Generic device integration within an auto-id system

• US 20060168363A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Weng, Jie, Mo, Brian S., Lin, Tao, Swan, Richard J., Gurram, Rama
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products for generic device integration within an auto-id system. The system includes an auto-id node operable to collect data emitted by one or more automatic data acquisition devices, process the data, and make the data available to one or more enterprise applications, user interfaces, or other auto-id nodes. The auto-id node includes a device integration layer that is operable to handle communication between the auto-id node and different types of automatic data acquisition devices, device controllers, or device management systems.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an auto-id node operable to collect data emitted by one or more automatic data acquisition devices, process the data, and make the data available to one or more enterprise applications, user interfaces, or other auto-id nodes, the auto-id node including a device integration layer that is operable to handle communication between the auto-id node and different types of automatic data acquisition devices, device controllers, or device management systems, each device controller being operable to manage one or more of the automatic data acquisition devices and to relay data emitted by the automatic data acquisition devices to the auto-id node based on instructions from the auto-id node, each device management system being operable to monitor the condition of one or more of the automatic data acquisition devices or device controllers and to notify the auto-id node about the condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device integration layer includes:

a plurality of adapters, each adapter being operable to handle communication between the auto-id node and one type of automatic data acquisition device, device controller or device management system;

a plurality of communicators, each communicator being operable to handle data transport aspects of the communication between the auto-id node and one type of automatic data acquisition device, device controller or device management system; and

a plurality of converters, each converter being operable to handle-data conversion aspects of the communication between the auto-id node and one type of automatic data acquisition device, device controller or device management system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of adapters is represented by a single base class and multiple specific classes, the single base class implementing functionality common to all the adapters in the plurality of adapters, the specific classes implementing functionality specific to each of the adapters in the plurality of adapters.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the different types of automatic data acquisition devices, device controllers or device management systems use different communication protocols, communication channels, communication modes or messaging formats.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the different communication protocols include HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the different communication channels include a publish-subscribe channel, a point-to-point channel and socket channel.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the different communication channels include SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and JSP (Java Server Pages).

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the different communication modes include an on-line communication mode and an off-line communication mode.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the different types of automatic data acquisition devices include periodic devices that emit periodic data streams and aperiodic devices that emit aperiodic data streams.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the aperiodic devices include RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag readers.

11. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a connection request from an auto-id component to be connected to an auto-id node, the connection request specifying one or more parameters of the auto-id component, the auto-id component being an automatic data acquisition device, a device controller, or a device management system, the auto-id node being operable to collect data emitted by automatic data acquisition devices, process the data and make the data available to enterprise applications, user interfaces, or other auto-id nodes;

the device controller being operable to manage one or more of the automatic data acquisition devices and to relay data emitted by the automatic data acquisition devices to the auto-id node based on instructions from the auto-id node, the device management system being operable to monitor the condition of one or more automatic data acquisition devices or device controllers and to notify the auto-id node about the condition;

identifying an adapter that matches the parameters; and

generating an instance of the matching adapter.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein identifying an adapter that matches the parameters includes searching a repository local to the auto-id node and if a matching adapter is not found in the local repository, searching a global repository remote to the auto-id node.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the parameters include one or more of a communication protocol, a communication mode, a communication channel, a messaging format and a product name.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the parameters include an address for the global repository to be searched.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise using the generated instance to handle communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a connection request from an auto-id component to be connected to an auto-id node, the connection request specifying one or more parameters of the auto-id component, the auto-id component being an automatic data acquisition device, a device controller, or a device management system, the auto-id node being operable to collect data emitted by automatic data acquisition devices, process the data and make the data available to enterprise applications, user interfaces, or other auto-id nodes;

the device controller being operable to manage one or more of the automatic data acquisition devices and to relay data emitted by the automatic data acquisition devices to the auto-id node based on instructions from the auto-id node, the device management system being operable to monitor the condition of one or more automatic data acquisition devices or device controllers and to notify the auto-id node about the condition;

identifying an adapter that matches the parameters; and

generating an instance of the matching adapter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein identifying an adapter that matches the parameters includes searching a repository local to the auto-id node and if a matching adapter is not found in the local repository, searching a global repository remote to the auto-id node.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the parameters include one or more of a communication protocol, a communication mode, a communication channel, a messaging format and a product name.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the parameters include an address for the global repository to be searched.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising using the generated instance to handle communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component.