Management system for digital twins, and associated management method

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1000) for managing digital twins, comprising: a management module (100) for at least one digital twin (200) of an entity (300), the digital twin being accessible via a telecommunications network, the digital twin (200) comprising a first set of at least one property having a value that can change over time; and a database (400) which is connected to the digital twin management module (100) and configured to store representations (410) of digital twins (200), the representations being compatible with one another, a representation (410) of a digital twin comprising a second set of at least one property having a value that changes over time as a function of the change in the value of the at least one property of the first set of the corresponding twin.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Digital twin management system, associated management method Technical Field

[0001] The present invention falls within the general field of the Internet of Things. More particularly, it relates to a digital twin management system. It also relates to a management method implemented by such a digital twin management system. Previous technique

[0002] A digital twin can be defined as a digital replication of a real object or process, which has the unique characteristic of evolving in response to changes in the object or process to which it is attached. The defining feature of a digital twin is that it relies on a physical model continuously updated with data collected via sensors placed on or near the real object, or obtained through inspections of that object at a specific point in time.

[0003] Thus, unlike a classic digital model, a digital twin is generally configured to provide information at every moment on the current state of operation of the real object to which it is linked, but also to simulate a scenario, or even predict or anticipate certain situations with regard to the current operation of that object.

[0004] In the industrial sector, and particularly in aerospace and automotive manufacturing, digital twins are increasingly popular because they offer enhanced monitoring, allow for the anticipation of potential failures, and thus facilitate decision-making. They are also increasingly used for monitoring complex systems, such as cities, since they allow for the inclusion of building construction and management data, as well as data from transportation and energy networks.

[0005] However, conventionally, such complex systems use a plurality of digital twins, which are generally designed by different digital twin providers, according to a specific, sometimes proprietary, data format. These different digital twins, which represent subsystems or real-world objects of the complex system, are therefore not interoperable, and the usefulness of a digital twin of such a complex system is thus limited.

[0006] For example, within a city, highways, bridges and tunnels, railways, subways, and other transportation infrastructure are typically operated and maintained by multiple operators. Each operator may decide to create a digital twin of the infrastructure it manages, but this is usually done independently of the others. digital twins representing the city's other transport infrastructures. Therefore, to enable these operators to cooperate more effectively and thus improve the operation, planning, and development of transport infrastructure, it is desirable to enhance cooperation between these different digital twins. Description of the invention

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome all or part of the drawbacks of the prior art, particularly those described above, by providing a solution that allows for the management of a digital twin and the storage of its representation in a database, without this representation following a predetermined data schema that must be stored in said database. The representations can then follow a data schema, for example, defined by a system user according to the use case of this digital twin.

[0008] More specifically, the present invention makes it possible to manage a digital twin independently of its data format, which makes its management and use flexible.

[0009] To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a digital twin management system comprising: - a management module for at least one digital twin of an entity, said digital twin being accessible through a telecommunications network, said digital twin comprising a first set of at least one property having a value that can evolve over time; - a database connected to the management module (100) of digital twins and configured to record representations of digital twins, the representations being compatible with each other, a representation of a digital twin comprising a second set of at least one property having a value evolving over time according to the evolution of the value of at least one property of the first set of the corresponding twin.

[0010] Representations of a database are said to be compatible in the sense that a first representation of a first digital twin can interact with a second representation of a second digital twin, even if the formats of the first and second digital twins do not necessarily allow this interaction. Interaction includes, for example, the exchange of data, but also the management (generation, evolution, deletion) of relationships between these first and second representations.

[0011] In particular modes of implementation, the system may further include one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations.

[0012] According to one particular implementation, the database is a document-oriented database, and a representation is stored in the database as a document comprising the second set of at least one property.

[0013] This implementation is advantageous in that it does not require a predetermined data schema to be stored in said database, and it allows a representation to be stored regardless of the format of the associated digital twin, and regardless of the properties of that digital twin.

[0014] According to a particular implementation, the management module (100) includes at least one agent (120) dedicated to managing a representation and the agent includes a synchronization module configured to trigger, in response to the determination of a change in the value of at least one property of the first set, an update of the value of at least one property of the second set, the update being a function of a synchronization strategy characterizing a synchronization frequency and / or a synchronization state.

[0015] This implementation is advantageous because it avoids congestion related to the simultaneous reception of a significant number of requests by the digital twin management module.

