KR100945563B1 - System and Method for RFID Middleware Based on ALE Standard Specification - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an RFID middleware system and method, and according to the present invention, receives a request specification from a reader interface processing module and an application service that receives data, and performs an event cycle to perform the request specification from the received data. And an ALE core processing module configured to arithmetic data corresponding to the ALE core processing module, and transfer the arithmetic processed data to the application service.

RFID middleware, ubiquitous, ALE

Description

RFID middleware system and method {System and Method for RFID Middleware Based on ALE Standard Specification}

The present invention relates to an RFID middleware system and method, and more particularly, to request a request specification from a reader interface processing module and an application service that receives data, and to perform an event cycle to the request specification from the received data. An ALE core processing module for arithmetic processing corresponding data, the present invention relates to a system and method for delivering the arithmetic data to the application service.

The present invention belongs to one of various technical fields such as automatic identification, home network, sensor network, telematics, etc. in order to realize ubiquitous computing. (Radio Frequency Identification) technology manages various readers and collects data using various protocols from readers, and also collects meaningful information from collected and unprocessed data or information in a form that application services are easy to use. The present invention relates to an RFID middleware that performs a function of extracting and delivering the application service.

Conventional RFID middleware excels in the efficiency of data processing by providing various functions and data processing methods, but does not follow the de facto standard for providing independence between application services and middleware, thereby interoperating with various external business logic in the future. If necessary, there are room for improvement in terms of cost and flexibility due to problems caused by different constraints.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention, based on the ALE (Application Level Events) standard specification, the request from the reader interface processing module and application services to receive data Receiving the requested request specification, and performs an event cycle to arithmetic processing data corresponding to the request specification from the received data, the ALE core processing module, and transfers the processed data to the application service, It is to provide an RFID middleware system and method that can interoperate with various external business logic.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The present invention was devised to solve the above problems, and the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to receive a request specification from a reader interface processing module and an application service that receives data, and perform an event cycle. And an ALE core processing module configured to arithmize data corresponding to the request specification from the received data, and to deliver the arithmetic processed data to the application service.

In addition, another technical problem to be achieved by the present invention, the step of receiving data from the reader and the request specification requested from the application service, performing an event cycle to the data corresponding to the request specification from the received data To provide an RFID middleware system and a method for arithmetic processing and transferring the arithmetic processed data to the application service.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

According to the RFID middleware system and method of the present invention as described above, it can be interoperable with various business logic, there is an advantage that can support the application service without restrictions.

In addition, by delegating to the middleware developer about the operation method and the system detailed structure of the RFID middleware, there is an advantage to increase the flexibility and expandability of the system implementation.

In addition, by using a distributed method in which a user of an application service directly requests data from middleware, the efficiency of application service processing is increased.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings for describing an RFID middleware system and method according to embodiments of the present invention. At this point, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and combinations of flowchart illustrations may be performed by computer program instructions. Since these computer program instructions may be mounted on a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, those instructions executed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment may be described in flow chart block (s). It creates a means to perform the functions. These computer program instructions may be stored in a computer usable or computer readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement functionality in a particular manner, and thus the computer usable or computer readable memory. It is also possible for the instructions stored in to produce an article of manufacture containing instruction means for performing the functions described in the flowchart block (s). Computer program instructions may also be mounted on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, such that a series of operating steps may be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-implemented process to create a computer or other programmable data. Instructions that perform processing equipment may also provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block (s).

In addition, each block may represent a portion of a module, segment, or code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing a specified logical function (s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, the two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending on the corresponding function.

Prior to the description, the meaning of terms used in the present specification will be briefly described. However, the description of the terminology is intended to help the understanding of the present specification, and thus, unless explicitly stated as limiting the present invention, it is not used to limit the technical spirit of the present invention.

An event cycle refers to a process of collecting data required by a user of an application service. The event cycle is performed according to the conditions specified in the application service user's requirements.

A request specification (ECSpec) is an XML instance of the ECSpec data type specified in the Application Level Event (ALE) standard specification. The requirements specification is a requirements document that can create various conditions for processing the raw data received from the reader 160 to the middleware system 100 as the purified data required by the application service.

