Reconfigurable,hierarchical component-based architecture & framework and methods for rapidly developing sensor device-enabling software applications

• US 20080005287A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hexagon Technology Center GmbH (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Augusta Systems, Inc. (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Thomas, George K., Moody, John E., Esposito, Patrick R., Harvey, Clint M., Williams, Jackie P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• 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

A reconfigurable, hierarchical component-based architecture and framework for rapidly developing sensor device enabling software applications can have a rule-based data structuring system, a series table system, and a system of acquiring data from a data provider. User defined relationships can be established to enable exchange of data between the rule-based data structuring system, the series table system, the system of acquiring data, another rule-based data structuring system, an object oriented wrapping system, a data filtering system, a data structure grouping and merging system, a data device writer system, and a network communications system. Each system can have components and subcomponents by which the user defined relationships can be established, for example by embedding components of various systems within the rule-based data structuring system, and/or other systems, and/or by setting a property value to link components of the systems with a component of the rule-based data structuring system and/or other systems.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework for rapidly developing sensor device enabling software applications comprising:

a. a rule-based data structuring system having at least one of a series component and an associated field subcomponent;

b. a series table system having a series table component;

c. a system of acquiring data from a data provider, said data comprised of at least sensor data; and

d. wherein said rule-based data structuring system is configured by user-defined relationships to exchange data with at least one of;

i. another rule-based data structuring system,

ii. said system of acquiring data,

iii. said series table system,

iv. an object oriented wrapping system having at least one of a command component and an associated parameter subcomponent, and

v. a data filtering system having at least one of a filter component and an associated condition subcomponent.

2. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 1 wherein said user-defined relationships are established by at least one of:

a. embedding components of such listed systems within said rulebased data structuring system; and

b. setting a single property value to link components of such listed systems with said series component of said rule-based data structuring system.

3. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 2 wherein said associated field, parameter and condition subcomponents are user-defined and are one of embedded or linked in combination with a respective associated component thereof to establish said user defined relationships.

4. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 2 further comprising said rule-based data structuring system configured according to said user-defined relationships to exchange data with at least one of:

a. a data structure grouping and merging system having a sensor group component and at least one of an associated group series subcomponent, an associated existing field subcomponent, and an associated trigger subcomponent;

b. a data device writer system having an associated device writer component; and

c. a network communications system having at least one of a data sending component and a data receiving component.

5. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 4 wherein said group series, existing field, and trigger subcomponents are user-defined and are one of embedded or linked in combination with a respective associated component thereof to establish said user defined relationships.

6. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 4 further comprising said user defined relationships established between at least two of said system of acquiring data, said series table system, said object oriented wrapping system, said data filtering system, said data structure grouping and merging system, said data device writer system, and said network communications system to exchange data therebetween, in addition to exchanging data with said rule-based data structuring system.

7. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 6 further comprising:

a. at least one central device component comprised of at least one of;

i. said rule-based data structuring system,

ii. said system of acquiring data,

iii. said series table system,

iv. said object oriented wrapping system,

v. said data filtering system,

vi. said data structure grouping and merging system,

vii. said data device writer system, and

viii. said network communications system; and

b. wherein said central device component is a logical representation of said data provider.

8. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of instances of said central device components each usable at the same time.

9. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 further comprising:

a. an object oriented design component toolset having object template derivation tools for accessing and editing a set of based object templates, such that said toolset utilizes inheritance of basic operational capability from a component base class existing within an internal framework of an IDE in which the reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework resides; and

b. said toolset enabling establishment of said user-defined relationships between systems which comprise said central device component.

10. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 9 wherein said central device component further comprises:

a. a visual representation thereof;

b. a design-time interface to access said visual representation;

c. a programmatic interface; and

d. a data-binding interface.

11. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 10 further comprising establishing said user-defined relationships by setting said single property value via at least one of said design-time interfaces and said programmatic interfaces.

12. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 10 wherein said central device component is saved as a software application program, said software application program comprised of common object-oriented code, and wherein said software application program is rapidly developed using a suite of said components and subcomponents of said systems which employ said user-defined relationships that establish the exchange of data therebetween.

13. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing one or more computer systems to emulate the system of claim 10.

14. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 10 further comprising separate programmatic, design-time, and data binding interfaces.

15. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 14 wherein said design time interface comprises a graphical environment for establishing said user-defined relationships via said setting a single property value.

16. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim of claim 15 wherein setting said single property value to link said series component with other components of systems to be related to said rule base data structuring system further comprises setting additional property values for said associated subcomponents of said components.

17. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 2 wherein said embedding components further comprises embedding associated subcomponents of said components.

18. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 17 wherein embedding said associated subcomponents is performed using at least one of said programmatic interface and said design-time interface.

19. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 1 wherein basic operational capability of said components of said systems is inherited from existing component base classes within the internal framework of and IDE in which such systems reside, such that said components said components inherit respective characteristics and properties from said existing component base classes to ensure interface compatibility by taking advantage of previously developed software.

20. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 wherein said object-oriented wrapping system further comprises:

a. means for automatically generating object-oriented class wrappers of DLL functions to simplify writing of device enabling programs from at least one of managed and unmanaged DLLs;

b. means for modifying wrapped functions of said DLLs; and

c. means for relating said wrapped functions to at least said rule-based data structuring system in accord with said user-defined relationships to exchange data, such that said series table data system can be automatically populated with the desired data.

21. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 further comprising:

a. said command component associated with said wrapped function

b. at least one of a return value and said parameter subcomponent associated with said command component;

c. at least one wrapped function parameter value associated with said at least one parameter subcomponent, wherein said at least one wrapped function parameter value is at least one user defined value for said wrapped function;

d. said means for modifying said wrapped function comprises a means for modifying at least one of said return value and said at least one wrapped function parameter value; and

e. said means for relating said wrapped functions comprises a means for establishing said user-defined relationships between said command component and said series component of said rule based data structuring system.

22. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 21 wherein establishing said user-defined relationship further comprises:

a. setting said single property value to link said series component with said command component; and

b. whereby said field subcomponent is linked to said at least one parameter subcomponent associated with said command component, and said at least one wrapped function parameter value associated with said at least one parameter subcomponent.

23. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 21 wherein linking said series component with said command component further comprises linking said field subcomponent with said return value associated with said command component.

24. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 wherein code required to wrap the language for each of said wrapped functions is automatically generated in run-time.

25. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 further comprising implementing logic configured to limit acceptable values for said at least one parameter subcomponent in accordance with acceptable parameter values defined by each of said wrapped functions.

26. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 further comprising empowering logic configured to assign a user-defined name for each of said wrapped functions.

27. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 wherein communication by users with said data provider is enabled.

28. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 wherein said function wrappers are stored in separate assemblies within memory to eliminate the need for aliasing like function calls.

29. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 wherein said wrapped functions are invoked from said programmatic interface.

30. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 20 further comprising said wrapped functions having delegate functionality allowing callbacks of said wrapped functions.

31. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 30 wherein application references can be specified for said delegate function such that callbacks can be initiated in predefined areas of the application.

32. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 wherein said rule-based data structuring system further comprises:

a. at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent defining a custom data structure for at least one said data provider associated therewith; and

b. at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent defining the manner in which data from said at least one associated data provider will be formatted in said series table system.

33. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 32 wherein said rule-based data structuring system further comprises at least one of:

a. means for sending data from one rule-based data structuring system to another rule-based data structuring system; and

b. means for receiving data in one rule-based data structuring system sent from another rule-based data structuring system.

34. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 32 wherein said custom data structure is created based upon a previously created custom data structure.

35. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 34 wherein said custom data structure further comprises additional fields appended to said previously created custom data structure.

36. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 32 wherein said custom data structure is defined based upon at least one of said return value and said at least one wrapped function parameter value.

37. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 36 wherein said custom data structure is defined based upon a previously created custom data structure, said custom data structure further comprising at least one additional field appended to said previously created custom data structure, and said at least one additional field based upon at least one of said return value and said at least one wrapped function parameter value.

38. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 32 wherein events can be fired and subscribed to by subscribing ones of at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent.

39. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 34 wherein said user-defined relationships are established between a plurality of said custom data structures at least by establishing said user-defined relationships between said rule based data structuring systems.

40. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 36 wherein relationship links can be established between said custom data structure and at least one of said return value and said at least one wrapped function parameter value.

41. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 32 wherein the said series component and said field subcomponent are represented as logical components of at least one data provider having at least one custom data structure.

42. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 32 wherein said series component and said field subcomponent can be at least one of:

i. cloned and serialized for run-time copy-and-paste functionality of said custom data structure; and

ii. copied and pasted in design-time.

43. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 wherein said series table system further comprises:

a. an in-memory data storage layer for each said custom data structure; and

b. said custom data structure exportable to at least one of a database and a data file via said user-defined relationships.

44. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 43 wherein said in-memory data storage layer further comprises an in-memory data storage layer for each said series component of said rule-based data structuring system.

45. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 44 further comprising a user-defined maximum number of rows for each said in-memory data storage layer.

46. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 45 wherein user-defined rules establish management of incoming data after said maximum number of rows has been exceeded.

47. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 43 said series table system further comprises means for data binding and data sourcing to at least one of common IDE controls and visual interfaces.

48. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 47 wherein said user-defined relationships enable:

a. said data binding of said custom data structures; and

b. said data sourcing of said custom data structures.

49. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 48 wherein at least one of said data sourcing and said data binding is performed via establishment of said user-defined relationships between at least one of said series table system, said rule based data structuring system, and said data device writer system.

50. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 49 wherein said user-defined relationships are established between said series table component and each of said series component of said rule-based data structuring system and said device writer component of said data device writer system.

51. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 wherein said data filtering system comprises:

a. a user defined expression to filter data, said data defined by said user defined relationships established between said data filtering system and at least one of said rule based data structuring system and said data structure grouping and merging system; and

b. wherein said user-defined expression is at least one of a user-defined bitwise operational filter condition and a user defined common conditional operator.

52. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 51 wherein said user defined relationships comprise embedding said filter component in at least one of said rule based data structuring system and said data structure grouping and merging system.

53. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 52 wherein:

a. said filter component is related to at least one of said field subcomponent of said rule based data structuring system and said group series subcomponent of said data structure grouping and merging system; and

b. such that user defined filtering is provided for at least one of said custom data structures defined by said rule based data structuring system, and merged data structures defined by said data structure grouping and merging system.

54. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 51 wherein said user defined bitwise operational filter condition comprises at least one of And-ing, NAnd-ing, and Masking.

55. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 54 wherein said user defined common conditional operators comprises at least one of <

, >

, =, contains, left-most contains, and right-most contains.

56. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 55 wherein NOT operations are applied to said user defined common conditional operators.

57. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 wherein said data grouping and merging system further comprises:

a. at least one of said sensor group component, said group series component, and said existing field subcomponent defining a merged data structure comprised of at least a portion of at least one custom data structure defined by said rule based data structuring system; and

b. at least one of said sensor group component, said group series component, and said existing field subcomponent defining the manner in which said merged data structure is formatted in said series table system.

58. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 57 wherein said user-defined relationship is established between said sensor group component and at least said series component of said rule based data structuring system to define said merged data structure.

59. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 58 wherein said user-defined relationship is established by embedding at least said field subcomponent of said rule based data structuring system in said existing field subcomponent of said data structure merging and grouping system.

60. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 58 further comprising said merged data structure defined based upon an event subscription by subscribing ones of at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent.

61. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 60 further comprising:

a. a trigger subcomponent associated with said series component via said sensor group component; and

b. said group series component having said user-defined relationship established with said rule-based data structuring system via at least said subscribing series component.

62. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 58 wherein said merged data structure is defined based upon common primary keys.

63. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 58 wherein a plurality of said merged data structures are grouped based upon group function calls.

64. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 wherein said data device writer system further comprises:

a. said user-defined relationship established between said device writer component and said series table component;

b. said data device writer system populating at least one of common database tables and common data files with a row of data responsive to said series table component being populated with a row of data.

65. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 64 wherein said data device writer system automatically interacts with a user-defined database by connecting to said database using at least one of automatically generated connection strings and automatically provided provider drivers, and by mapping the data types between said series table component and said device writer component.

66. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 65 wherein the data device writer further comprises:

a. said user-defined relationship established between said device writer component and at least said series component of said rule based data structuring system; and

b. at least one of said common databases and said common data files automatically populated based upon events subscribed to by at least said series component.

67. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 65 wherein at least one of said common database table and said common data file are populated based upon invoked bulk insertion functions.

68. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 7 wherein said network communications system further comprises:

a. said user-defined relationship established between at least one of said data sending component and said data receiving component and at least said series table component of said series table system; and

b. data associated with said series table component is automatically packetized into a format acceptable to devices which send or receive such data.

69. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 68 wherein said custom data structures, or portions thereof, as defined by said series table system, are at least one of sent and received based upon at least one of an event subscription and manually invoked function calls.

70. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 69 further comprising:

a. said user-defined relationship established between at least one of said data sending component and said data receiving component and said series component of said rule based data structuring system; and

b. at least one of sending and receiving said packetized data is based upon an event subscription by at least one of subscribing series components and subscribing field subcomponents of said rule based data structuring system.

71. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 68 wherein said packetized data is at least one of sent and received over WAN/LAN networks using network protocols, and wherein said network protocols are at least one of TCP/IP and UDP.

72. The reconfigurable hierarchical component based architecture and framework of claim 71 wherein said network protocols support at least one of IPv4, IPv6, and like standards.

73. A method for rapidly developing sensor device enabling software applications, said method comprising:

a. defining a rule-based data structuring system having a series component and a field subcomponent;

b. defining a series table system having a series table component;

c. receiving sensor data into said rule-based data structuring system; and

d. defining relationships to exchange data between said rule-based data structuring system and at least one of;

i. another rule-based data structuring system;

ii. said system of acquiring data;

iii. said series table system;

iv. an object oriented wrapping system having a command component and a parameter subcomponent; and

v. a data filtering system having a filter component and a condition subcomponent.

74. The method of claim 73 further comprising establishing said relationships by at least one of:

a. embedding components of such listed systems within said rulebased data structuring system; and

b. setting a single property value to link components of such listed systems with said series component of said rule-based data structuring system.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein said associated field, parameter and condition subcomponents are user-defined and are one of embedded or linked in combination with a respective associated component thereof to establish said user defined relationships.

76. The method of claim 74 further comprising establishing said user defined relationships to exchange data between said rule-based data structuring system and at least one of:

a. a data structure grouping and merging system having at least one of a sensor group component, a group series subcomponent, an existing field subcomponent, and a trigger subcomponent,

b. a data device writer system having a device writer component, and

c. a network communications system having at least one of a data sending component and a data receiving component.

77. The method of claim 76 further comprising establishing said user defined relationships between said group series, existing field, and trigger subcomponents by one of embedding or linking in combination with a respective associated component thereof.

78. The method claim 74 further comprising establishing said user defined relationships to exchange data between at least two of:

said system of acquiring data, said series table system, said object oriented wrapping system, said data filtering system, said data structure grouping and merging system, said data device writer system, and said network communications system.

79. The method claim 78 further comprising:

a. representing at least one of said rule-based data structuring system, said system of acquiring data, said series table system, said object oriented wrapping system, said data filtering system, said data structure grouping and merging system, said data device writer system, and said network communications system as a central device component; and

b. wherein said at least one central device component is a logical representation of a device which provides data to be processed by said method.

