centralisateur 104 comporte ces informations dans une de ses mémoires, soit le centralisateur 104 se connecte à chacun des contrôleurs du réseau 101 afin de rapatrier ces informations puis de les transmettre au serveur 105. Une fois que le centralisateur 104 est en possession de ces informations il les transmet via la liaison 106 au serveur 105. Cette transmission est effectuée par le microprocesseur 116 commandé par les codes instruction de la zone 117b.

This command consists, in the example, in the repatriation of information

concerning traffic statistics in the geographical area covered by the network 101. Either the centralizer 104 contains this information in one of its memories, or the centralizer 104 connects to each of the controllers of the network 101 in order to retrieve this information and then transmit it to the server 105. Once the centralizer 104 is in possession of this information it transmits it via the link 106 to the server 105. This transmission is carried out by the microprocessor 116 controlled by the instruction codes of the area 117b.

Indeed, the area 117b includes instruction codes which allow the centralizer 104 to dialogue with the server 105 when it is the application of the area 108a which is executed by the microprocessor 107. From step 209 we pass to a step 210 processing by the administration application. In step 210, the server 105 receives the information sent by the centralizer 104. This information is received and processed by the microprocessor 107 controlled by instruction codes from the area 108a.

l'application de la zone 113a. L'application de la zone 113a convertit alors ces informations à un format compatible avec l'application de la zone 112a qui est une application serveur HTML. C'est l'étape 211 de traduction des informations par la passerelle. On passe de cette étape à une étape 212 d'émission d'informations par le serveur. Dans l'étape 212 le programme 112a a à sa disposition des informations au bon format. Il envoie donc ces informations via le réseau 111 en direction de l'ordinateur 132. De là on passe alors à une étape 213 de réception d'informations sur le terminal distant. Dans l'étape 213 l'ordinateur 132 reçoit un fichier au format HTML qui est interprété par le navigateur Internet. Cette interprétation conduit à un affichage sur l'écran de l'ordinateur 132. Cet affichage comporte les

statistiques de circulation de la zone géographique couverte par le réseau Since this involves processing an order for the repatriation of information, the application of field 108a transmits this repatriated information to

the application of zone 113a. The application of zone 113a then converts this information into a format compatible with the application of zone 112a which is an HTML server application. This is step 211 of translating information by the gateway. We pass from this step to a step 212 of transmission of information by the server. In step 212, the program 112a has at its disposal information in the right format. It therefore sends this information via the network 111 in the direction of the computer 132. From there we then go to a step 213 for receiving information on the remote terminal. In step 213 the computer 132 receives a file in HTML format which is interpreted by the Internet browser. This interpretation leads to a display on the screen of the computer 132. This display includes the

traffic statistics for the geographic area covered by the network

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 101. These statistics can be for example the number of cars per hour per crossroads in the area.

 In the invention, therefore, it can be seen that the server 105 can comprise several administration applications. A number of gateways are associated with each administration application. The number of gateways associated with each administration application depends on the number of possible connections that have been planned. The connections illustrated in FIG. 1 are connections via an Internet browser, therefore in HTML format and the HTTP protocol, and a connection via a Wap mobile telephone, therefore in WML format and the WTP protocol (Wireless Transfer Protocol, or transfer protocol without wire). In addition, the centralizer 104 has as many memory areas of the 117b type as there are possible modes of communication with the centralizer 104. Once the invention has been covered, and on condition of having a name and a password recognized by the server 105, it is possible to perform administration tasks on a network without any administration software being installed on the device that is used to perform these tasks. The invention therefore makes it possible to provide an interface between standard Internet browsing software and one or more administration software.

 Figure 1 illustrates that the server is connected to a centralizer. In practice, the server 105 can be connected to several centralizers themselves connected to several controllers.

envisageable de connecter directement le serveur 105 aux automates du réseau 101. Figure 1 also illustrates that the centralizer is connected to controllers. However, it is not excluded in practice for the centralizer to be connected directly to the automatic devices of the network 101. By automatic device, it is necessary to understand in the example of FIG. 1 the traffic lights and the sensors. Similarly, we can envisage a case where the server 105 would be directly connected to the controllers 121 and 122. In the extreme, it is

it is possible to connect the server 105 directly to the controllers of the network 101.

The second mode of connection to the server 105 is to use the telephone 133. In this case the steps are identical to the steps described for the previous connection mode, via the computer 132 if only at the places and instead of program of zone 112a the program of zone 112b is implemented.

Claims (11)

 1-Application management device enabling remote administration of systems, characterized in that it comprises a server (105) comprising: - means (107-109) for covering at least one administration software, - means (107,109, 110,112) for managing a remote connection to at least one administration software accessible via the server, - means (107,109, 114) for controlling remote access.  2-Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the server comprises a database (114) of data to reference users of the device and the rights of these users.  3-Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the server comprises means (110,112a) to allow a user to use a connection via a network (111) of Internet type to connect to the server , preferably using a personal computer (132).  4-Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the server comprises means for allowing a user to use a mobile phone (133) to connect to the server.  5-Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the server comprises at least one gateway (113a, 113b), interface between a server administration software and a network to access the server.  6-Application management method allowing the remote administration of the system characterized in that: - one implements (207,210) at least one administration software on a server, - one establishes (201) a remote connection with at at least one administrative software present on the server, - remote access to at least one administrative software present on the server is controlled (202-203).  7-A method according to claim 6, characterized in that reference in a database of users and rights which their <Desc / Clms Page number 14>  are associated.  8-Method according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that establishes a remote connection between the server and a user via an Internet type network.  9-Method according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that establishes a remote connection between the server and a user via a network of mobile telephony type.  10-Method according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the remote connection is established via a gateway (206,211), preferably software, of the server.  11-Method according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that: -on is connected (201) to the server through a remote terminal, - one enters (202) a user identifier, - one checks (202 ) the rights associated with the identifier, - we propose (203) actions to the user, - we receive (205) on the server an order from the user, - we convert (206), on the server, the command received in a format compatible with administration software, - the command is executed (207) on the server, using administration software.