CONTROL PLANE FOR SENSOR COMMUNICATION

• US 20150326669A1
• Filed: 07/17/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ji, Lusheng, Miller, Robert R. II
• Granted Patent: US 9,521,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

An architecture that can employ a control plane for managing communications with respect to a set of sensors is provided. By utilizing a control plane, a distinction between control messages and data messages can be provided in a standardized way and the set of sensors can benefit from additional functionality and configurability. For example, the control plane can be employed to modify parameters associated with the set of sensors, which can be effectuated in real time and in situ as opposed to at the time of fabrication or deployment. Moreover, such modifications can relate to both the sensing portions of a particular sensor as well as the communication portions of a particular sensor.

Claims

1. A sensor device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving a measured physical quantity;

transmitting a data message comprising first data indicative of the measured physical quantity, wherein the data message is transmitted via a data plane of a sensor network that communicatively couples sensor devices comprising the sensor device;

receiving a control message comprising second data indicative of an instruction to adjust a parameter associated with the sensor device, wherein the control message is received via a control plane of the sensor network; and

adjusting the parameter according to the instruction.

2. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the instruction to adjust the parameter affects how the measured physical quantity is measured.

3. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein the parameter relates to a sensitivity setting for how the measured physical quantity is measured, a scale of values associated with how the measured physical quantity is measured, or a range of other values associated with how the measured physical quantity is measured.

4. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the instruction to adjust the parameter affects operation of the sensor device.

5. The sensor device of claim 4, wherein the parameter relates to a clock setting associated with the sensor device, a frequency of operation parameter associated with the sensor device or a power utilization associated with the sensor device.

6. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the instruction relates to a change of the measured physical quantity to be measured.

7. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the data message further comprises:

receiving the data message, from another sensor device of the sensor devices, comprising other first data indicative of another measured physical quantity received from the other sensor device; and

forwarding the data message via the data plane.

8. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein the receiving the control message further comprises:

receiving the control message comprising other second data indicative of another instruction to adjust another parameter associated with another sensor device of the sensor devices; and

forwarding the control message to the other sensor device via the control plane.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving, via a data plane of a sensor network that communicatively couples sensor devices and the system, a data message from a sensor device of the sensor devices, wherein the data message comprises first data indicative of a measurement of a physical quantity;

determining an adjustment to a parameter associated with the sensor device; and

transmitting, via a control plane of the sensor network, a control message to the sensor device, wherein the control message comprises second data indicative of an instruction adjust the parameter in accordance with the determining.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the instruction adjusts the measurement of the physical quantity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the parameter relates to a sensitivity setting for the measurement of the physical quantity, a scale of values associated with the measurement of the physical quantity, or a range of other values associated with the measurement of the physical quantity.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the instruction adjusts an operation of the sensor device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the parameter relates to a clock setting associated with the sensor device, a frequency of operation parameter associated with the sensor device or a power utilization associated with the sensor device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the instruction adjusts the physical quantity to be measured by the sensor device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise determining an address of the sensor device, and wherein the address represents a group sensor network address that identifies a group of sensor devices of the sensor devices for group communication.

16. A method, comprising:

transforming, by a sensor device comprising a processor, a measurement associated with a physical quantity to measurement data;

transmitting, by the sensor device, the measurement data via a data plane of a sensor network that communicatively couples sensor devices comprising the sensor device;

receiving, by the sensor device, control data via a control plane of the sensor network, wherein the control data is indicative of an instruction to change a parameter associated with the sensor device; and

changing, by the sensor device, the parameter according to the instruction.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the sensor device, other measurement data from another sensor device of the sensor devices; and

forwarding, by the sensor device, the other measurement data via the data plane.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the sensor device, other control data indicative of another instruction to adjust another parameter associated with another sensor device of the sensor devices; and

forwarding, by the sensor device, the other control data to the other sensor device via the control plane.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the changing the parameter comprises changing a parameter associated with a way the sensor device performs measurements.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the changing the parameter comprises changing a way the sensor device communicates with other devices.