The requirements specify the following:

(1) Several reader devices used for the same purpose can be called under one logical name, which is called a logical leader. For example, several reader devices attached to the front door may be referred to as a single name of 'front door access device'.

(2) The range of event cycles (startTrigger, stopTrigger) starts the event cycle when the start condition occurs, and terminates the event cycle when the end condition occurs, and is implemented as "startTrigger, stopTrigger".

(3) Filtering (urn: epc: tag: sgtin-64: 3.00360. *. *) Is responsible for filtering the data read by specific company product types. For example, if a specific company is Samsung, only Samsung product type is classified and implemented as "urn: epc: tag: sgtin-64: 3.00360. *. *."

(4) The data set to be transmitted serves to transmit all the currently filtered data and is implemented as "reportSet set =" CURRENT ":".

(5) Checking whether there is data to be transmitted checks the data even if there is no data to be transmitted, and is implemented as "reportIfEmpty =" true ":".

(6) The data change check to send is only sent when it is changed compared with the data transmitted before. It is implemented as "reportOnlyOnChange =" true ":".

(7) Grouping serves to group data to be transmitted by type (eg TV and audio), and is implemented as "urn: epc: tag: sgtin-64: 3.00360.X. *):".

(8) Data designation and format conversion convert grouping data into Tag value, and are implemented with "includeTag =" true ":".

(9) The final result is generated by ECReports and sent to the client.

A report (ECReports) is a list of ECReport objects created by performing one event cycle with an XML instance of the ECReports data type in the ALE standard specification. Each ECReport object is created by referring to the ECReportsSpec instance of the corresponding request specification (ECSpec).

1 is a block diagram of an RFID middleware system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the RFID middleware system 100 may include a reader interface processing module 110, a broadcasting processing module 120, an ALE core processing module 130, and an ALE interface 140 module.

The reader interface processing module 110 performs sensor management and connection management to process data sensed from various readers 160 or sensors. Detailed description thereof will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

The broadcasting processing module 120 connects the logical leader 220 to be used in the application service to the dynamically generated event queue 250. A detailed description thereof will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

The ALE interface module 140 provides an ALE standard interface to an application developer to support various application services, and serves to receive a request specification generated by the application service.

The ALE core processing module 130 performs processing on items specified in the ALE specification, such as request specification analysis, event cycle execution, filtering grouping, and report transmission. A detailed description thereof will be described later with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The ALE specification creation module 150 serves to create a specification required by an application service user, and delivers the required specification to the RFID middleware system 100.

2 is a block diagram of processing data corresponding to a request specification requested by an application service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, the reader interface processing module 110 includes a reader interface 210 and a logic reader 220.

The reader interface 210 performs sensor management and connection management to process data sensed from various readers 160 or sensors. In addition, the logical reader 220 is generated to reflect and manage one or more pieces of data in the logical leader 220. Here, the data may include a next generation barcode (Electronic Product Code).

The reader interface processing module 110 may interwork with ALR-9640, ALR-9780, ALR9750, a mobile reader, and EPC compatible RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) readers 100 of Alien.

The broadcast processing module 120 may include a broadcast manager 230 and a broadcast 240.

The broadcast manager 230 generates and manages a broadcast 240 corresponding to the logical reader 220 generated from the reader interface processing module 110.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the queue generation module 320 in the ALE core processing module 130 generates the event queue 250. The broadcast manager 230 dynamically connects the broadcast 240 reflecting the logical leader 220 corresponding to the dynamically generated multiple event queues 250 to prevent data loss. Therefore, the broadcast manager 230 transmits the data reflected in the broadcast 240 to the multiple event queues 250 only when there is a request of the event queue 250. If there are no requests from the multiple event queues 250, the data received from the logical reader 220 is removed.

3 is a block diagram of the ALE core processing module 130 of the component 100 of the RFID middleware system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the ALE core processing module 130 may include an event cycle processing module 300, a data operation processing module 350, and a report generation module.

