HTML Device Tags to Control Operational Features of Devices in an Internet of Things

• US 20150261876A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trikha, Nitesh, Dry, William N., Pignataro, Carlos M., Srivastava, Pankaj, Radja, Coumara
• Granted Patent: US 10,140,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

A web browser executes on a device that has controllable operational features, such as sensor, actuator, and process-related features, and that is connected to other devices via a network. The web browser receives a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document including HTML device tags. Each of the HTML device tags includes a command configured to control a corresponding one of the operational features of the device. The web browser determines, based on each HTML device tag, the command therein to control the corresponding operational feature. The web browser issues the determined command to the corresponding operational feature so as to control the operational feature.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a web browser configured to execute on a device that has controllable operational features and is configured to connect to other devices via a network;

receiving a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document including HTML device tags each including a command configured to control a corresponding one of the operational features;

determining, based on each HTML device tag, the command therein to control the corresponding operational feature; and

issuing the determined command to the corresponding operational feature so as to control the operational feature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device is configured to connect to other devices via an Internet of Things (IoT), and the operational features of the device include a sensor, an actuator, and a process that is performed by the device;

the receiving includes receiving HTML device tags intended to control the sensor, the actuator, and the process; and

the issuing includes issuing the determined commands to corresponding ones of the sensor, the actuator, and the process so as to control the sensor, the actuator, and the process responsive to the HTML device tags.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the issuing includes issuing the determined commands to cause actions that identify, configure, collect information from, and activate various ones of the sensor, actuator, and the process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes:

accessing a device object model (DOM) that represents the operational features of the device as different objects and defines hierarchical relationships between the different objects; and

interpreting each HTML device tag based on the different objects and hierarchical relationships of the DOM.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein accessing the DOM includes accessing:

a process object of the DOM corresponding to a first operational feature including a process performed by the device;

an actuator object of the DOM corresponding to a second operational feature including a device actuator associated with the process; and

a sensor object of the DOM corresponding to a third operational feature including a device sensor associated with the process.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if each HTML device tag is applicable to the device based on a device name, make, and model indicated in the HTML device tag;

if it is determined that the HTML device tag is applicable to the device, performing the receiving, the determining, and the issuing; and

if it is determined that the HTML device tag is not applicable to the device, sending the HTML document to a next one of the multiple devices in the network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the HTML document and device tags therein are formatted according to the HTML5 standard.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an edge computing device that is connected at an edge of a network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the web browser is a displayless web browser.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface unit configured to send and receive communications over a network;

a processor coupled to the network interface unit and configured to;

execute a web browser configured to communicate with a set of application program interfaces through which the web browser controls controllable operational features of the apparatus;

receive, by the web browser, a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document including HTML device tags each including a command configured to control a corresponding one of the operational features;

determine, by the web browser, based on each HTML device tag, the command therein to control the corresponding operational feature; and

issue, by the web browser, the determined command to the corresponding operational feature so as to control the operational feature.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the web browser is configured to communicate with other web browsers executing on devices that are part of an Internet of Things (IoT), and the operational features include a sensor, an actuator, and a process;

the processor is configured to receive HTML device tags intended to control the sensor, the actuator, and the process; and

the processor is configured to issue the determined commands to corresponding ones of the sensor, the actuator, and the process so as to control the sensor, the actuator, and the process responsive to the HTML device tags.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to issue the determined commands to cause actions that identify, configure, collect information from, and activate various ones of the sensor, actuator, and the process.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine by:

accessing a device object model (DOM) that represents the operational features of the device as different objects and defines hierarchical relationships between the different objects; and

interpreting each HTML device tag based on the different objects and hierarchical relationships of the DOM.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the DOM includes:

a process object of the DOM corresponding to a first operational feature including a process performed by the device;

an actuator object of the DOM corresponding to a second operational feature including a device actuator associated with the process; and

a sensor object of the DOM corresponding to a third operational feature including a device sensor associated with the process.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to, by the web browser:

determine if each HTML device tag is applicable to the device based on a device name, make, and model indicated in the HTML device tag;

if it is determined that the HTML device tag is applicable to the device, perform the receive, the determine, and the issue operations; and

if it is determined that the HTML device tag is not applicable to the device, send the HTML document to a next one of multiple devices connected to the network.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the HTML document and HTML device tags therein are formatted according to the HTML5 standard.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the web browser is a displayless web browser.

18. A processor readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

execute a web browser configured to communicate with a set of application program interfaces through which the web browser controls controllable operational features of a device connected to a network of devices;

receive, by the web browser, a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document including HTML device tags each including a command configured to control a corresponding one of the operational features;

determine, by the web browser, based on each HTML device tag, the command therein to control the corresponding operational feature; and

issue, by the web browser, the determined command to the corresponding operational feature so as to control the operational feature.

19. The processor readable medium of claim 18, wherein:

the instructions to cause the processor to execute a web browser include instructions to cause the web browser to communicate with other web browsers executing on devices that are part of an Internet of Things (IoT);

the instructions to cause the processor to receive include instructions to cause the processor to receive HTML device tags intended to control a sensor, an actuator, and a process of the device; and

the instructions to cause the processor to issue include instructions to cause the processor to issue the determined commands to corresponding ones of the sensor, the actuator, and the process so as to control the sensor, the actuator, and the process responsive to the HTML device tags.

20. The processor readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions to cause the processor to issue include instructions to cause the processor to issue the determined commands to cause actions that identify, configure, collect information from, and activate various ones of the sensor, actuator, and the process.

21. The processor readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions to cause the processor to determine include instruction to cause the processor to:

access a device object model (DOM) that represents the operational features of the device as different objects and defines hierarchical relationships between the different objects; and

interpret each HTML device tag based on the different objects and hierarchical relationships of the DOM.

22. The processor readable medium of claim 21, wherein the DOM includes:

a process object of the DOM corresponding to a first operational feature including a process performed by the device;

an actuator object of the DOM corresponding to a second operational feature including a device actuator associated with the process; and

a sensor object of the DOM corresponding to a third operational feature including a device sensor associated with the process.

23. The processor readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to, by the web browser:

determine if each HTML device tag is applicable to the device based on a device name, make, and model indicated in the HTML device tag;

if it is determined that the HTML device tag is applicable to the device, perform the receive, the determine, and the issue operations; and

if it is determined that the HTML device tag is not applicable to the device, send the HTML document to a next one of multiple devices connected to the network.

24. The processor readable medium of claim 18, wherein the HTML document and HTML device tags therein are formatted according to the HTML5 standard.