TCP/ip connect and maintain connection

[Azar]

Code:

-- socket connected
if connected then
 
 
  -- Get level of the Volume control group in the Symetrix Control 127 application on the local network
value = GetCBusLevel(0,  127, 10)
 
  -- Convert level to command
--command = 'cs 34' ..(value*257).. cr
 
command = 'CS 34 '..(value * 257).. '\r'

 
    -- send command
sock:send (command)

  -- read until one line received or error occured
  while true do
    char, err = sock:receive(1)

    -- error while receiving, timeout or closed socket
    if err then
      -- remote server closed connection, reconnect
      if err == 'closed' then
        connected = false
        alert('[tcp-sock] connection closed')
        os.sleep(1)
      end

      break
    -- end of line, parse buffer
    elseif char == '\r' then
      data = table.concat(buffer)
      log(data)
      buffer = {}

      -- wait some time before next request
      os.sleep(1)

      break
    -- other char, add to buffer
    else
      buffer[ #buffer + 1 ] = char
    end
  end
-- first call or previously disconnected
else
  -- close previous connection when disconnected
  if sock then
    sock:close()
    sock = nil
  end

  -- create tcp socket
  sock = require('socket').tcp()
  sock:settimeout(1)
  connected, err = sock:connect('192.168.1.246', 48631)

  -- connect ok, reset buffer
  if connected then
    alert('[tcp-sock] connection ok')
    buffer = {}
  -- error while connecting
  else
    alert('[tcp-sock] connection failed: %s', err)
    os.sleep(5)
  end
end

All is good now, conversion from cbus 255 to control 65535 is working,  
This script continues to send command at every 1 second interval is there any way i can change this so that it only sends socket command apon a new change of cbus level value. similar to an event script that waits for an event before acting?