The event cycle processing module 300 includes an event cycle manager module 310, a queue generation module 320, a queue connection module 330, and an event cycle execution module 340.

The event cycle manager module 310 directs and manages all modules in the event cycle processing module 300 and communicates with an application service.

The queue creation module 320 serves to generate an event queue 250 for processing an application service.

The queue connection module 330 uses the broadcast 240 to connect the event queue 250 generated for the event cycle processing and the logical reader 220 continuously coming in.

The event cycle execution module 340 collects data based on what is specified in the requirement specification generated from the application service.

The data operation processing module 350 includes a data operation processing manager module 360 and a data operation module 370.

The data operation module 370 operates to process data retrieved from the event cycle processing module 300 for a predetermined period (that is, one event cycle). Here, arithmetic processing plays a role of various arithmetic processing such as filtering, grouping and the like specified in the request specification.

The data operation processing manager module 360 manages the data operation module 370 and manages and stores the processed data.

4 is a block diagram of a report generation module 380 among the components 130 of the ALE core processing module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the report generation module 380 includes a report object result parsing processing module 410, a report generation module 420, and a document conversion module 430.

The report object result parsing module 410 parses each result value in order to convert the data (report object) processed by the upper data operation processing module 360 into an XML instance format of the ECReport object to obtain a value.

The report generation module 420 serves to generate a report using the obtained result.

The document conversion module 430 converts (objects) and stores the generated report into a specific format.

5 is an association diagram for example methods, method functions, and validity checks supported by the ALE interface, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the ALE interface module 140 provides a plurality of methods, and the relationship between them will be described.

The Define (specName, ECSpec) method 510 is a method for registering a request specification generated by an application service with middleware. When the define method is called, the specification name is checked for redundancy and the validity of the request specification. The request specification is registered in the specification pool data structure inside the middleware.

Subscribe (specName, URI) method 520, unSubscribe (specName, URI) method 530, unDefine (specName, ECSpec) method 540, getECSpec (specName) method 550, getSubscribe (specName) method 560 And the getECSpecNames () method 570 serves as defined in FIG. 3.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of executing an RFID middleware system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, a request specification is generated and the generated request specification is received (S610). The application service user uses the spec creation module 150 to generate the requirements specification. The generated requirement specification is transmitted to the RFID middleware system 100 through the ALE interface module 140. Thus, the RFID middleware system can receive the requirements specification.

Upon receiving the request specification, an event cycle for extracting data corresponding to the request specification from the received data is performed (S620). As will be described later with reference to FIG. 7, data corresponding to a request specification is extracted using data received from the reader 160 that has received a plurality of data. Here, the data may include a next generation barcode (Electronic Product Code).

After the data is extracted, the extracted data is arithmetic (S630). Here, the arithmetic processing may include filtering of data, grouping, and the like as described above, and may include arithmetic processing of data loaded for a predetermined period of time. Here, the filtering may include, for example, a role of classifying a specific company product type, and the grouping may include, for example, a role of grouping data to be transmitted by type. In addition, the computed data is managed and stored using the computation processing manager module 360.

After the arithmetic processing is performed, a report is generated and processed for the arithmetic processed data (S640). The computed data is parsed into the XML instance format of the ECReport object and the result is parsed. Generate the report using the parsed result value, and convert the generated report to a specific format and save it.

After generating the report, the report is transmitted to the requested application service (S650). The generated report may be delivered to the application service 1 or other application service that requested the application service using the ALE core processing module.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an event cycle S620 of FIG. 6 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, a request specification received from an application service is analyzed (S710). As described above, the RFID middleware system 100 analyzes the requirements specification to execute the event cycle.

After analyzing the requirements, it is checked whether the start condition is satisfied (S720). As described above in FIG. 3, whether to start an event cycle is determined using start conditions (StartTrigger, Repeat Period, non-Start Condition).

If the start condition is satisfied, StartTrigger is used to determine whether to start the event cycle.

When the start condition is not satisfied, when the non-start condition is satisfied, the S720 is repeated by a repeat period without starting an event cycle.

If the start condition is satisfied, data is loaded (S730).

