Gateway device allowing multiple infrastructural services to access multiple IoT devices

• US 10,681,154 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2018
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Furuichi, Sanehiro, Tashiro, Takahito
• Primary Examiner(s): Chacko, Joe
• Application Number:
  US15/921,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20190289082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• 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 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A method, a computer program product, and a computer system for allowing multiple infrastructural services to access multiple IoT (Internet of Things) devices. A gateway device connects the multiple infrastructural services and the multiple IoT devices. The gateway device receives a use request from a first application of a first infrastructural service. Among the multiple IoT devices, the gateway device identifies an IoT device that meets one or more requirements in the use request. The gateway device determines whether the IoT device is being used by a second application of a second infrastructural service. The gateway device assigns to the first application an exclusive right to use the IoT device, in response to determining that the IoT device is not being used by the second application. The first application has a right to refer to data and a right to execute available commands without restriction.

Claims

1. A method for allowing multiple infrastructural services to access multiple IoT (Internet of Things) devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by a gateway device, a use request from a first application of a first infrastructural service, wherein the gateway device connects the multiple infrastructural services and the multiple IoT devices;

identifying among the multiple IoT devices, by the gateway device, an IoT device that meets one or more requirements in the use request;

determining, by the gateway device, whether the IoT device is being used by a second application of a second infrastructural service;

assigning, by the gateway device, to the first application an exclusive right to use the IoT device, in response to determining that the IoT device is not being used by the second application;

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determining, by the gateway device, whether a mode of the exclusive right to use and a first-come-first-serve basis or a mode of the exclusive right to use and a priority right basis is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the exclusive right to use and the first-come-first-serve basis is configured, assigning, by the gateway device, the first application the exclusive right to use an unused IoT device and keeping the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device;

in response to determining that the mode of the exclusive right to use and the priority right basis is configured, determining, by the gateway device, whether the first application has a higher priority to use the IoT device than the second application;

in response to determining that the first application has the higher priority than the second application, assigning, by the gateway device, the first application the exclusive right to use the IoT device and depriving the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the exclusive right, the first application is allowed to solely use the IoT device without being affected by the second application, wherein the first application has a right to refer to data and a right to execute available commands without restriction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determining, by the gateway device, whether a mode of simple sharing and the first-come-first-serve basis or a mode of the simple sharing and the priority right basis is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the simple sharing and the first-come-first-serve basis is configured, assigning, by the gateway device, to the first application the exclusive right to use the unused IoT device, keeping the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device, and assigning the first application a restrictive right to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the restrictive right, the first application executing ones of the available commands for the IoT device is restricted, and the first application cannot modify configurations of the IoT device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to determining that the mode of the simple sharing and the priority right basis is configured, determining, by the gateway device, whether the first application has the higher priority to use the IoT device than the second application;

in response to determining that the first application has the higher priority than the second application, assigning, by the gateway device, to the first application the exclusive right to use the IoT device, depriving the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device, and assigning the second application the restrictive right to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the restrictive right, the second application executing ones of the available commands for the IoT device is restricted, and the second application cannot modify configurations of the IoT device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determining, by the gateway device, whether a mode of time sharing is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the time sharing is configured, assigning, by the gateway device, to the first application and to the second application the exclusive right in a time sharing manner, in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application; and

wherein the gateway device assigns the exclusive right alternatively to the first application and to the second application, according to predetermined respective durations of use allowed for the first application and the second application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the use request includes at least one of (1) a type of the IoT device, (2) a location of the IoT device, and (3) an interval of data transfer from the IoT device.

6. A computer program product for allowing multiple infrastructural services to access multiple IoT (Internet of Things) devices, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, the program instructions executable to:

receive, by a gateway device, a use request from a first application of a first infrastructural service, wherein the gateway device connects the multiple infrastructural services and the multiple IoT devices;

identify among the multiple IoT devices, by the gateway device, an IoT device that meets one or more requirements in the use request;

determine, by the gateway device, whether the IoT device is being used by a second application of a second infrastructural service;

assign, by the gateway device, to the first application an exclusive right to use the IoT device, in response to determining that the IoT device is not being used by the second application;

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determine, by the gateway device, whether a mode of the exclusive right to use and a first-come-first-serve basis or a mode of the exclusive right to use and a priority right basis is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the exclusive right to use and the first-come-first-serve basis is configured, assign, by the gateway device, the first application the exclusive right to use an unused IoT device and keep the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device;

in response to determining that the mode of the exclusive right to use and the priority right basis is configured, determine, by the gateway device, whether the first application has a higher priority to use the IoT device than the second application;

in response to determining that the first application has the higher priority than the second application, assign by the gateway device, the first application the exclusive right to use the IoT device and deprive the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the exclusive right, the first application is allowed to solely use the IoT device without being affected by the second application, wherein the first application has a right to refer to data and a right to execute available commands without restriction.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the program instructions executable to:

