WO2017007497A1

WO2017007497A1 - Location of object within network of objects

Info

Publication number: WO2017007497A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/055067
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nagaraj Sharanayya CHITTAPUR
Original assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development Lp
Priority date: 2015-07-08
Filing date: 2015-10-12
Publication date: 2017-01-12

Abstract

Example implementations relate to locations of objects within a network of objects. For example, a computing device may include a processor. The processor may authenticate a first object within a network of objects, where each object in the network of objects is capable of communicating with the computing device. The processor may send a request for metadata to the first object and may receive the metadata from the first object in response to the request. The metadata may include geospatial location data of the first object and property data associated with a property of the first object. The processor may store the metadata in a database having data associated with the network of objects.

Description

LOCATION OF OBJECT WITHIN NETWORK OF OBJECTS

BACKGROUND

[0001] The Internet of Things is a network of physical objects embedded with components that allow each object to communicate with other connected objects and/or devices. For example, an object within the Internet of Things may receive data from and/or send data to a connected object or device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Some examples of the present application are described with respect to the following figures:

[0003] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system for managing the location of objects within a network of objects;

[0004] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example computing device for managing the location of objects within a network of objects; and

[0005] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example method for managing the location of objects within a network of objects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] As described above, the Internet of Things (loT) is a network of physical objects embedded with components that allow each object to communicate with other connected objects and/or devices. For example, physical objects, such as thermostat devices, fans, smoke detectors, and the like, may be capable of communicating with a central computing device, such that the central computing device may manage the operation of those objects. However, if an object within the loT malfunctions or becomes missing, communication with that object may cease, and that object may need to be replaced.

[0007] Examples discussed herein provide techniques for managing the location of objects within a network of objects (e.g., within the loT). For example, an object within the loT may provide a central computing device with metadata associated with the object, such as data associated with the object's geospatial location, properties of the object, and the like. A geospatial location of an object may refer to the object's position relative to the earth's surface (e.g., latitude, longitude, height, elevation above sea level, etc.).

Properties of an object may refer to any suitable properties and/or

characteristics associated with the object, such as a make and/or model of the object, a function associated with the object (e.g., object takes a temperature every hour), and the like. The metadata may be stored in a central database and may be used to manage, update, restore, and/or replace objects. In some examples, the techniques disclosed herein may be part of, or may operate in conjunction with, a data backup application.

[0008] Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system 100 for managing the location of objects 102 within a network of objects. System 100 may include computing device 104, which may be any suitable computing device managing any number of physical objects 102 within the loT. Computing device 104 may include a processor 106 and an object management engine 108 that may be any suitable engine that may cause the processor 106 to manage the location of objects 102. In some examples, the object management engine 108 may be part of a data backup management application managed by computing device 104 and may manage and backup objects 102.

[0009] For example, the object management engine 108 of computing device 104 may cause processor 106 to authenticate an object within a network of objects (e.g., one of the objects 102), where each object in the network of objects may be capable of communicating with the computing device. The object may be authenticated using any suitable authentication techniques. The object management engine 108 may cause processor 106 to send a request for metadata to the object and receive the metadata from the object in response to the request. The metadata may include any suitable data associated with the object, such as geospatial location data of the object and property data associated with a property of the object. The geospatial location data may include any suitable data indicating a geospatial location of the object, such as a latitude, a longitude, a height, an elevation above sea level, and the like. The property data may include any suitable data associated with any properties of the object, such as a make and/or model of the object, a function associated with the object, and the like. The object management engine 108 may cause processor 106 to store the metadata in database 110, where database 110 may be any suitable database having data associated with the network of objects. The metadata stored in database 110 may be used to manage, backup, and/or restore data associated with objects 102 and/or to replace malfunctioning or missing objects.

[0010] In some examples, processor 106 may determine that a particular event has occurred. For example, processor 106 may determine that an error or a catastrophic disaster has occurred that may affect objects 102. In response to determining that an event has occurred, processor 106 may ping each object 102 in the network of objects and may identify a subset of objects that are non-responsive to being pinged. For example, processor 106 may identify any objects that did not respond to the ping, as those objects may be malfunctioning and/or missing. In some examples, processor 106 may create a list of new objects that may be used to replace any objects that were non- responsive to being pinged. This may be performed by identifying the function of each object to be replaced (e.g., as specified by metadata in database 110 for each non-responsive object) and determining a new object that is capable of performing the identified function. For example, database 110 may store a catalog of various functions of objects, where each function may be identified by a unique identifier. The function of an old object to be replaced may be specified by metadata in database 110 via a corresponding unique identifier, and that identifier may be used to determine an appropriate replacement object.

