Controlling sensor networks

• US 8,812,137 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Koehler, Michael, Hugger, Markus, Krause, Dietmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUGHLIN, NATHAN L
• Application Number:
  US13/536,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/20, 700/24, 700/32, 340/10.1, 340/10.4
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown

Abstract

A control element for a sensor network having a set of different sensors. In operation, the control element transfers connections between the control element and the set of different sensors, where the transfer connections are compliant with respective sensor-specific protocols. A sensor controller element is provided for each sensor, and establishes transfer connections between the control element and new sensors in runtime. Information obtained in a sensor-specific protocol format from the sensors is converted into a common format in the sensor controller elements. The common format information is processed by a set of common control components of the control element. The control element provides a service based on the information in the common format to at least one consumer, and updates the service in accordance with the sensors present in the sensor network.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically configuring a sensor network, the method comprising:

connecting a first sensor to a first control element in said sensor network;

providing a sensor configuration information of said first sensor connected to said first control element to a second control element in said sensor network;

disconnecting said first sensor from said first control element;

connecting said first sensor to said second control element;

generating a sensor controller corresponding to said first sensor, the generating said sensor controller including;

providing a sensor configuration repository that includes existing sensor controllers;

evaluating compatibility of modules of existing sensor controllers; and

combining the compatible modules of said existing sensor controllers, the combined compatible modules becoming said generated sensor controller;

requesting, by said second control element, the generated sensor controller associated with said first sensor;

transferring said generated sensor controller to said second control element in response to said request;

receiving, at said generated sensor controller of the said first sensor, messages from other sensors in said sensor network, the receiving the messages by said generated sensor controller asynchronized with receiving messages by other sensor controllers; and

sending, by said generated sensor controller of said first sensor, requests to other sensors in said sensor network, the sending the requests by said generated sensor controller synchronized with sending requests by said other sensor controllers.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

connecting a new sensor to said second control element;

querying, by said second control element, whether said new sensor was previously connected to other control elements;

determining, by said other control elements, whether said new sensor was previously connected to said other control elements; and

providing, from one of said other control elements to said second control element, a sensor controller and sensor configuration information of said new sensor in response to determining that said new sensor was previously connected to said one of said other control elements.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

updating at least one service directory of said first and second control elements in order to record a transfer of said first sensor from said first control element to said second control element.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first control element performs steps of:

controlling an operation of said sensor network;

providing data transmission between sensors and consumers; and

processing a format of sensor information provided by said sensors.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said sensor configuration information includes:

a sensor identifier of said first sensor, a position of said first sensor in said sensor network, and said sensor information from said first sensor.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said sensor controller performs steps of:

establishing a connection between said first control element and said first sensor;

receiving said sensor information in a sensor-specific format;

converting said received sensor information from said sensor-specific format to a common format;

processing said converted sensor information.

7. A system for dynamically configuring a sensor network, the system comprising:

a first control element controlling an operation of said sensor network;

a first sensor establishing a communication with a first control element;

said first control element providing a sensor configuration information of said first sensor to a second control element in said sensor network;

said first control element disconnecting said communication with said first sensor;

said second control element establishing a communication with said first sensor;

said first control element generating a sensor controller corresponding to said first sensor, the generating said sensor controller including;

providing a sensor configuration repository that includes existing sensor controllers;

evaluating compatibility of modules of existing sensor controllers; and

combining the compatible modules of said existing sensor controllers, the combined compatible modules becoming said generated sensor controller;

said second control element requesting the generated sensor controller associated with said first sensor;

said first control element transferring said generated sensor controller to said second control element in response to said request;

said generated sensor controller of the said first sensor receiving messages from other sensors in said sensor network, the receiving the messages by said generated sensor controller asynchronized with receiving messages by other sensor controllers; and

said generated sensor controller of said first sensor sending requests to other sensors in said sensor network, the sending the requests by said generated sensor controller synchronized with sending requests by said other sensor controllers.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

said second control element establishing a communication with a new sensor and querying whether said new sensor previously established the communication with other control elements;

said other control elements determining whether said new sensor previously established the communication with other control elements; and

one of said other control elements providing a sensor controller and sensor configuration information of said new sensor to said second control element in response to determining that said new sensor previously established the communication with said one of said other control elements.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said first and second control elements update at least one service directory in order to record the transfer of said first sensor from said first control element to said second control element.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said first control provides data transmission between sensors and consumers and processes a format of sensor information provided by said sensors.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said sensor configuration information includes:

a sensor identifier of said first sensor, a position of said first sensor in said sensor network, and said sensor information from said first sensor.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said sensor controller receives said sensor information in a sensor-specific format, converts said received sensor information from said sensor-specific format to a common format, and processes said converted sensor information.

13. A computer program product for dynamically configuring a sensor network, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions run by the processing circuit for performing a method, said method steps comprising:

connecting a first sensor to a first control element in said sensor network;

providing a sensor configuration information of said first sensor connected to said first control element to a second control element in said sensor network;

disconnecting said first sensor from said first control element;

connecting said first sensor to said second control element;

generating a sensor controller corresponding to said first sensor, the generating said sensor controller including;

providing a sensor configuration repository that includes existing sensor controllers;

evaluating compatibility of modules of existing sensor controllers; and

combining the compatible modules of said existing sensor controllers, the combined compatible modules becoming said generated sensor controller;

requesting, by said second control element, the generated sensor controller associated with said first sensor;

transferring said generated sensor controller to said second control element in response to said request;

receiving, at said generated sensor controller of the said first sensor, messages from other sensors in said sensor network, the receiving the messages by said generated sensor controller asynchronized with receiving messages by other sensor controllers; and

sending, by said generated sensor controller of said first sensor, requests to other sensors in said sensor network, the sending the requests by said generated sensor controller synchronized with sending requests by said other sensor controllers.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

connecting a new sensor to said second control element;

querying, by said second control element, whether said new sensor was previously connected to other control elements;

determining, by said other control elements, whether said new sensor was previously connected to said other control elements; and

providing, from one of said other control elements to said second control element, a sensor controller and sensor configuration information of said new sensor in response to determining that said new sensor was previously connected to said one of said other control elements.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, further comprising:

updating at least one service directory of said first and second control elements in order to record a transfer of said first sensor from said first control element to said second control element.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein said first control element performs steps of:

controlling an operation of said sensor network;

providing data transmission between sensors and consumers; and

processing a format of sensor information provided by said sensors.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein said sensor configuration information includes:

a sensor identifier of said first sensor, a position of said first sensor in said sensor network, and said sensor information from said first sensor.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein said sensor controller performs steps of:

establishing a connection between said first control element and said first sensor;

receiving said sensor information in a sensor-specific format;

converting said received sensor information from said sensor-specific format to a common format;

processing said converted sensor information.