Virtualization and Quality of Sensor Data

• US 20080224866A1
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Rehman, Samuelson
• Granted Patent: US 9,202,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2477 Antenna or antenna activator circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system

Abstract

A method for generating information related to a first object based on sensor data associated with a second object includes determining a containment hierarchy between the first object and the second object. Sensor data associated with the second object is determined using the containment hierarchy. A quality of data index is determined for the sensor data associated with the second object using the containment hierarchy. Information related to the first object is generated based on the sensor data associated with the second object and the quality of data index.

Claims

1. A method for virtualization of sensor data, the method comprising:

receiving a static mapping for a first object and a second object;

determining a dynamic mapping for the first object and the second object based on sensor data related to the first object and sensor data related to the second object;

receiving information specifying topology of an environment; and

generating a containment hierarchy based on the static mapping, the dynamic mapping, and the topology of the environment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request for sensor data related to the first object;

generating a response to the request using the containment hierarchy, the response including the portion of sensor data related to the second object that is identified with the first object.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a quality of data index; and

associating the quality of data index with the containment hierarchy for the portion of sensor data related to the second object.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving the quality of data index; and

determining whether the portion of sensor data related to the second object is relevant to the first object based on the quality of data index.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the containment hierarchy for subsequent use to access the portion of information related to the second object.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving sensor data related to the first object comprises receiving an identifier associated with an RFID tag.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving sensor data related to the second object comprises receiving temperature data associated with a temperature sensor.

8. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for virtualization of sensor data, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a static mapping for a first object and a second object;

code for determining a dynamic mapping for the first object and the second object based on sensor data related to the first object and sensor data related to the second object;

code for receiving information specifying topology of an environment; and

code for generating a containment hierarchy based on the static mapping, the dynamic mapping, and the topology of the environment.

9. A data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of code modules which when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

receive a static mapping for a first object and a second object;

determine a dynamic mapping for the first object and the second object based on sensor data related to the first object and sensor data related to the second object;

receive information specifying topology of an environment; and

generate a containment hierarchy based on the static mapping, the dynamic mapping, and the topology of the environment.

10. A method for generating information related to a first object based on sensor data associated with a second object, the method comprising:

determining a containment hierarchy between the first object and the second object;

determining sensor data associated with the second object using the containment hierarchy;

determining a quality of data index for the sensor data associated with the second object using the containment hierarchy; and

generating information related to the first object based on the sensor data associated with the second object and the quality of data index.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the containment hierarchy between the first object and the second object comprises:

receiving a static mapping for the first object and the second object;

determining a dynamic mapping for the first object and the second object based on observations related to the first object and observations related to the second object;

receiving information specifying topology of an environment; and

generating the containment hierarchy based on the static mapping, the dynamic mapping, and the topology of the environment.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining sensor data associated with the second object using the containment hierarchy comprises:

identifying one or more properties of the second object as related to the first object using the containment hierarchy; and

obtaining sensor data associated with the one or more properties of the second object.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the quality of data index using the containment hierarchy for the inherited sensor data comprises:

identifying a relationship between the first object and a property of the second object using the containment hierarchy;

determining a weighting value associated with the property of the second object;

determining whether the relationship between the first object and the second object satisfies a pre-determined criteria; and

generating the quality of data index based on the determination whether the relationship satisfies the pre-determined criteria and the weighting value.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a response including the information related to the first object based on a request from an application.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting the information related to the first object to one or more applications using a push protocol.

16. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for generating information related to a first object based on sensor data associated with a second object, the computer program product comprising:

code for determining a containment hierarchy between the first object and the second object;

code for determining sensor data associated with the second object using the containment hierarchy;

code for determining a quality of data index for the sensor data associated with the second object using the containment hierarchy; and

code for generating information related to the first object based on the sensor data associated with the second object and the quality of data index.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the code for determining the containment hierarchy between the first object and the second object comprises:

code for receiving a static mapping for the first object and the second object;

code for determining a dynamic mapping for the first object and the second object based on observations related to the first object and observations related to the second object;

code for receiving information specifying topology of an environment; and

code for generating the containment hierarchy based on the static mapping, the dynamic mapping, and the topology of the environment.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the code for determining sensor data associated with the second object using the containment hierarchy comprises:

code for identifying one or more properties of the second object as related to the first object using the containment hierarchy; and

code for obtaining sensor data associated with the one or more properties of the second object.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the code for determining the quality of data index using the containment hierarchy for the inherited sensor data comprises:

code for identifying a relationship between the first object and a property of the second object using the containment hierarchy;

code for determining a weighting value associated with the property of the second object;

code for determining whether the relationship between the first object and the second object satisfies a pre-determined criteria; and

code for generating the quality of data index based on the determination whether the relationship satisfies the pre-determined criteria and the weighting value.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

code for generating a response including the information related to the first object based on a request from an application.