80. The method of claim 79 further comprising creating a plurality of instances of said central device components, each usable at the same time.

81. The method claim 79 further comprising:

a. implementing an object design component toolset for providing object template derivation tools for accessing and editing a set of based object templates, wherein said toolset inherits basic operational capability from a component base class existing within an internal framework of an IDE in which the toolset resides;

b. establishing said user-defined relationships between systems which comprise said central device component using said toolset; and

c. implementing a reusable software component encapsulating functionality wherein multiple instances of a component are usable at the same time.

82. The method claim 81 further comprising:

a. providing a visual representation of said central device component;

b. providing a design-time interface to access said visual representation;

c. providing a programmatic interface for said central device component; and

d. a data-binding interface for said central device component.

83. The method of claim 82 further comprising establishing said user-defined relationships by setting said single property value via at least one of said design-time interface and said programmatic interface.

84. The method of claim 82 further comprising saving said central device component as a software application program comprised of common object-oriented code, wherein said software application program is rapidly developed using a suite of said components and subcomponents of said systems which employ said user-defined relationships that establish the exchange of data therebetween.

85. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing one or more computer systems to implement the method of claim 82.

86. The method of claim 73 further comprising providing separated programmatic, design-time, and data binding interfaces.

87. The method of claim 86 wherein providing said design time interfaces further comprises providing a graphical environment for establishing said user-defined relationships via said setting a single property value.

88. The method of claim of claim 87 wherein setting said single property value further comprises setting additional property values for associated subcomponents of said components.

89. The method of claim 74 wherein said embedding components further comprises embedding associated subcomponents of said components.

90. The method of claim 89 wherein embedding said associated subcomponents is performed using at least one of said programmatic interface, said data-binding interface, and said design-time interface.

91. The method of claim 73 wherein basic operational capability of said components of said systems is inherited from existing component base classes within the internal framework of and IDE in which such systems reside, such that said components inherit respective characteristics and properties from said existing component base classes to ensure interface compatibility by taking advantage of previously developed software.

92. The method of claim 79 wherein said object-oriented wrapping system further comprises:

a. automatically generating object-oriented class wrappers of DLL functions to simplify writing of device enabling programs from at least one of managed and unmanaged DLLs;

b. modifying wrapped functions of said DLLs; and

c. relating said wrapped functions to at least said rule-based data structuring system in accord with said user-defined relationships to exchange data, such that said series table data system can be automatically populated with the desired data.

93. The method of claim 92 wherein said object-oriented wrapping system further comprises:

a. associating said command component with said wrapped function;

b. associating at least one of a return value and said parameter subcomponent with said command component;

c. associating at least one wrapped function parameter value with said at least one parameter subcomponent, wherein said at least one wrapped function parameter value is at least one user defined value for said wrapped function;

d. modifying said wrapped function by modifying at least one of said wrapped function parameter value and said return value; and

e. relating said wrapped functions by establishing said user-defined relationships between said command component and said series component of said rule based data structuring system.

94. The method of claim 93 wherein establishing said user-defined relationship further comprises:

a. setting said single property value to link said series component with said command component; and

b. whereby said field subcomponent is linked to said at least one parameter subcomponent associated with said command component and said at least one wrapped function parameter value associated with said at least one parameter subcomponent.

95. The method of claim 93 wherein said user-defined relationship comprises setting said single property value to link at least one of said return value and said at least one parameter subcomponent with at least one of said series component and said associated field subcomponent of said rule-based data structuring system.

96. The method of claim 92 further comprising automatically generating in run-time the code required to wrap the language for each of said wrapped functions.

97. The method of claim 92 further comprising limiting acceptable values for said at least one parameter subcomponent in accordance with acceptable parameter values defined by each of said wrapped functions.