[0016] According to a particular implementation, the digital twin is a physical twin corresponding to a digital replica of the entity, a virtual twin corresponding to a simulation of the entity being associated with this physical twin, and the synchronization state is one of the following: - a desynchronization between the entity, the physical and virtual twins, and the corresponding representation; - a synchronization between the entity, the physical and virtual twins, and the corresponding representation; - a replication of the value of at least one property of the physical twin with the value of at least one corresponding property of the virtual twin and a synchronization between the physical twin and the corresponding representation; - a replication of the value of at least one property of the virtual twin with the value of at least one corresponding property of the physical twin and a synchronization between the virtual twin and the corresponding representation.

[0017] According to a particular implementation, the database is a graph-oriented database.

[0018] Using a graph database is advantageous because the relationships between the different entries in the database are stored within the database itself and do not need to be determined on the fly upon receiving a specific query. In this way, response time is considerably reduced, even for complex queries. Furthermore, a graph database is particularly well-suited to the Internet of Things and complex systems because it allows for the storage of large amounts of (potentially complex) data without affecting query processing within such a database.

[0019] According to one particular implementation, the management module is configured to handle at least one first and second digital twin linked by a semantic relationship, and the management module includes an indication that the representations of the first and second digital twins are also linked.

[0020] This implementation is advantageous because it allows for the management of a complex system consisting of a large number of interacting twins.

[0021] Depending on the specific implementation, the management module includes: - a module for receiving an instruction intended to interact with a digital twin (J) - a determination module that an agent of said management module has not been previously associated with said digital twin (J); - an instantiation module for an agent associated with said digital twin (J) configured to instantiate said agent dynamically in memory; and, - an instantiation module configured to instantiate a representation.

[0022] Depending on a particular implementation, the agent also includes: - a digital twin access module (J); and, - a management module for at least one set of programming interfaces specifying the methods applicable to the digital twin (J).

[0023] According to one particular implementation, the management module further includes a response module configured to generate a response representative of the success of applying a method to a digital twin.

[0024] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for managing digital twins by means of a digital twin management system, the method comprising: - the reception of an instruction aimed at interacting with a digital twin (J); - the determination that no agent of said management module has been previously associated with said digital twin (J); - the instantiation of an agent associated with said digital twin (J), the instantiation being performed in memory and dynamically; and, - the instantiation of a representation of a digital twin, based on association data.

[0025] Generally speaking, the steps of a process should not be interpreted as being linked to a notion of temporal succession.

[0026] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions for the implementation of a management process, when said program is executed by a processor.

[0027] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which the computer program according to the invention is recorded. Brief description of the drawings

[0028] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of an embodiment without being limiting in any way. In the figures:

[0029] [Fig.1A] Figure IA schematically represents a first example of an embodiment, according to the invention, of a digital twin management system.

[0030] [Fig.1B] Figure IB schematically represents a second example of an embodiment, according to the invention, of a digital twin management system.

[0031] [Fig.2A] Figure 2A schematically illustrates an example of agents associated with digital twins linked together by a semantic relationship.

[0032] [Fig.2B] Figure 2B schematically illustrates an example of agents associated with digital twins belonging to the same digital twin system.

[0033] [Fig.2C] Figure 2C schematically represents an example of digital twin systems linked together by a semantic relationship.

[0034] [Fig.3A] Figure 3A schematically represents an example of an embodiment, according to the invention, of a management module 100 belonging to the management system of Figure IA or Figure IB.

[0035] [Fig.3B] Figure 3B schematically represents an example of an embodiment, according to the invention, of an agent 120 belonging to the management module 100 of Figure 3A.

[0036] [Fig.4] Figure 4 schematically represents an example of the hardware architecture of a management module 100 belonging to the management system of Figure IA or Figure IB.

[0037] [Fig.5] Figure 5 represents, in the form of a time diagram, an example of a process for managing digital twins, as implemented by the management system of Figure IA or Figure IB. Description of the implementation methods

[0038] Elements common or similar to several figures bear the same reference signs and have identical or similar characteristics, so these common elements are generally not described again, for the sake of brevity.

[0039] Figure IA schematically represents a first example of an embodiment, in accordance with the invention, of a digital twin management system.

[0040] The 1000 digital twin management system includes a 100 digital twin management module connected, via a 500 telecommunications network, to a 200 digital twin. The 100 digital twin management module is also connected to a 400 database.

