Method, computer-readable medium, and system for discovery and registration of controlled devices associated with self-describing modules

• US 8,954,541 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Professional, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Amx LLC (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Birze, Brigitte Bernadette, Smith, Mark Ethard
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US12/344,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,234 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-207, 709220-229, 709/245, 719313-317
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2231 Master slave
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25022 LAN local area network for controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25066 Configuration stored in each unit
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25101 Detect connected module, load corresponding parameters, variables into module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25418 Enter description of capabilities of each module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/33 Intelligent editors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for the discovery and registration of controlled devices associated with self-describing Modules in a control system are provided. A controlled device associated with a self-describing module is coupled with a master controller on which the self-describing module is installed. A remote monitoring system is communicatively coupled with the master controller, and a remote monitoring system agent is installed on the master controller. The agent discovers a Module associated with the controlled device and queries the Module for a version thereof. The agent then evaluates whether the Module is self-describing. In the event the Module is self-describing, the agent requests a run-time capabilities object from the Module and registers the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the capabilities object.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

discovering a module associated with a controlled device by an agent associated with a remote monitoring system;

evaluating whether the module is self-describing at runtime and before installation of the module;

responsive to determining that the module is self-describing, requesting a run-time capabilities object of an object-oriented programming language from the module;

receiving the run-time capabilities object; and

registering the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the run-time capabilities object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein discovering the module comprises discovering the module by invoking an OSGi method by the agent.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

querying each of a plurality of device component classes for their respective run-time capabilities objects comprising commands, parameters, and properties; and

accumulating the run-time capabilities of the plurality of device component classes into a device capabilities class.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating whether the module is self-describing comprises evaluating the version of the module.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command for an operation to be performed on the controlled device;

determining the module is self-describing;

accessing the capabilities object; and

invoking the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the capabilities object.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discovering a second module associated with a second controlled device by the agent;

evaluating whether the second module is self-describing;

responsive to determining the second module is not self-describing, determining a device type and capabilities corresponding thereto; and

generating a second capabilities object based on the capabilities corresponding to the device type.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising registering the second controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the second capabilities object.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a command for an operation to be performed on the second controlled device;

determining the second module is not self-describing;

accessing the second capabilities object;

performing reflection on the second capabilities object; and

invoking the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the second capabilities object.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions, when executed, configured to cause the processing system to:

discover a module associated with a controlled device by an agent associated with a remote monitoring system;

query the module for a version of the module;

evaluate whether the module is self-describing at runtime and before installation of the module;

responsive to determining that the module is self-describing, request a run-time capabilities object of an object-oriented programming language from the module;

receive the run time capabilities object; and

register the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the run-time capabilities object.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions that discover the module comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to invoke an OSGi method by the agent.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions that evaluate whether the module is self-describing comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to evaluate the version of the module.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

receive a command for an operation to be performed on the controlled device;

determine the module is self-describing;

access the capabilities object; and

invoke the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the capabilities object.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

discover a second module associated with a second controlled device by the agent;

evaluate whether the second module is self-describing;

responsive to determining the second module is not self-describing, determine a device type and capabilities corresponding thereto; and

generate a second capabilities object based on the capabilities corresponding to the device type.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to register the second controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the second capabilities object.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

receive a command for an operation to be performed on the second controlled device;

determine the second module is not self-describing;

access the second capabilities object;

perform reflection on the second capabilities object; and

invoke the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the second capabilities object.

16. A control system, comprising:

a controlled device having a self-describing module associated therewith;

a remote monitoring system; and

a master controller on which the self-describing module and an agent associated with the remote monitoring system are installed, wherein the agent is configured to

discover the module,

queries the module for a version of the module,

evaluates whether the module is self-describing at runtime and before installation of the module,

determines that the module is self-describing,

requests a run-time capabilities object of an object-oriented programming language from the module responsive to determining that the module is self-describing,

receives the run-time capabilities object, and

registers the controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the run-time capabilities object.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the agent determines the module is self-describing by evaluating the version of the module.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the agent receives, from the remote monitoring system, a command for an operation to be performed on the controlled device, accesses the capabilities object, and invokes the command responsive to determining the command conforms to the capabilities object.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the agent discovers a second module associated with a second controlled device, evaluates whether the second module is self-describing, determines a device type and capabilities corresponding thereto responsive to determining the second module is not self-describing, and generates a second capabilities object based on the capabilities corresponding to the device type.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the agent registers the second controlled device with the remote monitoring system according to the second capabilities object.