Edge device management method and apparatus, electronic device, medium, and product

Abstract

Provided are an edge device management method and apparatus, an electronic device, a medium, and a product. The method is performed by an electronic device, a device management platform is deployed in the electronic device, the device management platform is used for managing an edge device and edge platforms, the edge platforms are used for providing computing power resources for the edge device, and an integrated circuit card is installed in the edge device. The method comprises: acquiring base station information sent by the edge device, wherein the base station information represents radio frequency signals sent by a plurality of base stations and received by means of the integrated circuit card in the edge device; determining location information of the edge device on the basis of the base station information; determining the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as a target platform; and sending an access address of the target platform to the edge device, wherein the access address is used for connecting the edge device to the target platform.

Description

Management methods and devices for edge devices, electronic equipment, media and products

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202510067871.3, filed on January 15, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the Internet of Things (IoT) field, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for managing edge devices, electronic devices, media, and products. Background Technology

[0003] An IoT management platform typically has an architecture of one central platform and multiple edge platforms. This can be understood as the computing power of the central platform being distributed to the edge platforms, and edge devices can use the computing resources of the IoT management platform's edge platforms with low latency by connecting to them. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for managing edge devices, executed by an electronic device. The electronic device has a device management platform deployed therein, which manages the edge devices and the edge platform. The edge platform provides computing resources to the edge devices, and the edge devices have integrated circuit cards installed. The method includes:

[0005] Acquire base station information sent by the edge device; wherein, the base station information represents radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device;

[0006] Based on the base station information, determine the location information of the edge device;

[0007] Identify the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform;

[0008] Send the access address of the target platform to the edge device; the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

[0009] In some embodiments, determining the location information of the edge device based on base station information includes:

[0010] Based on the base station information, determine the location information of multiple base stations;

[0011] The location information of edge devices is determined based on the location information of multiple base stations.

[0012] In some embodiments, determining the location information of multiple base stations based on base station information includes:

[0013] Obtain the identification information of each base station from multiple base stations in the base station information;

[0014] Based on a preset first association relationship, the location information corresponding to the identification information of the base station is determined; wherein, the preset first association relationship represents the association relationship between the identification information and the location information of the base station.

[0015] In some embodiments, determining the location information of the edge device based on the location information of multiple base stations includes:

[0016] Obtain the signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by each of the multiple base stations from the base station information;

[0017] The location information of the edge device is determined based on the location information of multiple base stations and the signal strength of the radio frequency signals transmitted by each of the multiple base stations.

[0018] In some embodiments, determining the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform includes:

[0019] The target area is defined by the region to which the location information of the edge device belongs.

[0020] Based on the preset second association relationship, the edge platform corresponding to the target range is determined as the target platform; wherein, the preset second association relationship represents the association relationship between the area range and the edge platform.

[0021] In some embodiments, determining the edge platform corresponding to the target range as the target platform based on a preset second association relationship includes:

[0022] Based on the preset second association relationship, the edge platform corresponding to the target range is determined as the initial platform;

[0023] If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are greater than or equal to the preset resource threshold, then the initial platform is determined to be the target platform.

[0024] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0025] If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are less than a preset resource threshold, then the adjacent platforms of the initial platform are determined; where the adjacent platform represents the edge platform that is closest to the initial platform.

[0026] The adjacent platforms are identified as the target platforms.

[0027] In some embodiments, sending the access address of the target platform to the edge device includes:

[0028] Obtain the current access address of the edge device; where the current access address represents the edge platform that the edge device is currently connected to;

[0029] If the target platform's access address is different from the current access address, the target platform's access address will be sent to the edge device.

[0030] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0031] Obtain authentication information from edge devices; where authentication information represents the attributes of edge devices.

[0032] The authentication information is sent to the target platform; the authentication information is used to instruct the target platform to verify the edge device. If the verification is successful, the edge device is allowed to access the target platform.

[0033] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a management device for an edge device. The device includes: an acquisition unit, a first determination unit, a second determination unit, and a transmission unit;

[0034] An acquisition unit is used to acquire base station information sent by an edge device; wherein, the base station information represents radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device;

[0035] The first determining unit is used to determine the location information of the edge device based on the base station information;

[0036] The second determining unit is used to determine the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform;

[0037] The sending unit is used to send the access address of the target platform to the edge device; wherein the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

[0038] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide an electronic device. The device includes: a memory and a processor;

[0039] The memory stores the instructions that the computer executes;

[0040] When the processor executes computer execution instructions stored in memory, it causes the processor to perform various embodiments according to the first aspect and / or the first aspect described above.

