Dynamically-generated operating system for sensor networks

• US 9,015,652 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Suenbuel, Asuman, Bornhoevd, Christof
• Primary Examiner(s): BROPHY, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US11/313,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,408 Days
• Field of Search: 717104-106
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code

Abstract

Application requirements may be determined for executing an application using a sensor network, the sensor network including a plurality of devices. Hardware constraints associated with the devices may be determined, and an operating system may be generated, based on the application requirements and the hardware constraints. In this way, an operating system may be generated that is specific to, and optimized for, the the particular application and hardware resources.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining application requirements for interfacing and executing at least two different applications using a sensor network, the sensor network including a plurality of devices, wherein the at least two different applications are movable among the plurality of devices of the sensor network;

determining hardware constraints associated with the devices of the sensor network;

dynamically generating an operating system using an operating system generator for the sensor network by

matching a first one or more operating system components with one or more application requirements, the application requirements configured for interfacing and executing the at least two different applications using the sensor network and

matching a second one or more operating system components with one or more hardware constraints, the hardware constraints being associated with the devices of the sensor network,

Dynamically generating the operating system for deployment by including the first and the second one or more matched operating system components, the operating system configured to support operation of any of the at least two different applications during movement thereof among the plurality of devices of the sensor network,

Reviewing, using a separate watchdog application, the dynamically generated operating system and including core operating system components not matching the application requirements or hardware constraints in the event that the core operating components are needed for operation of the operating system in the sensor network; and

dynamically deploying the operating system onto the plurality of devices of the sensor network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining application requirements for executing at least two applications using a sensor network comprises:

receiving a designation of the at least two applications for deployment on the plurality of devices; and

decomposing functionality associated with the at least two applications to determine the application requirements.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining application requirements for executing at least two applications using a sensor network comprises:

receiving the application requirements from a user by way of a user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining application requirements for executing at least two applications using a sensor network comprises:

defining a condition to be sensed by a sensor associated with at least one of the devices; and

defining a desired response of at least one of the at least two applications to the condition.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein defining a desired response of the at least one of the at least two applications to the condition comprises:

defining an operation of an output element associated with at least one of the devices as being included in the desired response.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining hardware constraints associated with the devices comprises:

determining hardware resources associated with at least one of the devices, the hardware resources including one or more of a sensor, an output element, a processor, a memory, a wireless communications device, or a power supply.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining hardware constraints associated with the devices comprises:

determining functionality provided by hardware resources associated with the devices, with respect to the application requirements.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an operating system based on the application requirements and the hardware constraints comprises:

synthesizing the operating system using a plurality of the operating system components combined with one another based on the application requirements and the hardware constraints.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an operating system based on the application requirements and the hardware constraints comprises:

comparing the application requirements and the hardware constraints to determine functionality provided by the operating system in supporting the at least two applications and/or hardware resources of the devices.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein generating an operating system based on the application requirements and the hardware constraints comprises:

generating the operating system to provide support for a subset of available hardware resources of the devices, the subset of available hardware resources being sufficient to implement the application requirements and execute the at least two applications.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising:

determining network-wide constraints associated with the sensor network; and

generating the operating system based on the network-wide constraints.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising:

determining non-functional constraints that are not necessary for a function of the at least two applications, the non-functional constraints being associated with the sensor network or with the devices; and

generating the operating system based on the non-functional constraints.

13. The method of claim 1 comprising:

transmitting the operating system to the devices, independently of the at least two applications; and

injecting the operating system onto the devices for operation thereon.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising:

injecting the at least two applications onto the devices for execution thereof in conjunction with the operating system.

15. A computer-implemented system including computer-executable code recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

a components repository that is operable via the computer-executable code to store operating system components associated with functionality to be provided to a plurality of devices of a sensor network;

an operating system generator that is operable via the computer-executable code to dynamically generate an operating system for the sensor network by;

matching a first one or more components of the operating system with one or more components of application requirements associated with interfacing and executing at least two different applications on the plurality of devices, the at least two different applications movable among the plurality of devices of the sensor network, and

further by matching a second one or more components of the operating system with one or more components of hardware constraints associated with the plurality of devices, the operating system configured to support operation of the at least two different applications during movement thereof among the plurality of devices of the sensor network; and

dynamically generating an operating system for deployment by including the first and the second one or more matched operating system components

one or more separate watchdog applications configured to review the dynamically generated operating system and include core operating system components not matching by the application requirements or hardware constraints in the event that the core operating components are needed for operation of the operating system in the sensor network.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the components repository is operable via the computer-executable code to provide hardware drivers or communications elements associated with hardware resources of the devices.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the operating system generator is operable via the computer-executable code to determine the application requirements by way of a user interface.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the operating system generator is operable via the computer-executable code to determine the hardware constraints as being associated with hardware resources of the devices, the hardware resources including one or more of a sensor, an output element, a processor, a memory, a wireless communications device, or a power supply.

19. The system of claim 15 comprising:

a library code repository including programming code templates for use by the operating system generator in synthesizing the operating system from the operating system components.

20. An apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by at least one processor, the instructions including:

a first code segment for determining application requirements associated with at least two different applications to be dynamically deployed onto a plurality of devices of a sensor network, the at least two different applications movable among the plurality of devices of the sensor network;

a second code segment for determining hardware constraints associated with hardware resources of the plurality of devices; and

a third code segment for dynamically generating an operating system for the sensor network by;

matching a first one or more operating system components with one or more application requirements associated with the at least two different applications and matching a second one or more operating system components with the hardware constraints associated with the hardware resources of the devices, and

dynamically generating an operating system for deployment by including the first and second one or more matched operating system components, the operating system configured to support operation of the at least two different applications during movement thereof among the plurality of devices of the sensor network;

a fourth code segment including a separate watchdog application configured to review the dynamically generated operating system and include core operating system components not specified by the application requirements or hardware constraints in the event that the core operating components are needed for operation of the operating system in the sensor network; and

a fifth code segment for dynamically deploying the operating system onto the plurality of devices of the sensor network.