Multi-protocol gateway for connecting sensor devices to cloud

• US 10,178,206 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tessiore, Lorenzo, Sakellariadis, Spyros S., Bloch, Olivier
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N
• Application Number:
  US14/937,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20170134536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709217, 709223, 709224, 709203, 709206, 709219, 709226, 709228, 709230, 709232, 709238, 340551, 726 22
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for connecting sensor devices to cloud servers by a gateway device. The gateway device includes a plurality of sensor adaptors, a sensor data processor, and a network communication interface. The sensor adaptors are configured to receive sensor data in communication signals from sensor devices. Each sensor adaptor is configured to extract sensor data encapsulated according to a respective sensor communication protocol. The sensor data processor is configured to process the extracted sensor data for transmission to a cloud service, such as by extracting unneeded messages data, or inserting additional data such as a time stamp. The network communication interface is configured to transmit the processed sensor data to the cloud service over a network according to a network communication protocol. Sensor data of different types may be transmitted according to corresponding types of network communication protocols.

Claims

1. A method in a gateway device, comprising:

receiving first sensor data in a first message from a first sensor device in a first communication signal according to a first sensor communication protocol;

receiving second sensor data in a second message from a second sensor device in a second communication signal according to a second sensor communication protocol that is different than the first sensor communication protocol, the first and second messages being received and formatted according to a same common message language;

processing the first and second sensor data for transmission to a cloud service; and

transmitting the first and second sensor data to the cloud service over a network according to a network communication protocol, said transmitting the first and second sensor data comprising;

accessing a data structure that maps sensor communication protocols to network communication protocols to determine a first network communication protocol that maps to the first sensor communication protocol and a second network communication protocol that maps to the second sensor communication protocol;

transmitting the first message to the cloud service in a third communication signal according to the first network communication protocol; and

transmitting the second message to the cloud service in a fourth communication signal according to the second network communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving first sensor data comprises:

receiving the first sensor data at a first sensor adaptor of the gateway device, the first sensor adaptor configured for the first sensor communication protocol, and

extracting, by the first sensor adaptor, the first message from the first communication signal; and

wherein said receiving second sensor data comprises;

receiving the second sensor data at a second sensor adaptor of the gateway device, the second sensor adaptor configured for the second sensor communication protocol, and

extracting, by the second sensor adaptor, the second message from the second communication signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the common message language utilizes an open standard data format.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the open standard data format is extensible, and said processing the first and second sensor data for transmission to a cloud service comprises:

augmenting at least one of the first message or second message with additional data.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling additional sensor adaptors to plug into the gateway device without modification to the gateway device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said enabling additional sensor adaptors to plug into the gateway device without modification to the gateway device comprises:

enabling program code for each additional sensor adaptor to be loaded into the gateway device;

providing a common sensor data interface to enable each additional sensor adaptor to provide messages received from sensors to the gateway device, the common sensor data interface configured to receive the messages according to the common message language; and

communicatively coupling each additional sensor adaptor with a wired or wireless interface of the gateway device.

7. The method of claim 1, said processing comprising removing at least one instance of non-sensor data from at least one of the first message or second message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one instance of non-sensor data comprises at least a portion of at least one of a header or a footer of at least one of the first message or the second message.

9. A gateway device, comprising:

a plurality of sensor adaptors configured to receive sensor data in a plurality of messages encapsulated in communication signals from sensor devices, each sensor adaptor configured to extract sensor data encapsulated according to a respective sensor communication protocol, the plurality of messages being received and formatted according to a same common message language;

a memory buffer configured to buffer the sensor data extracted by the sensor adaptors;

a sensor data processor configured to process the extracted sensor data for transmission to a cloud service

a network communication interface configured to transmit the processed sensor data to the cloud service over a network according to a network communication protocol; and

a protocol mapper configured to access a data structure that maps sensor communication protocols to network communication protocols, the protocol mapper configured to determine from the data structure a first network communication protocol of the network communication protocols that maps to a first sensor communication protocol of the sensor communication protocols and a second network communication protocol of the network communication protocols that maps to a second sensor communication protocol of the sensor communication protocols,

the network communication interface comprising;

a first network protocol adaptor configured to encapsulate a first message of the plurality of messages in a first communication signal according to the first network communication protocol; and

a second network protocol adaptor configured to encapsulate a second message of the plurality of messages in a second communication signal according to the second network communication protocol, the first and second communication signals transmitted to the cloud service.