[0041] Database 400

[0042] In a particular implementation, a 400 database is a NoSQL database (short for "Not Only SQL"). These databases are especially well-suited to the Internet of Things (IoT), as they allow for the storage and analysis of large volumes of data without the data necessarily following a predetermined data schema that must be stored within the database. In other words, the data is not necessarily organized into tables linked by joins, and it is therefore possible to interact with these databases without using a complex query language. Programming interfaces typically allow data manipulation using a language that represents structured information, such as XML (short for "Extensible Markup Language") or JSON (short for "JavaScript Object Notation").

[0043] In one particular implementation, a 400 database is a document-oriented NoSQL database. Each database entry corresponds to a key-value pair. The value corresponds to a document containing a list of properties, each property being associated with a value, which can itself be a list of properties. In some implementations, the document is a JSON or XML file.

[0044] Using a document-oriented NoSQL database offers the advantage of manipulating structured data (e.g., documents) without requiring a predefined data schema to be stored within the database. Furthermore, it allows for the manipulation of these documents, and in particular, the retrieval of a set of hierarchically structured information using a single key. With a relational database, this This operation would be costly in terms of processing resources since it would potentially require performing several joins.

[0045] In a particular implementation, the 400 database is a graph database. In this case, the relationships between the different entries in the database are stored within the 400 database itself and do not need to be determined on the fly upon receiving a specific query. This significantly reduces response time, even for complex queries. Furthermore, a graph database is particularly well-suited to the Internet of Things and complex systems because it allows for the storage of large amounts of (potentially complex) data without impacting query processing.

[0046] Digital Twin Management Module

[0047] Returning to Figure IA, the management module 100 includes a generic module 110 configured to manage a set of at least one agent 120. More specifically, the generic module is responsible for the logical organization in memory of agents 120, including in particular the logical grouping of agents dedicated to twins from the same functional domain or dedicated to the same application, and the generation of semantic relations between these agents, said generated relations replicating the links stored in the database between the digital twins.

[0048] Agent 120 is configured to process a single digital twin 200, as well as the 410 representation of this digital twin in database 400. The functionalities of this agent 120 will be described in more detail below. The 410 representation corresponds to an entry in database 400. Thus, if the database is a document-oriented NoSQL database, the 410 representation corresponds to a document in that database.

[0049] Digital twin

[0050] It is worth recalling at this stage that a digital twin can be defined as a digital replication of an entity, e.g., a real object or a process, which has the particularity of evolving according to the transformations of the entity to which it is attached.

[0051] The digital twin 200 can be either a physical digital twin 210, in which case it corresponds to the most faithful possible digital replica of a real object 300. Alternatively, the digital twin 200 is a virtual digital twin 220 and thus corresponds to a simulated or adapted version of the object 300. Regarding this aspect, those skilled in the art can refer to the document "Differentiating Digital Twin From Digital Shadow: Elucidating A Paradigm Shift To Expedite A Smart, Sustainable Built Environment," Samad ME Sepasgozar, Buildings, 77(4), 151. Finally, as an alternative, the digital twin 200 comprises a physical digital twin 210 and a virtual digital twin 220. This digital twin 200 is linked to the object 300 that it represents, for example, through a communication network 510.

[0052] Synchronization of the digital image 200 and its representation 410

[0053] A digital twin 200 is by definition configured to provide, at any given moment, information on the current operating state of the real object 300 to which it is linked, and consequently, the same is true for its representation 410 in database 400. In other words, when at least one value of a property of the digital twin changes over time, the value of the corresponding property of the representation changes similarly. According to a particular implementation, the value of the corresponding property of the representation is equal to that of the property of the digital twin. This synchronization is not necessarily instantaneous, but depends on a synchronization strategy, accessible by the agent 120 managing this digital twin 200, and characterizing a synchronization frequency and / or a synchronization state.

[0054] The synchronization frequency generally depends on the type of device, but also on its use. For example, if the device is a lamp illuminating an agricultural greenhouse based on ambient light, synchronization once every 30 minutes will be more than sufficient. However, if the lamp illuminates an office, synchronization once a minute will be preferable.