When the start condition is satisfied, as described above with reference to Figs. 2 to 4, data is loaded. In brief, the received one or more pieces of data are reflected in the generated logical reader 220. In order to be delivered to the dynamically generated event queue 250, the data reflected logical leader 220 is delivered to the intermediate broadcast brot 230. The broadcast 240 transmits the data reflected in the logical leader 220 only when there is a request of the event queue 250, and removes the data when there is no request of the event queue 250.

After loading the data, it is checked whether the end condition is satisfied (S740). As described above in FIG. 3, the event cycle process is terminated using end conditions (EndTrigger, duration, stableSetInterval, UnSubscribe).

If the end condition is satisfied, it is checked whether the repeat cycle condition is satisfied (S750). In the end condition, if the repetition period (duration) condition is satisfied, step S720 is repeatedly performed, and if the repetition period condition is not satisfied, step S630 is performed.

1 is a block diagram of an RFID middleware system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of processing data corresponding to a request specification requested by an application service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a block diagram of the ALE core processing module 130 of the component 100 of the RFID middleware system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram of a report generation module 380 among the components 130 of the ALE core processing module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an association diagram for example methods, method functions, and validity checks supported by the ALE interface, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of executing an RFID middleware system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an event cycle S620 of FIG. 6, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Claims (24)

A reader interface processing module for receiving data; And An ALE core processing module that receives the request specification from a creation module that creates a request specification from an application service and generates a request specification, and performs an event cycle to compute and process data corresponding to the request specification from the received data Including; RFID middleware system for transferring the computed data to an application program. delete The method of claim 1, And an ALE interface module for receiving the request specification and supporting the application service. The method of claim 1, The reader interface processing module, RFID middleware system for generating and managing a logical reader reflecting the data. The method of claim 1, The reader interface processing module, RFID middleware system for controlling a reader connected to the RFID middleware system. The method of claim 1, And the data comprises at least one next generation barcode (Electronic Product Code). The method of claim 4, wherein The ALE core processing module, A queue generation module for generating an event queue for the application program; A queue connection module connected to the logical leader corresponding to the event queue; An event cycle execution module for extracting data from the logical liter; And And an event cycle manager module for managing the queue generation module, the queue connection module, and the event cycle execution module and communicating with the application service. The method of claim 1, The operation processing, RFID middleware system comprising at least one of filtering and grouping. The method of claim 1, The ALE core processing module, A data operation module configured to process the data; And And a data operation processing manager module for managing the data operation processing module and performing at least one of managing and storing the processed data. The method of claim 1, The ALE core processing module, A report object result parsing processing module for parsing the computed data into an XML instance format; And An RFID middleware system comprising a report generation module for generating a report by reflecting the data. The method of claim 4, wherein And a broadcast processing module for generating a broadcast corresponding to the logical reader, wherein the broadcast receives data stored in the logical reader. The method of claim 11, The broadcasting processing module, If there is a request from the event queue, RFID middleware system for delivering the data to the event queue. The method of claim 11, The broadcasting processing module, If there is no request from the event queue, RFID middleware system to remove the data. Receiving data from a reader; Creating a request specification by creating a requested specification from an application service; And Receiving the request specification, performing an event cycle to arithmetic data corresponding to the request specification from the received data, and transferring the arithmetic processed data to an application program. delete The method of claim 14, After the receiving step, Generating a logical reader that reflects the data. The method of claim 14, And the data comprises at least one next generation barcode (Electronic Product Code). The method of claim 16, Creating an event queue for the application; Connecting with the logical leader corresponding to the event queue; And Extracting data from the logical liter. The method of claim 14, The operation processing, At least one of filtering and grouping. The method of claim 14, And performing at least one of managing and storing the computed data. The method of claim 14, Parsing the computed data into an XML instance format; And Generating a report by reflecting the data, RFID middleware system execution method. The method of claim 16, Generating a broadcast corresponding to the logical leader; And Receiving the data stored in the logical reader by the broadcast. The method of claim 22, If there is a request from the event queue: Delivering the data to the event queue. The method of claim 22, If there is no request from the event queue, And removing the data.

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