Hierarchical, multi-tiered mapping and monitoring architecture for smart items

• US 20070118549A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bornhoevd, Christof, Avanes, Artin, Ziekow, Holger, Wiemann, Matthias, Mo, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5088 involving task migration

Abstract

A service repository is used to store at least one service in association with service metadata describing service requirements of the service. The service repository also may store one or more platform-specific service executables. A service mapper is used to determine device metadata associated with each of a plurality of devices, where the device metadata provides device characteristics of the devices. The service mapper may thus map the service to a selected device of the plurality of devices for deployment thereon, based on a matching of corresponding elements of the service requirements and the device characteristics. The service mapper also may re-map the service between devices to maintain a quality and reliability of the service.

Claims

1. A hierarchical, multi-tiered mapping and monitoring system for use with device networks, the system comprising:

a service repository configured to store;

a global service that is configured to track global device metadata associated with at least one device network;

a local service that is configured to track local device metadata associated with the at least one device network and to update the global device metadata based thereon;

a group leader service that is configured to query devices of the at least one device network and aggregate group-level device metadata for transmission to the local service and updating of the local device metadata; and

a service mapper that is configured to associate service metadata of the global service, the local service, and the group leader service, respectively, with device metadata of at least one global device, at least one local device, and at least one group leader device, also respectively, and to perform a mapping of the services to the respective devices, based thereon.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the global service, the local service, and the group leader service are associated, respectively, with a global service mapper component, a local service mapper component, and a group leader service mapper component, respectively.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the service mapper components are configured to map a device network service associated with a functionality of the at least one device network from the service repository to one of the queried devices of the at least one device network, based on the global device metadata, the local device metadata, and/or the group leader device metadata.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the global service, the local service, and the group leader service are associated, respectively, with a global service monitor component, a local service monitor component, and a group leader service monitor component, respectively.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the service monitor components are configured to provide monitor data associated with the at least one device network to the service mapper, the service mapper being configured to map a device network service to at least one device of the at least one device network.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the global service monitor component is configured to provide monitor data associated with the at least one device network to a user interface of an application.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the service repository includes a device-level service monitor component that is configured to obtain device-level device metadata for communication thereof to the group leader service monitor component.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the service mapper is configured to map the device-level service monitor component to a device of the at least one device network.

9. The system of claim 1:

wherein the global device metadata includes information regarding a plurality of local services, each of the plurality of local services being in communication with at least one group leader service, and

wherein the global device metadata identifies one or more classes of devices of the at least one device network associated with the plurality of local services, and further identifies one or more classes of services deployed on the at least one device network.

10. The system of claim 1:

wherein the local device metadata includes information regarding a number of group leader services, each of the group leader services being in communication with at least one device of the at least one device network, and

wherein the local device metadata identifies device-specific and service-specific information, along with location information describing a location of the at least one device.

11. The system of claim 1:

wherein the group-leader device metadata includes device-specific device metadata associated with the at least one device of the at least one device network, and

wherein the group leader service is configured to process the device-specific device metadata before transmission thereof to the local service.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the service mapper is configured to provide a re-mapping of at least one of the global service, the local service, or the group leader service from the global device, the local device, or the group leader device to, respectively, a secondary global device, a secondary local device, or a secondary group leader device.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein a single device acts as at least two of the at least one global device, at least one local device, and at least one group leader device, and wherein the service mapper is configured to map at least two of the global service, local service, and group leader service to the single device.

14. A method comprising:

mapping a group leader service to a group leader device of a device network, the group leader service configured to query devices of the device network to obtain device metadata therefrom, and to process the device metadata for transmission;

mapping a local service to a local device associated with the group leader device, the local service configured to receive the processed device metadata from the group leader service for storage thereof; and

mapping a global service to a global device in communication with the local device, the global service configured to communicate with the local service to update global-level device metadata based on the stored, processed device metadata,

wherein the mappings of the group leader service, the local service, and the global service are performed based on an association of service metadata of each of the services with device capabilities of the group leader device, the local device, and the global device, respectively.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising:

monitoring the device metadata, the monitoring including;

receiving a query request at the global service;

determining the local service, based on the query request;

transmitting the query request to the local service;

determining the group leader service at the local service, based on the query request;

distributing a query from the group leader service to group devices of the device network associated with the group leader service, based on the query request; and

collecting the device metadata from the group devices.

16. The method of claim 14 comprising:

monitoring the device metadata, the monitoring including;

collecting the device metadata at a device-level service;

transmitting the device metadata from the device-level service to the group leader service;

processing the device metadata at the group leader service;

transmitting the processed device metadata to the local service;

performing a mapping of a device network service at the local service, based on an association of service metadata of the device network service with the stored, processed device metadata; and

updating the global-level device metadata, based on the stored, processed device metadata and based on the mapping.

17. A system comprising:

a group leader service deployed on a group leader device of a device network and configured to collect and process device metadata associated with at least one device of a group of devices of a sensor network;

a local service deployed on a local device and configured to communicate with the group leader device and to receive the processed device metadata therefrom;

a global service deployed on a global device and configured to communicate with the local device and to update global device metadata, based on the device metadata; and

a service mapper configured to receive the device metadata and to map a device network service from a service repository to at least one of the devices, based on the device metadata and on service metadata associated with the device network service.

18. The system of claim 17 comprising:

a device-level service deployed on the at least one device of the group of devices, the device-level service configured to detect the device metadata at the at least one device and to transmit the device metadata to the group leader service.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the service mapper is deployed as part of at least one of the group leader service, the local service, and the global service.

20. The system of claim 17 comprising a system monitor, wherein the system monitor is deployed as part of at least one of the group leader service, the local service, and the global service.