Sensor network modeling and deployment

• US 20060142978A1
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Mo, Brian S., Suenbuel, Asuman, Odenwald, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,395,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for receiving constraint characterizing data applicable to a sensor network, receiving a logical representation of a requirements specification for the sensor network, and processing the constraint characterizing data and the logical representation of the requirements specification to generate a modular representation of the sensor network. The constraint characterizing data includes physical environment data, sensor constraint data, and application domain data. The modular representation of the sensor network defines sensor node placement and sensor distribution within the sensor network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving constraint characterizing data applicable to a sensor network, the constraint characterizing data comprising physical environment data, sensor constraint data, and application domain data;

receiving a logical representation of a requirements specification for the sensor network; and

processing the constraint characterizing data and the logical representation of the requirements specification to generate a modular representation of the sensor network, the modular representation defining sensor node placement and sensor distribution within the sensor network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating items of code according to the modular representation of the sensor network, each item of code being suitable for execution on a sensor node.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending each item of code to a corresponding sensor node.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deploying sensor nodes in a physical environment characterized by the physical environment data, each sensor node having a sensor node placement and one or more sensors as defined by the modular representation of the sensor network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing further comprises:

receiving user input specifying one or more sensor network factors; and

generating the modular representation of the sensor network using the user-specified sensor network factors.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the modular representation of the sensor network is optimized according to the user-specified sensor network factors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical environment data comprises data characterizing a physical environment in which the sensor network is to deployed and data characterizing limitations of the physical environment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor constraint data comprises data characterizing parameters of a sensor type and data characterizing parameters of a sensor node.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the application domain data comprises data characterizing an application domain in which the sensor network is to be deployed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical representation of the requirements specification comprises one or more logical statements, each logical statement formed by a plurality of variables associated with each other through logical operators.

11. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product being operable to cause a machine to:

receive constraint characterizing data applicable to a sensor network, the constraint characterizing data comprising physical environment data, sensor constraint data, and application domain data;

receive a logical representation of a requirements specification for the sensor network; and

process the constraint characterizing data and the logical representation of the requirements specification to generate a modular representation of the sensor network, the modular representation defining sensor node placement and sensor distribution within the sensor network.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, being further operable to cause a machine to:

generate items of code according to the modular representation of the sensor network, each item of code being suitable for execution on a sensor node.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, being further operable to cause a machine to:

send each item of code to a corresponding sensor node.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, being further operable to cause a machine to:

deploy sensor nodes in a physical environment characterized by the physical environment data, each sensor node having a sensor node placement and one or more sensors as defined by the modular representation of the sensor network.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, being further operable to cause a machine to:

receive user input specifying one or more sensor network factors; and

generate the modular representation of the sensor network using the user-specified sensor network factors.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, being further operable to cause a machine to:

optimize the modular representation of the sensor network according to the user-specified sensor network factors.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, being further operable to cause a machine to:

provide a graphical user interface through which user input is received.

18. A system comprising:

memory in which (1) a plurality of models are stored, the plurality of models comprising at least one physical environment model, at least one sensor constraint model, and at least one domain-specific model, and (2) a logical representation of a requirements specification for a sensor network is stored; and

a processor to execute a program configured to;

retrieve a physical environment model, a sensor constraint model, a domain-specific model, and the logical representation of the requirements specification from memory; and

process the models and the logical representation of the requirements specification to generate a modular representation of the sensor network, the modular representation defining sensor node placement and sensor distribution within the sensor network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the program is further configured to:

generate items of code according to the modular representation of the sensor network, each item of code being suitable for execution on a sensor node; and

send each item of code to a corresponding sensor node.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the program is further configured to:

receive user input specifying one or more sensor network factors; and

generate the modular representation of the sensor network using the user-specified sensor network factors.