[0055] The synchronization state corresponds to: - either to a total desynchronization between the real object 300, the physical digital twin 210 and virtual digital twin 220, and a fortiori the corresponding representation 410; - either to a total synchronization between the real object 300, the physical digital twin 210 and virtual digital twin 220, and the corresponding representation 410; - either to a directional synchronization "physical digital twin to virtual digital twin", that is to say, a replication of the values ​​of the properties of the physical digital twin 210 onto the corresponding values ​​of the properties of the virtual digital twin 220, then a synchronization between the digital twin (physical or virtual) and the corresponding representation 410; or, - either to a directional synchronization "virtual digital twin to physical digital twin", that is to say to a replication of the values ​​of the properties of the virtual twin 220 on the corresponding values ​​of the properties of the physical twin 210, then a synchronization between the digital twin (physical or virtual) and the corresponding representation 410.

[0056] According to a particular implementation, if an agent 120, or more generally a management module 100, detects a desynchronization between the real object 300 and its digital twin 200 (physical and / or virtual) or between the digital twin 200 and its representation 410 in the database, said management module is configured to transmit a notification, to a user of system 1000, including an indication that at least some of the system components are out of sync with each other.

[0057] Association data

[0058] It should be remembered that, when at least one value of a property of the digital twin changes over time, the value of the corresponding property of the representation also changes.

[0059] The determination of the corresponding property is done through association data. This association data is stored by agent 120 and defines a relationship, which can evolve over time, between the properties of the digital twin 200 and the properties of its representation 410.

[0060] According to a particular implementation, when the digital twin 200 comprises a physical digital twin 210 and a virtual digital twin 220, the database 400 includes two representations associated with this digital twin 200, each associated with one of the physical and virtual twins. In this case, the agent 120 managing said digital twin 200 includes, on the one hand, first association data linking the properties of the physical twin 210 and the representation of said physical twin, and on the other hand, second association data linking the properties of the virtual twin 220 and the representation of said virtual twin.

[0061] According to one particular implementation, this association data is hard-coded and defined by a user of system 1000 for a particular digital twin 200.

[0062] Alternatively, the association data is determined dynamically, according to a standard or norm. More specifically, a 200 digital twin conforms to a standard, such as DTDL (acronym for "Digital Twins Definition Language," a specification of which can be accessed at https: / / qithub.com / Azure / opendiqitaltwins-dtdl / blob / master / DTDL / v2 / dtdlv2.md); NGSI-LD (defined in the ETSI GS CIM 009 VI.4.1 document, Context Information Management (CIM) NGSI-LD API, published in February 2021); SensorThings API (a specification of which can be accessed at https: / / qithub.com / opengeospatial / sensorthings); or WoT TD (acronym for "Thing Description Ontology - Thing Description," a specification of which can be accessed at https: / / www.w3.org / 2019 / wot / td). An association between the properties of the digital twin 200 and the properties of its database representation 410 can then be deduced.

[0063] In a particular implementation, a software component converts the representation of one or more standard format representations into the database representation. This component can leverage the metadata (e.g., MIME type) of the representation file, indicating its input format.

[0064] Other distinctive features

[0065] In the example illustrated by this AI figure, data collected via sensors placed on or near the real object 300 is recorded in a database 600 connected to the real object 300 through a telecommunications network 530. This database 600 can also be accessed by the digital twin 200 via the telecommunications network 520. The database 600 can also store metadata for the object 300. This metadata includes, for example, the creation date, the date of last update, the expiration date, the owner (ID), and a visibility and / or privacy indicator.

[0066] Telecommunications networks 500, 510, 520, and 530 can refer to separate networks or a single network. There are no limitations regarding the type of telecommunications network, which could be, for example, an internet network, a Wi-Fi network, or a fixed or mobile telephone network. Alternatively, telecommunications networks 500, 510, 520, and 530 can refer to a simple wired or wireless connection.

[0067] In the example in Figure IA, the digital twin 200 is more precisely an instance of a digital twin, this digital twin having been developed so as to model a particular type of object to which the real object 300 belongs.

[0068] Figure IB

[0069] Figure IB schematically represents a second example of an embodiment, according to the invention, of a digital twin management system.

[0070] In this example, the digital twin management module 100 is linked to a library 700 of digital twins 200, the twins in the library corresponding to physical digital twins 210, virtual digital twins 220 or comprising both a physical digital twin 210 and a virtual digital twin 220.

[0071] The digital twins 200 in the library 700 were developed for a particular type of object. Unlike the example illustrated in Figure IA, which manipulates already instantiated twins 200, the library 700 stores digital twins 200 that, when stored in the library 700, are not yet instantiated, and a fortiori, are not yet linked to a real object 300.

