System and method of determining network locations for data analysis in a distributed ecosystem

• US 9,788,085 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rencher, Robert J., Wang, Guijun, Wang, Haiqin, Arroyo, Sharon F., Schachter, Paul J., Nelson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRISHNAN, RAJESHWARI
• Application Number:
  US14/699,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/74 measures in reaction to resource unavailability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A distributed ecosystem including an analysis computing resource and a network is disclosed. The distributed ecosystem also includes at least one sensor for monitoring a characteristic of the distributed ecosystem, at least one localized computing resource in communication with the at least one sensor, and a gateway controller. The gateway controller is in communication with the at least one sensor, the at least one localized computing resource, and the analysis computing resource. The gateway control includes control logic for monitoring the at least one sensor for a data transmit function. The gateway controller also includes control logic for determining if the at least one localized computing resource has requisite resource capabilities for processing data generated by the at least one sensor in response to the data transmit function being transmitted by the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A distributed ecosystem including an analysis computing resource and a network, the distributed ecosystem comprising:

a plurality of sensors for monitoring characteristics of the distributed ecosystem;

a plurality of localized computing resources that are each in communication with at least one of the plurality of sensors; and

a plurality of gateway controllers each in communication with at least one of the plurality of sensors, a corresponding localized computing resource, and the analysis computing resource, wherein each of the plurality of gateway controllers is assigned to a corresponding zone of operation within the distributed ecosystem, the corresponding zones of operation each including a defined set of sensors and at least one localized computing resource, and wherein each of the corresponding zones of operation are dynamic such that the defined set of sensors and the at least one localized computing resource within each zone of operation changes based on a specific application, the plurality of gateway controllers each including control logic for;

monitoring a corresponding set of sensors for a data transmit function;

determining that the corresponding localized computing resource does not have requisite resource capabilities for processing data generated by the corresponding set of sensors in response to the data transmit function being transmitted by the corresponding set of sensors; and

transmitting the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors over the network to the analysis computing resource in response to determining the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities.

2. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, wherein determining that the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities is based on a cost of the corresponding localized computing resource analyzing the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors.

3. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, wherein determining that the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities is based on a risk of the corresponding localized computing resource analyzing the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors.

4. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, wherein determining that the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities is based on an effect window.

5. The distributed ecosystem of claim 4, wherein the effect window is a set amount of time allotted for performing an analysis of the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors.

6. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, comprising a centralized computing resource and a remote computing resource that are both in communication with the network.

7. The distributed ecosystem of claim 6, wherein in response to receiving the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors over the network, the analysis computing resource selects the centralized computing resource or the remote computing resource for processing the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors.

8. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, wherein the data transmit function is based on an exception event occurring, and wherein the exception event indicates the corresponding set of sensors has detected operating conditions within the distributed ecosystem that require analysis.

9. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, wherein the data transmit function is periodically triggered.

10. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are used to monitor operating conditions of an aircraft.

11. The distributed ecosystem of claim 1, wherein the corresponding zones of operation are dynamic and determined based on at least one process associated with a unit of work, and wherein unit of work is a predetermined set of tasks relative to defined activities within a respective zone of operation.

12. A method of determining at least one ideal network location for analyzing data, performing decision making tasks, and deterministic guidance in a distributed ecosystem, the method comprising:

assigning a plurality of zones of operation within the distributed ecosystem, wherein each of the plurality of zones of operation includes a corresponding gateway controller, a defined set of sensors, and a corresponding localized computing resource, and wherein each of the plurality of zones of operation are dynamic such that the defined set of sensors and the corresponding localized computing resource within each of the plurality of zones of operation change based on a specific application;

monitoring a corresponding set of sensors by a gateway controller for a data transmit function, wherein the gateway controller is in communication with the corresponding set of sensors, the corresponding localized computing resource, and an analysis computing resource;

determining, by the gateway controller, in response to the data transmit function being transmitted by the corresponding set of sensors, the corresponding localized computing resource does not have requisite resource capabilities for processing data generated by the corresponding set of sensors; and

transmitting, by the gateway controller, in response to determining the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities, the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors over the network to the analysis computing resource.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining that the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities is based on a cost of the corresponding localized computing resource analyzing the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining that the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities is based on a risk of the corresponding localized computing resource analyzing the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining that the corresponding localized computing resource does not have the requisite resource capabilities is based on an effect window.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the effect window is a set amount of time allotted for performing the analysis of the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising a centralized computing resource and a remote computing resource that are both in communication with the network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein in response to receiving the data generated by the corresponding set of sensors over the network, the analysis computing resource selects the centralized computing resource or the remote computing resource for processing the data generated by the plurality of sensors.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the data transmit function is based on an exception event occurring, and wherein the exception event indicates the corresponding set of sensors has detected operating conditions within the distributed ecosystem that require analysis.

20. The method of claim 12, comprising determining the corresponding zones of operation based on at least one process associated with a unit of work, and wherein unit of work is a predetermined set of tasks relative to defined activities within a respective zone of operation.