Systems, methods and apparatus for managing machine-to-machine (M2M) entities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9426222-B2
Application number	US-201213983220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2012
Priority date	Feb 11, 2011
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus for managing machine-to-machine (M2M) entities are disclosed. Included herein is a method that may include implementing one or more management layers for managing M2M entities in an M2M environment. The method may also include using a plurality of management layers to manage a M2M area network, wherein the M2M area network may include one or more M2M end devices. The M2M end devices may include, for example, an M2M gateway and/or an M2M device. The management layers may include any of an application management layer, service management layer, network management layer and a device management layer. The management layers may provide any of configuration management, fault management, and performance management of the M2M entities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method implemented in a machine-to-machine (“M2M”) server, the M2M server having a service capability (“SC”) for remote entity management (“REM”) and a REM resource structure, the method comprising:
receiving, from a first M2M network application, a first RESTful method including a first identifier that identifies a first element of a first subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the first subordinate resource structure is configured for a first management command, and wherein the first element is representative of a first function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the first management command;
translating the first function to a device management command for a device that is accessible via a device management server;
sending the device management command to the device management server;
receiving, from the device management server, a response including information associated with invoking the device management command;
storing the information associated with invoking the device management command in a second element of the first subordinate resource structure, wherein the second element is linked to the first element; and
providing the information from the second element to the M2M network application;
receiving, from a second M2M network application, a second RESTful method including a second identifier that identifies a third element of a second subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the second subordinate resource structure is configured for a second management command, and wherein the third element is representative of a second function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the second management command; and
performing REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway responsive to the second RESTful method.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the M2M server and the first management command are configured in accordance with a first set of protocols, wherein the device management server and device management command are configured in accordance with a second set of protocols, and wherein the second set of protocols comprises at least one protocol different from the first set of protocols.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second subordinate resource structure facilitates REM of any of the M2M device and the M2M gateway in accordance with a device management layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway comprises:
sending, to the M2M device or the M2M gateway, an instruction to change any of a current execution state or execution mode of the second management command in accordance with the second function;
receiving, from the M2M device or the M2M gateway, a response including information associated with changing any of the current execution state and the execution mode of the second management command;
storing the information associated with changing any of the current execution state and execution mode of the second management command in a fourth element of the second subordinate resource structure, wherein the fourth element is linked to the third element; and
providing the information from the fourth element to the M2M network application.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second subordinate resource structure is associated with the M2M device or the M2M gateway, and wherein performing REM of the M2M device or the M2M gateway comprises sending, to the M2M device or the M2M gateway from the M2M server, an instruction to change any of a current execution state or execution mode of the second management command.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second identifiers comprise uniform resource identifiers of the first and third elements, respectively.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein any of the first, second and third elements is a sub-resource or an attribute.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second functions comprises any of a run function, a pause function, a cancel function, and a resume function.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second RESTful methods comprises at least one of a CREATE RESTful method, a RETRIEVE RESTful method, an UPDATE RESTful method, and DELETE RESTful method.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second M2M network applications are the same M2M network application.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second management commands are the same type of management command.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second subordinate resource structures are instantiated from a resource structure template for the same type of management command.

13. A method implemented in a machine-to-machine (“M2M”) server, the M2M server having a service capability (“SC”) for remote entity management (“REM”) and a REM resource structure, the method comprising:
receiving, from a M2M network application, a first RESTful method including a first identifier that identifies a first element of a first subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the first subordinate resource structure is configured for a first management command, and wherein the first element is representative of a first function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the first management command;
creating an instance of the first subordinate resource structure;
translating the first function to a device management command for a device that is accessible via a device management server;
sending the device management command to the device management server;
receiving, from the device management server, a response including information associated with invoking the device management command;
storing the information associated with invoking the device management command in a second element of the instance of the first subordinate resource structure;
providing the information from the second element to the M2M network application;
receiving, from a second M2M network application, a second RESTful method including a second identifier that identifies a third element of a second subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the second subordinate resource structure is configured for a second management command, and wherein the third element is representative of a second function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the second management command; and
performing REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway responsive to the second RESTful method.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second identifiers comprise uniform resource identifiers of the first and third elements, respectively.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein any of the first, second and third elements is a sub-resource or an attribute.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second functions comprises any of a run function, a pause function, a cancel function, and a resume function.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second RESTful methods comprises at least one of a CREATE RESTful method, a RETRIEVE RESTful method, an UPDATE RESTful method, and DELETE RESTful method.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein creating an instance of the first subordinate resource structure comprises: creating an instance of the first subordinate resource structure responsive to the first RESTful method.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second M2M network applications are the same M2M network applica

Assignees

• Wang Chonggang
• Russell Jr Paul L
• Lu Guang
• Seed Dale N
• Dong Lijun
• Starsinic Michael F
• Interdigital Patent Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Wang Chonggang
• Russell Jr Paul L
• Lu Guang
• Seed Dale N
• Dong Lijun
• Starsinic Michael F

Classifications

• Y04S40/18

  Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04L67/125 Primary

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• H04W4/70

  Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] · CPC title

• H04W4/50

  Service provisioning or reconfiguring · CPC title