10. The gateway device of claim 9, wherein plurality of sensor adaptors comprises:

a first sensor adaptor configured to receive first sensor data in the first message of the plurality of messages encapsulated in a third communication signal according to a first sensor communication protocol, and to extract the first message from the third communication signal; and

a second sensor adaptor configured to receive second sensor data in the second message of the plurality of messages encapsulated in a fourth communication signal according to a second sensor communication protocol, and to extract the fourth message from the second communication signal; and

wherein the common message language utilizes an open standard data format.

11. The gateway device of claim 10, wherein the open standard data format is extensible, and the sensor data processor is configured to:

remove at least one instance of non-sensor data from at least one of the first message or second message, and

augment at least one of the first message or second message with additional data.

12. The gateway device of claim 11, wherein the at least one instance of non-sensor data comprises at least a portion of at least one of a header or a footer of at least one of the first message or the second message.

13. The gateway device of claim 9, further comprising:

a sensor adaptor plug-in interface configured to enable sensor adaptors to plug into the gateway device without modification to the gateway device.

14. The gateway device of claim 13, wherein the sensor adaptor plug-in interface comprises:

a common sensor data interface configured to enable program code of sensor adaptors to provide messages extracted from received communication signals according to the corresponding sensor communication protocols to the sensor data processor.

15. A computing device, comprising:

at least one processor circuit;

a plurality of sensor adaptors, implemented as program code by the at least one processor circuit, configured to receive sensor data in a plurality of messages encapsulated in communication signals from sensor devices, each sensor adaptor configured to extract sensor data encapsulated according to a respective sensor communication protocol, the plurality of messages being received and formatted according to a same common message language;

a memory buffer configured to buffer the sensor data extracted by the sensor adaptors;

a sensor data processor, implemented as program code by the at least one processor circuit, configured to process the extracted sensor data for transmission to a cloud service

a network communication interface configured to transmit the processed sensor data to the cloud service over a network according to a network communication protocol; and

a protocol mapper configured to access a data structure that maps sensor communication protocols to network communication protocols, the protocol mapper configured to determine from the data structure a first network communication protocol of the network communication protocols that maps to a first sensor communication protocol of the sensor communication protocols and a second network communication protocol of the network communication protocols that maps to a second sensor communication protocol of the sensor communication protocols,

the network communication interface comprises;

a first network protocol adaptor configured to encapsulate a first message of the plurality of messages in a first communication signal according to the first network communication protocol; and

a second network protocol adaptor configured to encapsulate a second message of the plurality of messages in a second communication signal according to the second network communication protocol, the first and second communication signals transmitted to the cloud service.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein plurality of sensor adaptors comprises:

a first sensor adaptor configured to receive first sensor data in the first message of the plurality of messages encapsulated in a third communication signal according to a first sensor communication protocol, and to extract the first message from the third communication signal; and

a second sensor adaptor configured to receive second sensor data in the second message of the plurality of messages encapsulated in a fourth communication signal according to a second sensor communication protocol, and to extract the second message from the fourth communication signal; and

the common message language utilizing an open standard data format.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the open standard data format is extensible, and the sensor data processor is configured to:

remove at least one instance of non-sensor data from at least one of the first message or second message, and

augment at least one of the first message or second message with additional data.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the at least one instance of non-sensor data comprises at least a portion of at least one of a header or a footer of at least one of the first message or the second message.

19. The computing device of claim 15, further comprising:

a sensor adaptor plug-in interface configured to enable sensor adaptors to plug into the gateway device without modification to the gateway device.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the sensor adaptor plug-in interface comprises:

a common sensor data interface configured to enable program code of sensor adaptors to provide messages extracted from received communication signals according to the corresponding sensor communication protocols to the sensor data processor.