98. The method of claim 92 further comprising assigning a user-defined name for each of said wrapped functions.

99. The method of claim 92 further comprising enabling users to communicate with a device providing data processed by said method.

100. The method of claim 92 further comprising storing said function wrappers in separate assemblies within memory to eliminate the need for aliasing like function calls.

101. The method of claim 92 further comprising invoking said wrapped function and at least one of said return value and said at least one parameter subcomponent from said design-time interface.

102. The method of claim 92 further comprising providing delegate functionality for said wrapped functions to allow callbacks of said wrapped functions.

103. The method of claim 102 further comprising specifying application references for said delegate function to initiate callbacks from predefined areas.

104. The method of claim 79 further comprising said rule-based data structuring system:

a. defining a custom data structure based upon at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent for associated sensor data received from at least one source of said sensor data; and

b. said series component and said field subcomponent defining the manner in which said associated sensor data is formatted in said series table system;

105. The method of claim 104 further comprising at least one of:

a. sending data from one rule-based data structuring system to another rule-based data structuring system; and

b. receiving data in one rule-based data structuring system sent from another rule-based data structuring system.

106. The method of claim 104 further comprising defining said custom data structure based upon a previously created custom data structure.

107. The method of claim 106 further comprising appending additional fields from a previously created custom data structure to said custom data structure.

108. The method of claim 104 further comprising defining said custom data structure based upon at least one of said return values and said at least one parameter subcomponent of said wrapped function.

109. The method of claim 108 further comprising:

a. defining said custom data structure based upon a previously created custom data structure;

b. wherein at least one additional field is appended to said previously created custom data structure to create said custom data structure; and

c. defining said at least one additional field based upon at least one of said return value and said at least one parameter subcomponent of said wrapped function.

110. The method of claim 104 further comprising subscribing to and firing events via at least one of a subscribing series component and a subscribing field subcomponent.

111. The method of claim 106 further comprising establishing user-defined relationships between a plurality of said custom data structures by establishing said user-defined relationships between said rule based data structuring systems.

112. The method of claim 108 further comprising establishing relationship links between said custom data structure and at least one of said parameter subcomponents and said return value of said wrapped function.

113. The method of claim 104 further comprising representing said series component and said field subcomponent as logical components of at least one source of sensor data having at least one associated custom data structure.

114. The method of claim 104 further comprising at least one of cloning and serializing at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent to enable run-time copy-and-paste functionality of said custom data structure.

115. The method of claim 79 further comprising said series table system:

a. providing an in-memory data storage layer for each said custom data structure; and

b. exporting said custom data structure to at least one of a database and a data file via said user-defined relationships.

116. The method of claim 115 wherein said in-memory data storage layer further comprises an in-memory data storage layer for each said series component of said rule-based data structuring system.

117. The method of claim 116 further comprising defining a maximum number of rows for each said in-memory data storage layer.

118. The method of claim 117 further comprising user-defined rules establishing management of incoming data after said maximum number of rows has been exceeded.

119. The method of claim 115 further comprising at least one of data binding and data sourcing said custom data structures to at least one of common IDE controls and visual interfaces.

120. The method of claim 119 wherein at least one of said data sourcing and said data binding is enabled by establishing said user defined relationships.

121. The method of claim 120 wherein at least one of said data sourcing and said data binding is responsive to said user-defined relationships established between at least one of said series table system, said rule based data structuring system and said data device writer system.

122. The method of claim 121 further comprising establishing said user-defined relationships between said series table component and each of said series component of said rule-based data structuring system and said device writer component of said data device writer system.

123. The method of claim 79 wherein said data filtering system:

a. filtering data based upon a user defined expression, said data defined by said user defined relationships established between said data filtering system and at least one of said rule based data structuring system and said data structure grouping and merging system; and

b. wherein said user-defined expression is at least one of a user defined bitwise operational filter condition and a user defined common conditional operator.