[0072] The instantiation of such a digital twin is implemented, for example, when a user of system 1000 wants to use a digital twin from the library for an object 300 in their environment. This object 300 is connected, either directly or via a telecommunications network (not shown), to the management module 100.

[0073] In this example, the 400 database then stores a representation of an instantiation of a 200 digital twin from the 700 library of digital twins.

[0074] Organization of digital twins

[0075] If the real-world object 300 is, for example, a lamp in an office, when it actually turns on or off, this change of state should be automatically transmitted to the air conditioning unit in that office. Conversely, the digital twin of the lamp should be linked to the digital twin of the air conditioning unit so that it can be informed that a value of one of its properties has changed, thus allowing the air conditioning unit to turn off when the lamp is off. In this example, the digital twins are therefore linked by a semantic relationship and belong to the same system, in this case, a building management system.

[0076] More generally, several digital twins can therefore form a complex system that can be represented as a graph, with each node corresponding to a digital twin and an edge between two nodes corresponding to a semantic relationship between two digital twins. This structuring or hierarchy among the digital twins must also be reflected at the level of the agents managing the representations of these digital twins. Alternatively, when a graph-oriented database is used, these relationships are also specified within that database.

[0077] Thus, Figure 2A schematically illustrates an example of 120-1 and 120-2 agents managing the representations of digital twins linked together by a 130-1 semantic relation. The semantic relation corresponds for example to "is_a_part_of", "is_a", "is_connected_to".

[0078] Figure 2B schematically illustrates an example of agents 120-3 and 120-4 managing representations of digital twins belonging to the same digital twin system. More precisely, agent 120-3 is linked by semantic relation 130-2 to agent 120-4, and these two agents also belong to the same system 140-1.

[0079] Figure 2C schematically represents an example of two systems 140-2, 140-3 of digital twins linked together by a semantic relation 150-1. The semantic relation linking two systems corresponds for example to "is_a_part_of", "is_a", "is_connected_to".

[0080] Figures 3A and 3B

[0081] Figure 3A schematically represents an example of an embodiment, according to the invention, of a management module 100 belonging to the management system 1000 of Figure IA or Figure IB.

[0082] Figure 3B schematically represents an example of an embodiment, according to the invention, of an agent 120 belonging to the management module 100 of Figure 3A.

[0083] Figure 4 schematically represents an example of the hardware architecture of a management module 100 belonging to the management system of Figure IA or Figure IB.

[0084] As illustrated in Figure 4, the digital twin management module 100 has the hardware architecture of a computer. Thus, the module includes, in particular, a processor 1, RAM 2, ROM 3, and non-volatile memory 4. It also includes a communication module 5.

[0085] The system's read-only memory 3 constitutes a storage medium as proposed, readable by the processor 1, on which a computer program PROG_P, according to the invention, is stored. This program contains instructions for executing steps of the management process as proposed below. The PROG_P program defines functional modules of the management module 100, as shown in Figure 3A, and of the agent 120, as shown in Figure 3B. These modules rely on or control the hardware elements 1 to 5 of the management module mentioned above, and include, in particular: - a MOD_RX module for receiving an instruction to interact with a digital twin (J); - a MOD_DET module to determine that no agent of said management module has been previously associated with said digital twin (J); - a MOD_INS module for instantiating an agent associated with said digital twin (J) configured to instantiate said agent in memory dynamically.

[0086] Furthermore, once instantiated, agent 120 includes: - an instantiation module MOD_INS_REP configured to instantiate a representation of said digital twin (J); - a MOD_ACC module for accessing the digital twin (J); - a MOD_SYN synchronization module configured to trigger, in response to the determination of a change in the value of a property of the digital twin, an update of the value of the corresponding property of the representation, the update being a function of a synchronization strategy characterizing a synchronization frequency and / or a synchronization state; and, - a MOD_API module for managing at least one set of programming interfaces specifying the methods applicable to the digital twin (J).

[0087] Furthermore, the management module 100 may include other modules, particularly to implement specific modes of the management process, as described in more detail later.

[0088] It should be noted that the instruction received by the MOD_RX instruction receiving module is issued by a user of system 1000 wishing to interact with a particular digital twin, or by a control module configured to notify the management module 100 of the registration of a new twin in database 700.

