Systems and methods for virtualizing internet of things (IoT) devices

• US 9,606,817 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gen Digital Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Efstathopoulos, Petros
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US14/748,039
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 718/1, 718100-108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

A virtual element includes a communication component that controls, from a remote location, communication with an Internet of Things (IoT) device of a plurality of IoT devices. The virtual element also includes a capabilities augmenting component that facilitates access to resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices. The tasks of the IoT device are allocable to one or more different devices and are performed by the one or more different devices. An interface accessing component facilitates access to information that is directed to the IoT device from an interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and facilitates access to information that is provided from the IoT device.

Claims

1. A virtual element, wherein the virtual element is implemented using physical computing components in a processor-based virtual computing environment, the virtual element comprising:

a communication component that generates at least one control signal to controls, from a remote location, communication with an Internet of Things (IoT) device of a plurality of IoT devices, wherein each of the plurality of IoT devices includes an associated communication protocol and the communication component translates each respective communication protocol of a receiving IoT device and a transmitting IoT device to generate the at least one control signal based upon each respective communication protocol,

wherein the communication component transfers information to the receiving IoT device based upon the associated communication protocol;

a capabilities augmenting component coupled to receive the at least one control signal to facilitate access to resources of a computing device that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices,

wherein tasks of the IoT device are allocable to one or more different computing devices and performed by the one or more different computing devices on behalf of the IoT device; and

an interface component coupled to the communication component to access the information that is directed to the IoT device from an interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and to provide access to information that is provided from the IoT device that is presented on the interface;

wherein the communication component, the capabilities augmenting component and the interface component comprise components of a virtual machine.

2. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the communication component comprises IoT device drivers and transmitting and receiving components.

3. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the communication component provides outputs that use a communication protocol that is uniform across the plurality of IoT devices.

4. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the capabilities augmenting component facilitates access to resources that comprise computational and memory resources.

5. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the interface is a user interface.

6. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device are located on one or more devices which are located remotely to the IoT device.

7. A system for virtualizing IoT devices, the system comprising;

a computing device having a common user interface; and

a plurality of virtual elements that correspond to individual IoT devices, each of the virtual machines comprising;

a communication component that generates at least one control signal to controls communication with an IoT device of a plurality of IoT devices, wherein each of the plurality of IoT devices includes an associated communication protocol and the communication component translates each respective communication protocol of a receiving IoT device and a transmitting IoT device to generate the at least one control signal based upon each respective communication protocol

wherein the communication component transfers information to the receiving IoT device based upon the associated communication protocol;

a capabilities augmentation component coupled to receive the at least one control signal to facilitate access to resources of a computing device that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices; and

an interface component coupled to the communication component to access the information that is directed to the IoT device from an interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and to provide provides access to information that is provided from the IoT device that is presented on the interface;

wherein the communication component, the capabilities augmenting component and the interface component comprise components of a virtual machine.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the communication component comprises IoT device drivers and transmitting and receiving components.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the communication component provides outputs that use a communication protocol that is uniform across the plurality of IoT devices.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the capabilities augmenting component facilitates access to resources that comprise computational and memory resources.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the interface is a user interface.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device are located on one or more devices which are located remotely to the IoT device.

13. A method for virtualizing an IoT device, performed by a processor-based computing system, the method comprising:

from a location remote to an IoT device of a plurality of IoT devices, controlling communication to and from the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices using at least one control signal generated based upon respective communication protocols of a receiving IoT device and a transmitting IoT device;

facilitating access to resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices based upon the at least one control signal wherein tasks of the IoT device are allocable to one or more different devices and performed by the one or more different devices on behalf of the first IoT device; and

facilitating, in response to the at least one control signal, access to information that is directed to the IoT device from a unified interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and facilitating access to information that is provided from the IoT device for presenting via the unified interface;

wherein the communication component, the capabilities augmenting component and the interface component comprise components of a virtual machine.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the controlling comprises the use of IoT device drivers and transmitting and receiving components.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the communication comprises a protocol that is uniform across the plurality of IoT devices.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the facilitating access to resources comprises facilitating access to computational and memory resources.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the unified interface is a user interface.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device are located on one or more devices which are located remotely to the IoT device.