124. The method of claim 123 further comprising embedding said filter component in at least one of said rule based data structuring system and said data structure grouping and merging system.

125. The method of claim 124 further comprising:

a. relating said filter component to at least one of said field subcomponent of said rule based data structuring system and said group series subcomponent of said data structure grouping and merging system; and

b. such that user defined filtering is provided for at least one of said custom data structures defined by said rule based data structuring system, and merged data structures defined by said data structure grouping and merging system.

126. The method of claim 123 wherein said user defined bitwise operational filter condition comprises at least one of And-ing, NAnd-ing, and Masking.

127. The method of claim 126 wherein said user defined common conditional operators comprises at least one of <

, >

, =, contains, left-most contains, and right-most contains.

128. The method of claim 127 further comprising applying NOT operations said user defined common conditional operators.

129. The method of claim 79 further comprising said data grouping and merging system:

a. defining a merged data structure based upon at least one of said sensor group component, said group series component, and said existing field subcomponent, wherein said merged data structure is comprised of at least a portion of at least one custom data structure defined by said rule based data structuring system; and

b. defining the manner in which said merged data structure is formatted in said series table system based upon at least one of said sensor group component, said group series component, and said existing field subcomponent.

130. The method of claim 129 further comprising establishing said user-defined relationship between said sensor group component and at least said series component of said rule based data structuring system to define said merged data structure.

131. The method of claim 130 further comprising establishing said user-defined relationship by embedding at least said field subcomponent of said rule based data structuring system in said existing field subcomponent of said data structure merging and grouping system.

132. The method of claim 130 further comprising defining said merged data structure based upon an event subscription by subscribing ones of at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent.

133. The method of claim 132 further comprising:

a. associating a trigger subcomponent with said series component via said sensor group component; and

b. establishing said user defined relationship between said group series component said rule-based data structuring system via at least said subscribing series component.

134. The method of claim 130 further comprising defining said merged data structure based upon common primary keys.

135. The method of claim 130 further comprising grouping a plurality of said merged data structures based upon group function calls.

136. The method of claim 79 further comprising said data device writer:

a. populating at least one of common database tables and common data files with a row of data responsive to said series table component of said series table system being populated with a row of data; and

b. said populating based upon establishing said user-defined relationships between said device writer component and said series table component.

137. The method of claim 136 further comprising said data device writer system automatically interacting with a user-defined database by connecting to said database using at least one of automatically generated connection strings and automatically provided provider drivers, and by mapping the data types between said series table component and said device writer component.

138. The method of claim 137 further comprising:

a. establishing said user-defined relationship between said device writer component and at least said series component of said rule based data structuring system; and

b. automatically populating at least one of said common databases and said common data files based upon events subscribed to by subscribing ones of at least one of said series component and said field subcomponent thereof.

139. The method of claims 137 further comprising populating at least one of said common database table and said common data file based upon invoked bulk insertion functions.

140. The method of claim 79 further comprising said network communications system:

a. establishing said user-defined relationship between at least one of said data sending component and said data receiving component and at least said series table component of said series table system;

b. automatically packetizing data associated with said series table component into a format acceptable to devices which send or receive such data; and

c. at least one of sending and receiving packetized data between at least one of multiple data structures and other devices which send or receive such data.

141. The method of claim 140 further comprising at least one of sending and receiving said custom data structures, or portions thereof, as defined by said series table system, based upon at least one of an event subscription and manually invoked function calls.

142. The method of claim 141 further comprising:

a. establishing said user-defined relationships between at least one of said data sending component and said data receiving component and said series component of said rule based data structuring system; and

b. at least one of sending and receiving packetized data based upon an event subscription by subscribing ones of at least one of said series components, said field subcomponents.

143. The method of claim 140 further comprising at least one of sending and receiving packetized data over WAN/LAN networks using network protocols, and wherein said network protocols are at least one of TCP/IP and UDP.

144. The method of claim 143 wherein said network protocols support at least one of IPv4, IPv6, and like standards.