Method and system for processing machine-to-machine sensor data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9516141-B2
Application number	US-201314013861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2013
Priority date	Aug 29, 2013
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

An approach is described for registering a plurality of gateway devices to a sensor platform operated by a service provider, detecting at the gateway devices, one or more sensors from a personal area network of a subscriber, determining corresponding identifiers of the sensors, collecting data from the sensors over one or more coordinated personal area networks, and designating each of a plurality of agents to process the collected data for local analysis and acting on this analysis, wherein the agents are configured to communicate with other agents.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a sensor platform, a group of sensors,
at least one sensor of the group of sensors outputting data in a format different from other sensors of the group of sensors;

identifying, by the sensor platform, one or more gateway devices and a user account;
associating, by the sensor platform, the at least one sensor with the one or more gateway devices;
associating, by the sensor platform, the user account with the group of sensors or the one or more gateway devices;
communicating, by the sensor platform, one or more associations, of the user account with the group of sensors or the one or more gateway devices, to a gateway device of the one or more gateway devices corresponding to the user account;
receiving, by the sensor platform, first data in various formats from the group of sensors and the one or more gateway devices,
the first data being pooled together as a collective data set;
providing, by the sensor platform, trend analysis of the collective data set;
converting, by the sensor platform, one or more of the first data, in the various formats, to a common format that can be utilized by a plurality of applications;
receiving, by the sensor platform, a signal from a sensor device,
the sensor device not being a member of the group of sensors;
associating, by the sensor platform, the sensor device with the user account and the gateway device based on receiving the signal,
the sensor device being enabled to exchange data with one or more sensors of the group of sensors;

receiving, by the sensor platform, second data from the sensor device; and
converting, by the sensor platform, the second data to the common format to be compatible with the plurality of applications.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting an indirect sensor;
installing an interfacing software in the indirect sensor; and
selectively registering the indirect sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
installing an interfacing software in the one or more gateway devices; and
registering the one or more gateway devices.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the group of sensors are located within a personal area network.

5. The method according to claim 1 , where receiving the first data in the various formats from the group of sensors and the one or more gateway devices comprises:
receiving the first data in the various formats from an indirect sensor and the one more gateway devices.

6. A method comprising:
detecting, by a sensor platform, a group of sensors,
at least one sensor of the group of sensors outputting data in a format different from other sensors of the group of sensors;

identifying, by the sensor platform, a user account;
associating, by the sensor platform, the user account with the group of sensors;
communicating, by the sensor platform, one or more associations, of the user account with the group of sensors, to a gateway device corresponding to the user account;
receiving, by the sensor platform, first data in various formats from the group of sensors,
the first data in the various formats being pooled together as a collective data set; and
providing, by the sensor platform, trend analysis of the collective data set;
converting, by the sensor platform, the first data, in the various formats, to a common format that can be utilized by a plurality of applications;
receiving, by the sensor platform, a signal from a sensor device,
the sensor device not being a member of the group of sensors;

associating, by the sensor platform, the sensor device with the user account and the gateway device based on receiving the signal,
the sensor device being enabled to exchange data with one or more sensors of the group of sensors;

receiving, by the sensor platform, second data from the sensor device; and
converting, by the sensor platform, the second data to the common format to be compatible with the plurality of applications.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
detecting direct sensors of the group of sensors;
selectively registering the direct sensors;
installing an interfacing software into the direct sensors; and
collecting data in the various formats from the direct sensors.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
designating each of a plurality of agents to process the collective data set for trend analysis,
the plurality of agents being configured to communicate with other agents within a personal area network through a policy engine.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
determining one or more characteristics of at least one of the first data in the various formats or the plurality of agents; and
determining one or more access rules, based on the one or more characteristics, for communication among the plurality of agents to program the policy engine.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, from the plurality of agents, respective access settings associated with the plurality of agents for the policy engine; and
creating an interface to facilitate communication among the plurality of agents based on the respective access settings.

11. The method according to claim 6 , where receiving the first data in the various formats comprises:
receiving the first data, in the various formats, from direct sensors of the group of sensors; and
where the method further comprises:
forwarding the first data, in the common format, to a direct actuator.

12. A sensor platform, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory, including computer program code for one or more programs that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
detect a group of sensors,
at least one sensor of the group of sensors outputting data in a format different from other sensors of the group of sensors;

identify one or more gateway devices and a user account;
associate the at least one sensor with the one or more gateway devices,
associate the user account with the group of sensors or the one or more gateway devices;
communicate one or more associations, of the user account with the group of sensors or the one or more gateway devices, to a gateway device of the one or more gateway devices corresponding to the user account;
receive first data in various formats from the group of sensors and the one or more gateway devices,
the first data in the various formats being pooled together as a collective data set,

provide trend analysis of the collective data set,
convert the first data in the various formats to a common format that can be utilized by a plurality of applications;
receive a signal from a sensor device,
the sensor device not being a member of the group of sensors;

associate the sensor device with the user account and the gateway device based on receiving the signal,
the sensor device being enabled to exchange data with one or more sensors of the group of sensors;

receive second data from the sensor device; and
convert the second data to the common format to be compatible with the plurality of applications.

13. The sensor platform of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further to:
detect an indirect sensor;
install an interfacing software in the indirect sensor; and
selectively register the indirect sensor.

14. The sensor platform of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further to:
install an interfacing software in the one or more gateway devices; and
register the one or more gateway devices.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Dubois Jean F
• Moran Patrick J

Classifications

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04L65/1073

  Registration or de-registration · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04L65/102

  Gateways (arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways, H04L12/66) · CPC title