Multi-source sensor stream virtualization

• US 9,860,106 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Gerecke, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Lance L
• Application Number:
  US14/022,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20140075043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for data stream virtualization are generally described herein. One or more embodiments of such a system can include a stream processing node, a physical sensor stream, a management node, a virtual sensor stream, or pairing logic.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a stream processing node including one or more first hardware processors configured to ingest a physical sensor data stream including converting the physical sensor data stream to a standard digital form, and determine characteristics of the physical sensor data stream including decoding physical sensor data stream meta-data, interpreting the decoded physical sensor metadata to determine one or more characteristics of the physical sensor data stream, and assessing a quality of the physical sensor data stream, assessing the quality of the physical sensor data stream including a determination the physical sensor data stream corresponds to a low quality sensor stream in response to determining one of (1) the physical sensor data stream includes a packet continuity that falls below a defined continuity threshold, (2) an amount of jitter in the physical sensor data stream fall below a defined jitter threshold, (3) the physical sensor data stream includes color components that are within a specified range of a mean color value, (4) the physical sensor data stream includes uniform horizontal or vertical lines, and (5) the physical sensor data stream includes substantially no motion; and

a management node including one or more second hardware processors and pairing logic configured to pair a virtual sensor data stream with the physical sensor data stream as a function of criteria of the virtual sensor data stream and the characteristics of the physical sensor data stream and to virtualize the physical sensor data stream if the characteristics match the criteria, and decouple a paired physical sensor data stream and virtual sensor data stream in response to determining meta-data of the virtual sensor data stream no longer matches the decoded physical sensor data stream meta-data or another physical sensor data stream with a higher priority than the physical sensor data stream becomes valid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the stream processing node is configured to categorize metadata of the physical sensor data stream and the management node is configured to pair the physical sensor data stream with the virtual sensor data stream as a function of the categorized metadata.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the characteristics include a physical sensor stream priority indicator.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the characteristics include a physical sensor stream grouping indicator.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the management node is configured to decouple a previously coupled physical sensor data stream and virtual sensor data stream in response to determining that the characteristics of the physical sensor data stream no longer sufficiently match the criteria of the virtual sensor data stream.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the management node includes a hysteresis configured to prevent a rapid coupling and decoupling of the physical sensor data stream and the virtual sensor data stream, the hysteresis including requiring the criteria to not match for a specified amount of time prior to decoupling the paired virtual sensor data stream and the physical sensor data stream.

7. A method comprising:

ingesting a physical sensor data stream using one or more hardware processors of a stream processing node, wherein ingesting includes converting the physical sensor data stream to a standard digital form, decoding physical sensor data stream meta-data, interpreting the decoded physical sensor meta-data to determine one or more characteristics of the physical sensor data stream, and assessing a quality of the physical sensor data stream; and

pairing, using one or more hardware processors of a management node communicatively coupled to the stream processing node, a virtual sensor data stream with the physical sensor data stream as a function of criteria of the virtual sensor data stream and the characteristics of the physical sensor data stream;

virutalizing the physical sensor data stream;

determining the physical sensor data stream corresponds to a low quality sensor stream in response to determining one of (1) the physical sensor data stream includes a packet continuity that falls below a defined continuity threshold, and (2) an amount of jitter in the physical sensor data stream fall below a defined jitter threshold; and

decoupling a paired physical sensor data stream and virtual sensor data stream in response to determining meta-data of the virtual sensor data stream no longer matches the decoded physical sensor data stream meta-data or another physical sensor data stream with a higher priority than the physical sensor data stream becomes valid.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

categorizing, using the stream processing node, metadata of the physical sensor data stream; and

wherein pairing the physical sensor data stream with the virtual sensor data stream includes pairing the streams as a function of the categorized metadata.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein pairing the physical sensor data stream with the virtual sensor data stream includes pairing the streams as a function of a physical sensor stream priority indicator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein pairing the physical sensor data stream with the virtual sensor data stream includes pairing the streams as a function of a physical sensor stream grouping characteristic.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

decoupling, using the management node, a previously coupled physical sensor data stream and virtual sensor data stream in response to determining that the characteristics of the physical sensor data stream no longer sufficiently matches the criteria of the virtual sensor data stream.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

preventing a rapid coupling and decoupling of the physical sensor data stream and the virtual sensor data stream using a hysteresis of the management node, the hysteresis including requiring the criteria to not match for a specified amount of time prior to decoupling the paired virtual sensor data stream and the physical sensor data stream.

13. A machine readable storage device that stores instructions, the instructions, which when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

ingesting a physical sensor data stream using one or more hardware processors of a stream processing node, wherein ingesting includes converting the physical sensor data stream to a standard digital form, decoding physical sensor data stream meta-data, interpreting the decoded physical sensor meta-data to determine one or more characteristics of the physical sensor data stream, and assessing a quality of the physical sensor data stream; and

pairing, using one or more hardware processors of a management node communicatively coupled to the stream processing node, a virtual sensor data stream with the physical sensor data stream as a function of criteria of the virtual sensor data stream and the characteristics of the physical sensor data stream;

providing the virtual sensor data stream as the physical sensor data stream;

determining the physical sensor data stream corresponds to a low quality sensor stream in response to determining one of (1) the physical sensor data stream includes color components that are within a specified range of a mean color value, (2) the physical sensor data stream includes uniform horizontal or vertical lines, and (3) the physical sensor data stream includes substantially no motion; and

decoupling a paired physical sensor data stream and virtual sensor data stream in response to determining meta-data of the virtual sensor data stream no longer matches the decoded physical sensor data stream meta-data or another physical sensor data stream with a higher priority than the physical sensor data stream becomes valid.

14. The storage device of claim 13, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

categorizing, using the stream processing node, metadata of the physical sensor data stream; and

wherein the instructions for pairing the physical sensor data stream with the virtual sensor data stream include instructions for pairing the streams as a function of the categorized metadata.

15. The storage device of claim 14, wherein the instructions for pairing the physical sensor data stream with the virtual sensor data stream include instructions for pairing the streams as a function of a physical sensor stream priority indicator.

16. The storage device of claim 15, wherein the instructions for pairing the physical sensor data stream with the virtual sensor data stream include instructions for pairing the streams as a function of a physical sensor stream grouping characteristic.

17. The storage device of claim 16, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

decoupling, using the management node, a previously coupled physical sensor data stream and virtual sensor data stream in response to determining that the characteristics of the physical sensor data stream no longer sufficiently matches the criteria of the virtual sensor data stream; and

preventing a rapid coupling and decoupling of the physical sensor data stream and the virtual sensor data stream using a hysteresis of the management node, the hysteresis including requiring the criteria to not match for a specified amount of time prior to decoupling the paired virtual sensor data stream and the physical sensor data stream.