[0011] In some examples, processor 106 may determine a geospatial location for any objects that did not respond to being pinged. The geospatial locations for those objects may be determined by looking up the stored geospatial locations for the objects in database 110. Processor 106 may generate a map identifying the geospatial location of each of the objects that did not respond to the ping, and the map may be used to replace the potentially malfunctioning and/or missing objects with new objects in the same geospatial location. Once an old object is replaced with a new object, processor 106 may authenticate the new object, identify a geospatial location of the new object, determine a geospatial location of the old object, and verify that the geospatial locations match (e.g., verify that the new object was placed in the same geospatial location as the old object). Additionally, processor 106 may access configuration data for the old object from database 110 and send the configuration data to the new object such that the new object may be configured to operate similarly to the old object.

[0012] Computing device 104 and objects 102 may be in communication with each other directly or over a network, which may be any suitable network, such as an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, or any other type of network, or a combination of two or more such networks. Each object 102 may be any suitable physical object having components that allow the object to

communicate with computing device 104. For example, an object 102 may be a thermostat capable of transmitting its geospatial location to computing device 104.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example computing device 200 for managing the location of objects within a network of objects. Computing device 200 may be any suitable computing device (e.g., computing device 104 of FIG. 1) that may manage objects in the loT.

[0014] Computing device 200 may be, for example, a web-based server, a local area network server, a cloud-based server, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, an all-in-one system, a tablet computing device, a mobile phone, an electronic book reader, a printing device, or any other electronic device suitable for managing the location of objects within a network of objects. Computing device 200 may include a processor 202 and a machine- readable storage medium 204. Computing device 200 may be in

communication with objects in the loT and may manage and store metadata associated with those objects. [0015] Processor 202 is a tangible hardware component that may be a central processing unit (CPU), a semiconductor-based microprocessor, and/or other hardware devices suitable for retrieval and execution of instructions stored in machine-readable storage medium 204. Processor 202 may fetch, decode, and execute instructions 206, 208, and 210 to control a process of managing the location of objects within a network of objects. As an

alternative or in addition to retrieving and executing instructions, processor 202 may include at least one electronic circuit that includes electronic components for performing the functionality of instructions 206, 208, 210, or a combination thereof.

[0016] Machine-readable storage medium 204 may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. Thus, machine-readable storage medium 204 may be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), an EPROM, an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disc, and the like. In some examples, machine-readable storage medium 204 may be a non-transitory storage medium, where the term "non- transitory" does not encompass transitory propagating signals. As described in detail below, machine-readable storage medium 204 may be encoded with a series of processor executable instructions 206, 208, and 210 for sending an authentication request to a first object within a network of objects, where each object in the network of objects is capable of communicating with the computing device 200; receiving, from the first object, an authentication response based on the authentication request; determining that the

authentication response is valid; sending a request for metadata to the first object; receiving the metadata from the first object in response to the request, the metadata including geospatial location data of the first object and property data associated with a property of the first object; and storing the metadata in a database having data associated with the network of objects.

[0017] Authentication instructions 206 may manage and control

authentication of objects in the loT using any suitable authentication techniques. For example, authentication instructions 206 may send an authentication request to a first object within a network of objects, where each object in the network of objects is capable of communicating with the computing device 200. Authentication instructions may receive an

authentication response from the first object based on the authentication request and determine whether the authentication response is valid. If the authentication response is valid, the first object may exchange data with the computing device 200.

[0018] Metadata receipt instructions 208 may manage and control the receipt of metadata from objects in the loT. For example, metadata receipt instructions 208 may send a request for metadata to the first object and receive the metadata from the first object in response to the request. The metadata may include any suitable data associated with the first object, such as geospatial location data of the first object (e.g., latitude, longitude, height, elevation above sea level, etc.) and property data associated with a property of the first object (e.g., a make and/or model of the first object, a function associated with the first object, etc.).

[0019] Database access instructions 210 may manage and control access to a database storing data associated with objects in the loT. For example, database access instructions 210 may store and retrieve metadata obtained by metadata receipt instructions 208.

[0020] In some examples, machine-readable storage medium 204 may store processor executable instructions that may cause processor 202 to determine that a particular event has occurred, ping each object in the loT in response to the event, and identify any objects that are non-responsive to being pinged, as those objects may be determined to be malfunctioning and/or missing.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example method 300 for managing the location of objects within a network of objects. Method 300 may be implemented using computing device 200 of FIG. 2.