[0089] Furthermore, it should also be noted that, according to a particular implementation, the request received by the receiving MOD_RX module includes an indication that uniquely identifies a digital twin. This could be, for example, a unique identifier such as a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier). The determining MOD_DET module is then configured to compare this unique identifier with a list of unique identifiers of twins previously instantiated by the management module. If the list does not contain the identifier present in the request, this means that no agent of said management module has been previously associated with the digital twin identified in the request.

[0090] The MOD_ACC digital twin access module can also be configured to implement a digital twin authentication process. This authentication process can use a cryptographic key that is either symmetric or asymmetric. Alternatively, to increase security compared to these key-based solutions, an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) using an authentication server can be implemented.

[0091] According to one particular implementation, the MOD_ACC module is also configured to verify that the user who issued the request received by the MOD_RX module has the access rights to apply a certain function to the digital twin (J).

[0092] Furthermore, it should be noted that the MOD_API module for obtaining at least one set of programming interfaces specifying the methods applicable to the digital twin (J) may include a MOD_API_PHY sub-module configured to obtain the programming interfaces specifying the methods applicable to the physical digital twin 210, and a MOD_API_VIRT sub-module configured to obtain the programming interfaces specifying the methods applicable to the virtual digital twin 220.

[0093] The communication module 5 of the management module 100 allows it in particular to communicate with the database 400, and with the digital twin 200 or with the library 700 of digital twins, and integrates for this purpose the reception modules MOD_RX and access module MOD_ACC, as well as hardware and software means such as those described above to implement the management process.

[0094] Figure 5 represents, in the form of a time diagram, an example of a process for managing digital twins, as implemented by the management system of Figure IA or Figure IB.

[0095] As illustrated in Figure 5, the management process includes a first step E410, implemented by the receiving MOD_RX module, by the management module 100, of an instruction to interact with a digital twin 200. According to a particular implementation, the request received by the receiving MOD_RX module includes an indication to identify the uniquely a digital twin 200. This is for example a unique identifier such as a URI (acronym for "Uniform Resource Identifier").

[0096] The management process further includes a step in which the MOD_DET determination module of management module 100 determines that no agent of said management module has been previously associated with said digital twin 200. More specifically, this unique identifier is compared with a list of unique identifiers of twins previously instantiated by management module 100. If the list does not contain the identifier present in the query, this means that no agent of said management module has been previously associated with the digital twin identified in the query.

[0097] If this is the case, a new agent 120 is dynamically instantiated in memory during step E430 by the MOD_INS instantiation module. This implementation is advantageous because it optimizes the available memory resources. The process further includes step E440 during which agent 120 sends a notification to the management module 100 to inform it that the agent has been successfully instantiated.

[0098] During step E450, a database representation 400 of said digital twin 200 is instantiated. This step is implemented by the MOD_INS_REP instantiation module of agent 120. In a particular implementation, the instantiation module accesses a database (such as database 600 in Figure IA) and obtains: - information enabling access to the digital twin; - a synchronization strategy associated with the digital twin 200; - a set of programming interfaces specifying the methods applicable to the digital twin 200; and, - association data that define a projection, which may evolve over time, between the properties of the digital twin 200 and the properties of its representation in database 400.

[0099] The process further includes a step E460 during which representation 410 transmits a notification to agent 120 to inform it that said representation is correctly instantiated.

[0100] The request received during step E410 also includes a function (f) to be applied to the digital twin 200 and, if applicable, parameter values ​​for that function. Alternatively, a new request including this function (f) and, if applicable, parameter values ​​for that function is received by management module 100. During step E470, management module 100 transmits, to agent 120, the function (f) to be applied to the digital twin 200 along with the parameter values ​​for that function. In response to receiving this function, the MOD_API module determines whether this function (f) can actually be applied. to be applied to the digital twin 200, and if so, the MOD_ACC module determines whether the user who issued the request has the necessary access rights to apply this function (f) to the digital twin 200. If so, an instruction to apply the function (f) is passed to the digital twin 200 during an E480 step.

[0101] In response to receiving this instruction, the digital twin 200 implements this function (f) during an E490 step, and updates the value of at least one property reflecting the implementation of this function. Thus, if the digital twin represents a lamp, and if the function aims to turn off the lamp, then the digital twin implements this function and the value of the "state" property changes from "1" to "0".

