Reliable on-demand distributed data management in a sensor-actuator fabric

• US 9,059,929 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sudhaakar, Raghuram S., Addepalli, Sateesh K., Vasseur, Jean-Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ko, Sithu
• Application Number:
  US13/524,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20130336316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 370/390, 370/329, 370/310, 370/375, 370/400, 455/458, 455/445, 455/510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes in a computer network, the minimalistic data collection nodes configured to generate sensed data values of a particular type and to communicate the data values within the computer network in substantially real-time using distributed data acquisition (DA) packets specific to the particular type of the data values. The system also comprises a plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network, the capable data collecting nodes configured to store the data values of the minimalistic data collection nodes from the DA packets. One or more points of use of the system may be configured to request the data values, wherein one or more particular capable data collection nodes of the system are configured to service the request in substantially real-time on behalf of the minimalistic data collection nodes with the stored data values.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes in a computer network, the minimalistic data collection nodes configured to generate sensed data values of a particular type and to communicate the data values within the computer network in substantially real-time using distributed data acquisition (DA) packets specific to the particular type of the data values;

a plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network, the capable data collecting nodes configured to store the data values of the minimalistic data collection nodes from the DA packets, wherein the plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network each have a storage capability greater than the plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes, but lower than a dedicated storage device; and

one or more points of use configured to request the data values, wherein one or more particular capable data collection nodes of the plurality of capable data collection nodes are configured to service the request in substantially real-time on behalf of the minimalistic data collection nodes with the stored data values provided by the DA packets sent to the one or more particular capable data collection nodes, wherein DA packets gather data across the computer network and restore the data values on the one or more particular capable data collection nodes, wherein the capable data collection nodes are configured to pull the data values from the minimalistic data collection nodes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the DA packets are configured to be forwarded to one or more minimalistic data collection nodes in the computer network and comprise a plurality of information content fields that receive data values from each minimalistic data collection nodes contacted by the DA packets.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the minimalistic data collection nodes are configured to distribute the DA packets to capable data collection nodes according to one of either a broadcast protocol or a multicast protocol.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein broadcasted DA packets do not generate acknowledgment packets.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the DA packets are distributed using a multicast tree dynamically established for the particular type of the data values.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the minimalistic data collection nodes are configured to transmit data values according to a re-transmission timer in response to receiving a DA packet.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the DA packets comprise an expression-based query to limit response to one or more particular minimalistic data collection nodes.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more DA packets are further configured to communicate data values to each minimalistic data collection node contacted by the DA packets.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data values are distributed in response to a poll from the one or more points of use.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of capable data collection nodes are further configured to push the data values to the one or more points of use.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes are further configured to push the data values to the capable data collection nodes.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of capable data collection nodes are further configured to generate sensed data values of the particular type and to communicate the data values within the computer network using the distributed DA packets specific to the particular type of the data values.

13. A method, comprising:

generating, by a data collection node in a computer network, sensed data values of a particular type; and

communicating the data values within the computer network in substantially real-time using distributed data acquisition (DA) packets specific to the particular type of the data values, the data values communicated to one or more capable data collection modes, wherein the plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network each have a storage capability greater than the plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes, but lower than a dedicated storage device;

wherein the DA packets are configured to reach one or more particular capable data collection nodes of the capable data collection nodes in the computer network that are configured to store the data values from the DA packets and to service requests for the data values from one or more points of use in substantially real-time on behalf of a plurality of data collection nodes, wherein DA packets gather data across the computer network and restore the data values on the one or more particular capable data collection nodes, wherein the capable data collection nodes are configured to pull the data values from the minimalistic data collection nodes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the DA packets comprise a plurality of information content fields that receive data values from each of the plurality of data collection nodes contacted by the DA packets.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein communicating comprises:

distributing the DA packets to capable data collection nodes according to one of either a broadcast protocol or a multicast protocol.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

establishing a multicast tree for the particular type of the data values, wherein the DA packets are communicated using the multicast tree.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein communicating comprises:

packet transmitting data values according to a re-transmission timer in response to receiving a DA packet.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the data collection node is a capable data collection node, the method further comprising:

receiving DA packets having the data values of the particular type;

storing the data values; and

servicing requests for the data values from one or more points of use on behalf of one or more other data collection nodes.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate within a computer network;

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

generate, as a data collection node, sensed data values of a particular type; and

communicate the data values within the computer network in substantially real-time using distributed data acquisition (DA) packets specific to the particular type of the data values, the data values communicated to one or more capable data collection modes, wherein the plurality of capable data collection nodes in the computer network each have a storage capability greater than the plurality of minimalistic data collection nodes, but lower than a dedicated storage device, and

wherein the DA packets are configured to reach one or more particular capable data collection nodes of the capable data collection nodes in the computer network that are configured to store the data values from the DA packets and to service requests for the data values from one or more points of use in substantially real-time on behalf of a plurality of data collection nodes, wherein DA packets gather data across the computer network and restore the data values on the one or more particular capable data collection nodes, wherein the capable data collection nodes are configured to pull the data values from the minimalistic data collection nodes.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the data collection node is a capable data collection node, the process when executed further configured to:

receive DA packets having the data values of the particular type;

store the data values; and

service requests for the data values from one or more points of use on behalf of one or more other data collection nodes.