Software-defined IoT controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9830166-B2
Application number	US-201514688852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

An Internet of things (IoT) controller may execute a first IoT application, associated with operating an IoT device, and a second IoT application associated with operating the IoT device. The IoT controller may load an IoT application program interface (API) associated with the first IoT application and the second IoT application, and may identify a first set of functions including a first function, associated with the first IoT application, and a second function associated with the second IoT application. The IoT controller may translate, based on the IoT API, the first set of functions to a second set of functions including a third function, associated with the first IoT application, and a fourth function associated with the second IoT application. The IoT controller may cause the IoT device to operate, based on the second set of functions, during the execution of the first IoT application and the second IoT application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An Internet of things (IoT) controller, comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and
a processor to execute the instructions to:
execute a first IoT application associated with operating an IoT device;
execute a second IoT application associated with operating the IoT device,
the second IoT application being executed during execution of the first IoT application;

load at least one virtual IoT device application program interface (API) associated with the first IoT application and the second IoT application;
identify a first set of functions,
the first set of functions including:
a first functional associated with the first IoT application, and
a second function associated with the second IoT application;

translate the first set of functions to a second set of functions based on the at least one virtual IoT device API,
the second set of functions including:
a third function identifiable for at least one driver API to control the IoT device, and
a fourth function identifiable for the at least one driver API to control the IoT device; and

cause the IoT device to operate, via the at least one driver API, based on the second set of functions,
the IoT device being caused to operate during execution of the first IoT application and the second IoT application.

2. The IoT controller of claim 1 , where the first function is associated with a first high-level programming language, the second function is associated with a second high-level programming language, and the third function and the fourth function are associated with a hardware-dependent programming language.

3. The IoT controller of claim 1 , where the processor is further to:
receive the at least one virtual IoT device API; and
store the at least one virtual IoT device API; and
where the processor, when loading the at least one virtual IoT device API, is to:
load the at least one virtual IoT device API after storing the at least one virtual IoT device API.

4. The IoT controller of claim 1 , where the processor is further to:
determine rules information associated with operating the IoT device,
the rules information identifying a priority associated with the third function and the fourth function; and

where the processor, when causing the IoT device to operate, via the at least one driver API, based on the second set of functions, is to:
cause the IoT device to operate, via the at least one driver API, based on third function and the fourth function, and in accordance with the rules information.

5. The IoT controller of claim 1 , where the processor is further to:
receive the first IoT application via an IoT app store device; and
store the first IoT application; and
where the processor, when executing the first IoT application, is to:
execute the first IoT application after storing the first IoT application.

6. The IoT controller of claim 5 , where the processor is further to:
receive the second IoT application,
the second IoT application being received after the first IoT application is received; and

store the second IoT application; and
where the processor, when executing the second IoT application, is to:
execute the second IoT application after storing the second IoT application.

7. The IoT controller of claim 1 , where the processor is further to:
load a set of driver APIs associated with the IoT device,
the set of driver APIs corresponding to the at least one virtual IoT device API, and
the set of driver APIs including the at least one driver API; and

where the processor, when causing the IoT to operate based on the second set of functions, is to:
cause the IoT device to operate based on loading the set of driver APIs.

8. A method, comprising:
executing, by a controller, a first IoT application associated with operating an IoT device;
executing, by the controller, a second IoT application associated with operating the IoT device,
the second IoT application being executed while the first IoT application is executing;

loading, by the controller, a set of virtual IoT device application program interfaces (APIs) associated with the first IoT application and the second IoT application;
identifying, by the controller, a first set of functions,
the first set of functions including:
a first function associated with the first IoT application, and
a second function associated with the second IoT application;

translating, by the controller, the first set of functions to a second set of functions based on the set of virtual IoT device APIs,
the second set of functions including:
a third function identifiable for at least one driver API to control the IoT device, and
a fourth function identifiable for the at least one driver API to control the IoT device; and

causing, by the controller, the IoT device to operate, via the at least one driver API, based on the second set of functions,
the IoT device being caused to operate while the first IoT application and the second IoT application are being executed.

9. The method of claim 8 , where the first function is associated with a first high-level programming language, the second function is associated with a second high-level programming language, and the third function and the fourth function are associated with a hardware-dependent programming language.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving the set of virtual IoT device APIs; and
storing the set of virtual IoT device APIs; and
where loading the set of virtual IoT device APIs for the IoT device comprises:
loading the set of virtual IoT device APIs after storing the set of virtual IoT device APIs.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining rules information associated with operating the IoT device,
the rules information identifying a priority associated with the third function and the fourth function; and

where causing the IoT device to operate, via the at least one driver API, based on the second set of functions comprises:
causing the IoT device to operate, via the at least one driver API, based on third function and the fourth function, and in accordance with the rules information.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving the first IoT application via an IoT app store device; and
storing the first IoT application; and
where executing the first IoT application comprises:
executing the first IoT application after storing the first IoT application.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving the second IoT application,
the second IoT application being received after the first IoT application is received; and

storing the second IoT application; and
where executing the second IoT application comprises:
executing the second IoT application after storing the second IoT application.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
loading a set of driver APIs, associated with the IoT device,
the set of driver APIs corresponding to the set of virtual IoT device APIs, and
the set of driver APIs including the at least one driver API; and

where causing the IoT to operate, via the at least one driver API, based on the second set of functions comprises:
causing the IoT device to operate based on loading the set of driver APIs.

15. A system, comprising:
one or more devices comprising:
a memory to store instructions; and
a processor to execute the instructions to:
execute a first IoT application associated with an IoT device;
execute a second IoT application associated with the IoT device,
the second IoT application being executed during exe

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Zhang zhi-hong
• BANKS Jonathan Andrew
• LEUNG Laiwah Alice

Classifications

• G06F9/4425 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F9/45508

  Runtime interpretation or emulation, e g. emulator loops, bytecode interpretation · CPC title

• G06F8/36

  Software reuse · CPC title

• G06F9/4484 Primary

  Executing subprograms · CPC title