Identification of failed sensors in a system of interconnected devices

• US 10,378,936 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kodeswaran, Palanivel A., Kokku, Ravindranath, Sen, Sayandeep, Srivatsa, Mudhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmad, Khaja
• Application Number:
  US14/846,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20170067763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/00 Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks

Abstract

Methods and arrangements for identifying failed sensors in a system of interconnected devices. A contemplated method includes: utilizing at least one processor to execute computer code that performs the steps of: receiving data from a first plurality of sensors, each sensor being operatively coupled to a device within a system of interconnected devices; associating the data received with an activity; comparing the data received with previously stored data associated with the activity; detecting, based on the comparing, an anomaly associated with at least one of the first plurality of sensors, wherein the anomaly indicates a problem with the at least one of the first plurality of sensors; and recording, at a data storage location, the anomaly, wherein the data storage location stores data associated with previously identified anomalies. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for identifying failed sensors in a system of interconnected devices, said apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code that receives data from a first plurality of sensors, each sensor being operatively coupled to a device within a system of interconnected devices within a living environment, wherein the system of interconnected devices comprise at least a stove, a refrigerator, a sink, and a light;

computer readable program code that associates the data received with an activity of a user, wherein the activity comprises a living activity;

computer readable program code that compares the data received with previously stored data associated with the activity of the user, wherein the previously stored data associated with the activity of the user comprises identification of a plurality of sensors that are triggered during performance of the activity and wherein the comparing comprises comparing the first plurality of sensors triggered during receipt of the activity of the user with a plurality of sensors identified as being triggered during a previous receipt of the activity of the user;

computer readable program code that detects, based on the comparing, an anomaly associated with at least one of the first plurality of sensors corresponding to the activity, wherein the anomaly is based upon the data received from the at least one of the first plurality of sensors being different from the previously stored data;

computer readable program code that records, at a data storage location, the anomaly, wherein the data storage location stores data associated with previously identified anomalies;

computer readable program code that identifies a possible failed sensor using the recorded anomaly, wherein identifying a possible failed sensor comprises determining that more than one recorded anomaly has been associated with the at least one of the first plurality of sensors; and

computer readable program code that performs an action in response to the identified possible failed sensor, wherein the action comprises storing information related to the possible failed sensor and aggregating anomalies associate with the possible failed sensor to identify a failed sensor and notify a user of the failed sensor.

2. A computer program product for identifying failed sensors in a system of interconnected devices, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code that receives data from a first plurality of sensors, each sensor being operatively coupled to a device within a system of interconnected devices within a living environment, wherein the system of interconnected devices comprise at least a stove, a refrigerator, a sink, and a light;

computer readable program code that associates the data received with an activity of a user, wherein the activity comprises a living activity;

computer readable program code that compares the data received with previously stored data associated with the activity of the user, wherein the previously stored data associated with the activity of the user comprises identification of a plurality of sensors that are triggered during performance of the activity and wherein the comparing comprises comparing the first plurality of sensors triggered during receipt of the activity of the user with a plurality of sensors identified as being triggered during a previous receipt of the activity of the user;

computer readable program code that detects, based on the comparing, an anomaly associated with at least one of the first plurality of sensors corresponding to the activity, wherein the anomaly is based upon the data received from the at least one of the first plurality of sensors being different from the previously stored data;

computer readable program code that records, at a data storage location, the anomaly, wherein the data storage location stores data associated with previously identified anomalies;

computer readable program code that identifies a possible failed sensor using the recorded anomaly, wherein identifying a possible failed sensor comprises determining that more than one recorded anomaly has been associated with the at least one of the first plurality of sensors; and

computer readable program code that performs an action in response to the identified possible failed sensor, wherein the action comprises storing information related to the possible failed sensor and aggregating anomalies associate with the possible failed sensor to identify a failed sensor and notify a user of the failed sensor.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the possible failed sensor is identified as the at least one of the first plurality of sensors for which the anomaly was detected.

4. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer readable program code that identifies a possible failed sensor comprises calculating an improbability associated with the at least one of the first plurality of sensors, wherein the improbability identifies a likelihood of sensor failure.

5. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer readable program code that identifies a possible failed sensor comprises:

calculating an improbability associated with the at least one of the first plurality of sensors; and

determining that the improbability exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer readable program code that records comprises increasing a counter associated with the at least one of the first plurality of sensors for which an anomaly is detected.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable program code that identifies comprises identifying that the counter associated with the at least one of the first plurality of sensors exceeds a predetermined threshold.

8. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer readable program code further:

receives additional data, associated with a second activity, from a second plurality of sensors, wherein at least one sensor is common between the first plurality of sensors and the second plurality of sensors; and

wherein the computer readable program code that identifies a possible failed sensor comprises identifying that the anomaly is associated with the at least one common sensor.

9. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the anomaly comprises receiving no signal from the at least one of the first plurality of sensors when a signal is expected based upon the previously stored data associated with the activity.

10. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the anomaly comprises receiving at least one spurious signal from the at least one of the first plurality of sensors when a signal is not expected based upon the previously stored data associated with the activity.