Internet of things platforms, apparatuses, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9497572-B2
Application number	US-201414550667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2014
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

An Internet of Things system and method are described. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: an IoT hub comprising a WAN interface to couple the IoT hub to an IoT service over the WAN, and a local communication interface to communicatively couple the IoT hub to a plurality of different types of IoT devices; and at least one IoT device having a memory for storing program code and a microcontroller for executing the program code, wherein the program code includes library program code comprising basic building blocks usable by a developer to implement any IoT device by creating application program code which utilizes the library program code, wherein at least one of the basic building blocks comprises a communication stack to enable communication with the IoT hub, the library program code provided to the developer in a software development kit (SDK) with the microcontroller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An Internet of Things (IoT) system comprising:
an IoT hub comprising a WAN interface to couple the IoT hub to an IoT service over the WAN, and a local communication interface to communicatively couple the IoT hub to a plurality of different types of IoT devices; and
at least one IoT device having a memory for storing program code and a microcontroller for executing the program code, wherein the program code includes library program code comprising basic building blocks usable by a developer to implement any IoT device by creating application program code which utilizes the library program code, wherein at least one of the basic building blocks comprises a communication stack to enable communication with the IoT hub, the library program code provided to the developer in a software development kit (SDK) with the microcontroller.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the IoT device comprises a sensor to collect local data in accordance with the application program code and/or an output control device to perform an output control function in accordance with the application program code.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the application program code executable by the microcontroller to cause the IoT device to perform one or more application-specific functions, at least one of the functions including collecting local data or performing a local control function.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein the IoT device further comprises a low power communication interface for establishing a local communication channel with the IoT hub in accordance with the library program code.

5. The system as in claim 3 wherein the local communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) radio for establishing a Bluetooth LE communication channel with the IoT hub.

6. The system as in claim 1 wherein the WAN comprises the Internet.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein the SDK includes the IoT hub and provides the developer with access to the IoT service.

8. A method comprising:
providing an IoT hub comprising a WAN interface to couple the IoT hub to an IoT service over the WAN, and a local communication interface to communicatively couple the IoT hub to a plurality of different types of IoT devices; and
providing at least one IoT device having a memory for storing program code and a microcontroller for executing the program code;
providing the program code including library program code comprising basic building blocks usable by a developer to implement any IoT device by creating application program code which utilizes the library program code, wherein at least one of the basic building blocks comprises a communication stack to enable communication with the IoT hub, the library program code provided to the developer in a software development kit (SDK) with the microcontroller.

9. The method as in claim 8 wherein the IoT device comprises a sensor to collect local data in accordance with the application program code and/or an output control device to perform an output control function in accordance with the application program code.

10. The method as in claim 8 wherein the application program code executable by the microcontroller to cause the IoT device to perform one or more application-specific functions, at least one of the functions including collecting local data or performing a local control function.

11. The method as in claim 8 wherein the IoT device further comprises a low power communication interface for establishing a local communication channel with the IoT hub in accordance with the library program code.

12. The method as in claim 10 wherein the local communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) radio for establishing a Bluetooth LE communication channel with the IoT hub.

13. The method as in claim 8 wherein the WAN comprises the Internet.

14. The method as in claim 8 wherein the SDK includes the IoT hub and provides the developer with access to the IoT service.

Assignees

• Afero Inc

Inventors

• Britt Joe
• Matsumura Shin
• Forood Houman
• Zimmerman Scott
• Myles Phillip
• Zawicki Sean
• Kutami Daisuke

Classifications

• G06F8/36

  Software reuse · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title

• H04W4/008 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F8/65

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title

• H04L67/125

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