[0102] If it is synchronized with the object 300 to which it is linked, the digital twin 200 transmits an instruction to the object 300 it represents during a step 500, so that the latter also implements this function (f). In return, the object 300 returns to the digital twin 200, the value of at least one property having been modified after the application of function (f) during a step E510.

[0103] During an E520 step, the values ​​of the properties of the digital twin and / or the object reflecting the implementation of this function (f) are passed to agent 120, which then updates the corresponding representation during an E530 step.

[0104] Finally, during an E540 step, these values ​​are transmitted, by an agent response module to the management module 100, which transmits them to a display device during an E550 step.

[0105] According to a particular implementation, the exchanges between the management module and the user, and / or between the management module and the digital twin 200, and / or between the digital twin and the object 300 that it represents are in accordance with the HTTP protocol (acronym for "Hypertext Transfer Protocol").

[0106] According to a particular implementation, the E510, E520, E540 and E550 exchanges include a programmatic localization of the effect of the implementation of function (f). In this case, a communication paradigm conforming to HATEOAS (acronym for "Hypermedia As The Engine of Application State") is used, for example.

[0107] According to a particular implementation, the E510, E520, E540 and E550 exchanges include a function execution time (f) and / or an effective completion date of function implementation (f).

[0108] The management process has been described so far in the case where the value of at least one property of the digital twin 200 and / or of the object 300 that it represents is transmitted to the management module 100, but this process remains applicable in the particular case where it is information representing the failure (or success) of the implementation of this function (f) that is transmitted over the entire processing chain, depending on the synchronization mode.

Claims

Demands

1. A digital twin management system (1000) comprising: - a management module (100) of at least one digital twin (200) of an entity (300), said digital twin being accessible through a telecommunications network, said digital twin (200) comprising a first set of at least one property having a value that can evolve over time; - a database (400) connected to the management module (100) of digital twins and configured to record representations (410) of digital twins (200), the representations being compatible with each other, a representation (410) of a digital twin comprising a second set of at least one property having a value evolving over time according to the evolution of the value of at least one property of the first set of the corresponding twin.

2. Management system according to claim 1, wherein the database (400) is a document-oriented database, a representation (410) being stored in the database (400) in the form of a document comprising the second set of at least one property.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein the management module (100) comprises at least one agent (120) dedicated to managing a representation, said agent (120) comprising a synchronization module (MOD_SYN) configured to trigger, in response to the determination of a change in the value of at least one property of the first set, an update of the value of at least one property of the second set, the update being a function of a synchronization strategy characterizing a synchronization frequency and / or a synchronization state.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said digital twin (200) is a physical twin (210) corresponding to a digital replica of the entity, a virtual twin (220) corresponding to a simulation of the entity being associated with the physical twin (210), and the synchronization state is one of the following: - a desynchronization between the entity (300), the physical twin (210) and virtual twin (220), and the corresponding representation (410); - a synchronization between the entity (300), the physical twin (210) and virtual twin (220), and the corresponding representation (410); - a replication of the value of at least one property of the physical twin (210) with the value of at least one corresponding property of the virtual twin (220) and a synchronization between the physical twin (210) and the corresponding representation (410); - a replication of the value of at least one property of the virtual twin (220) with the value of at least one corresponding property of the physical twin (210) and a synchronization between the virtual twin (220) and the corresponding representation (410).

5. Management system according to claim 1, wherein the database (400) is a graph-oriented database.

6. Management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the management module (100) is configured to manage at least one first and second digital twins linked by a semantic relationship, the management module including an indication that the representations of the first and second digital twins are also linked.

7. A management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the management module comprises: - a module (MOD_RX) for receiving an instruction aimed at interacting with a digital twin (J); - a module (MOD_DET) for determining that an agent of said management module has not been previously associated with said digital twin (J); - a module (MOD_INS) for instantiating an agent associated with said digital twin (J), configured to instantiate said agent dynamically in memory; and - an instantiation module (MOD_INS_REP) configured to instantiate a representation.

8. A management system according to claim 7 in combination with claim 3, wherein the agent further comprises: - a module (MOD_ACC) for accessing the digital twin (J); and, - a management module (MOD_API) of at least one set of programming interfaces specifying the methods applicable to the digital twin (J).

9. A management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the management module (100) further comprises a response module configured for generate a response representative of the success of applying a method to a digital twin.

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