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determine, by the gateway device, whether a mode of simple sharing and the first-come-first-serve basis or a mode of the simple sharing and the priority right basis is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the simple sharing and the first-come-first-serve basis is configured, assign, by the gateway device, to the first application the exclusive right to use the unused IoT device, keep the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device, and assign the first application a restrictive right to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the restrictive right, the first application executing ones of the available commands for the IoT device is restricted, and the first application cannot modify configurations of the IoT device.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising the program instructions executable to:

in response to determining that the mode of the simple sharing and the priority right basis is configured, determine, by the gateway device, whether the first application has the higher priority to use the IoT device than the second application;

in response to determining that the first application has the higher priority than the second application, assign, by the gateway device, to the first application the exclusive right to use the IoT device, deprive the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device, and assign the second application the restrictive right to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the restrictive right, the second application executing ones of the available commands for the IoT device is restricted, and the second application cannot modify configurations of the IoT device.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising the program instructions executable to:

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determine, by the gateway device, whether a mode of time sharing is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the time sharing is configured, assign, by the gateway device, to the first application and to the second application the exclusive right in a time sharing manner, in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application; and

wherein the gateway device assigns the exclusive right alternatively to the first application and to the second application, according to predetermined respective durations of use allowed for the first application and the second application.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the use request includes at least one of (1) a type of the IoT device, (2) a location of the IoT device, and (3) an interval of data transfer from the IoT device.

11. A computer system for allowing multiple infrastructural services to access multiple IoT (Internet of Things) devices, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions executable to;

receive, by a gateway device, a use request from a first application of a first infrastructural service, wherein the gateway device connects the multiple infrastructural services and the multiple IoT devices;

identify among the multiple IoT devices, by the gateway device, an IoT device that meets one or more requirements in the use request;

determine, by the gateway device, whether the IoT device is being used by a second application of a second infrastructural service;

assign, by the gateway device, to the first application an exclusive right to use the IoT device, in response to determining that the IoT device is not being used by the second application;

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determine, by the gateway device, whether a mode of the exclusive right to use and a first-come-first-serve basis or a mode of the exclusive right to use and a priority right basis is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the exclusive right to use and the first-come-first-serve basis is configured, assign, by the gateway device, the first application the exclusive right to use an unused IoT device and keep the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device;

in response to determining that the mode of the exclusive right to use and the priority right basis is configured, determine, by the gateway device, whether the first application has a higher priority to use the IoT device than the second application;

in response to determining that the first application has the higher priority than the second application, assign by the gateway device, the first application the exclusive right to use the IoT device and deprive the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the exclusive right, the first application is allowed to solely use the IoT device without being affected by the second application, wherein the first application has a right to refer to data and a right to execute available commands without restriction.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising the program instructions executable to:

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determine, by the gateway device, whether a mode of simple sharing and the first-come-first-serve basis or a mode of the simple sharing and the priority right basis is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the simple sharing and the first-come-first-serve basis is configured, assign, by the gateway device, to the first application the exclusive right to use the unused IoT device, keep the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device, and assign the first application a restrictive right to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the restrictive right, the first application executing ones of the available commands for the IoT device is restricted, and the first application cannot modify configurations of the IoT device.

13. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising the program instructions executable to:

in response to determining that the mode of the simple sharing and the priority right basis is configured, determine, by the gateway device, whether the first application has the higher priority to use the IoT device than the second application;

in response to determining that the first application has the higher priority than the second application, assign, by the gateway device, to the first application the exclusive right to use the IoT device, deprive the exclusive right of the second application to use the IoT device, and assign the second application the restrictive right to use the IoT device; and

wherein, with the restrictive right, the second application executing ones of the available commands for the IoT device is restricted, and the second application cannot modify configurations of the IoT device.

14. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising the program instructions executable to:

in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application, determine, by the gateway device, whether a mode of time sharing is configured;

in response to determining that the mode of the time sharing is configured, assign, by the gateway device, to the first application and to the second application the exclusive right in a time sharing manner, in response to determining that the IoT device is being used by the second application; and

wherein the gateway device assigns the exclusive right alternatively to the first application and to the second application, according to predetermined respective durations of use allowed for the first application and the second application.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the use request includes at least one of (1) a type of the IoT device, (2) a location of the IoT device, and (3) an interval of data transfer from the IoT device.