[0022] Method 300 includes, at 302, validating an authenticity of a first object within a network of objects, where each object in the network of objects is capable of communicating with the computing device managing the method 300. The authenticity of the first object may be validated in any suitable manner using any suitable authentication techniques.

[0023] Method 300 also includes, at 304, requesting metadata associated with the first object. For example, a request for metadata may be sent to the first object.

[0024] Method 300 also includes, at 306, receiving the metadata from the first object in response to the request. The metadata may include geospatial location data of the first object (e.g., latitude, longitude, height, elevation above sea level, etc.) and property data associated with a property of the first object (e.g., a make and/or model of the first object, a function associated with the first object, etc.).

[0025] Method 300 also includes, at 308, sending the metadata to a database having data associated with the network of objects. The metadata may be used to manage the first object and replace the first object with new object if/when the first object malfunctions and/or becomes missing.

[0026] Examples provided herein (e.g., methods) may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both. Example systems may include a controller/processor and memory resources for executing instructions stored in a tangible non-transitory medium (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and/or machine-readable media). Non-transitory machine-readable media can be tangible and have machine-readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to implement examples according to the present disclosure.

[0027] An example system can include and/or receive a tangible non- transitory machine-readable medium storing a set of machine-readable instructions (e.g., software). As used herein, the controller/processor can include one or a plurality of processors such as in a parallel processing system. The memory can include memory addressable by the processor for execution of machine-readable instructions. The machine-readable medium can include volatile and/or non-volatile memory such as a random access memory ("RAM"), magnetic memory such as a hard disk, floppy disk, and/or tape memory, a solid state drive ("SSD"), flash memory, phase change memory, and the like.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A computing device, comprising:

a processor to:

authenticate a first object within a network of objects, wherein each object in the network of objects is capable of communicating with the computing device;

send a request for metadata to the first object;

receive the metadata from the first object in response to the request, the metadata including geospatial location data of the first object and property data associated with a property of the first object; and

store the metadata in a database having data associated with the network of objects.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the geospatial location data includes at least one of a latitude, a longitude, and a height.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the property data includes at least one of a make associated with the first object, a model associated with the first object, and a function associated with the first object.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to:

determine that an event has occurred;

ping each object in the network of objects in response to the event; and identify a subset of objects that are non-responsive to being pinged.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further to:

determine a geospatial location of each object in the subset of objects using the data stored in the database; and generate a map identifying the geospatial location of each object in the subset of objects.

6. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further to:

determine that a second object in the subset of objects has been replaced with a new object;

identify a geospatial location of the new object;

determine a geospatial location associated with the second object using the data stored in the database; and

verify that the geospatial location of the new object matches the geospatial location of the second object.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the processor is further to:

access, from the database, configuration data associated with the second object; and

send the configuration data to the new object.

8. A method, comprising:

validating, by a computing device, an authenticity of a first object within a network of objects, wherein each object in the network of objects is capable of communicating with the computing device;

requesting, by the computing device, metadata associated with the first object;

receiving, by the computing device, the metadata from the first object in response to the requesting, the metadata including geospatial location data of the first object and property data associated with a property of the first object; and

sending, by the computing device, the metadata to a database having data associated with the network of objects.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that an event has occurred; pinging, by the computing device, each object in the network of objects in response to the event; and

identifying, by the computing device, a subset of objects that are non- responsive to being pinged.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a geospatial location of each object in the subset of objects using the data stored in the database; and generating, by the computing device, a map identifying the geospatial location of each object in the subset of objects.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that a second object in the subset of objects has been replaced with a new object;

identifying, by the computing device, a geospatial location of the new object;

determining, by the computing device, a geospatial location associated with the second object using the data stored in the database; and

verifying, by the computing device, that the geospatial location of the new object matches the geospatial location of the second object.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

send an authentication request to a first object within a network of objects, wherein each object in the network of objects is capable of communicating with the computing device;

receive, from the first object, an authentication response based on the authentication request;

determine that the authentication response is valid;

send a request for metadata to the first object; receive the metadata from the first object in response to the request, the metadata including geospatial location data of the first object and property data associated with a property of the first object; and

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the geospatial location data includes at least one of a latitude, a longitude, and a height.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the property data includes at least one of a make associated with the first object, a model associated with the first object, and a function associated with the first object.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

determine that an event has occurred;