[0041] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the embodiments according to the first aspect and / or the first aspect described above.

[0042] Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product. The computer program product includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the various embodiments according to the first aspect and / or the first aspect described above. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0044] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a scenario of an edge device management method according to some embodiments.

[0045] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing an edge device according to some embodiments.

[0046] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another method for managing an edge device according to some embodiments.

[0047] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating another method for managing an edge device according to some embodiments.

[0048] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating another method for managing an edge device according to some embodiments.

[0049] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a management device for an edge device according to some embodiments.

[0050] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a management device for another edge device according to some embodiments.

[0051] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to some embodiments.

[0052] The accompanying drawings have illustrated specific embodiments of this disclosure, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of this disclosure to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0053] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0054] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, data stored, data displayed, etc.) involved in this disclosure are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties. Furthermore, the collection, use and processing of the relevant data must comply with relevant laws, regulations and standards, and corresponding operation entry points are provided for users to choose to authorize or refuse.

[0055] First, let's explain the terms used in this disclosure:

[0056] An IoT device management platform, also known as an Internet of Things (IoT) management platform or device management platform, is a comprehensive management platform integrating IoT and cloud computing technologies. It aims to achieve comprehensive monitoring, management, and optimization of various IoT devices. By providing functions such as device access, data acquisition, real-time monitoring, remote control, data analysis, and alarms, this platform offers enterprises and users efficient and intelligent device management solutions.

[0057] An IoT connectivity management platform, also known as a connectivity management platform, is a platform for managing IoT cards. It can manage the card's status, tariff plans, and network node status. IoT cards can be integrated circuit cards.

[0058] Internet of Things (IoT) devices are devices that connect any object to a network through information sensing equipment and according to agreed protocols, enabling intelligent identification, positioning, and monitoring functions. IoT devices, through embedded sensors, software, and network connectivity, can collect, exchange, and analyze data, thereby achieving more efficient and intelligent functions and services.

[0059] Edge devices can refer to devices located at the edge of a network that are used for data collection. In this disclosure, edge devices can be Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

[0060] In some technologies, cloud-edge collaboration is an essential function in IoT management platforms. In actual business scenarios, there is usually an architecture with one central platform and multiple edge platforms. Cloud-edge collaboration can be understood as sinking the computing resources of the central platform to the edge platforms. Edge devices can use the computing resources of the edge platforms with low latency by connecting to them.

[0061] For example, after an edge device is connected to an edge platform, it can use the computing resources of the edge platform to perform data processing and data analysis operations with low latency. For instance, the edge device can send the collected data to the edge platform, and the edge platform can perform operations such as cleaning, transformation, aggregation, model training, and result prediction on the data, and return the data processing results to the edge device so that the edge device can realize related functions in scenarios such as intelligent monitoring and model training.

[0062] Currently, edge devices locate edge platforms by using Wi-Fi signals to obtain the access address of nearby edge platforms, thereby enabling low-latency use of the edge platform's computing resources.

[0063] However, positioning via Wi-Fi signals is only suitable for indoor scenarios where Wi-Fi signals are available, and not for outdoor scenarios, such as moving vehicles.

[0064] Therefore, edge devices face the problem of poor accuracy in locating and connecting to the edge platform.

[0065] This disclosure provides a management method and apparatus for edge devices, an electronic device, a medium, and a product. The method is executed by an electronic device, which deploys a device management platform to manage edge devices and edge platforms. The edge platform provides computing resources to the edge devices, and an integrated circuit card is installed in the edge devices. The method obtains base station information sent by the edge devices, further determines the location information of the edge devices based on the base station information, and further identifies the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge devices as the target platform. The access address of the target platform is then sent to the edge devices. The base station information represents radio frequency signals received by the integrated circuit card in the edge devices from multiple base stations, and the access address is used to connect the edge devices to the target platforms. By determining the location information of the edge devices and the target platforms based on the base station information, the limitations of WIFI signal-based target platform location are overcome. This allows the device management platform to accurately locate the target platforms regardless of whether the edge devices are stationary indoors or outdoors, or moving outdoors, enabling the edge devices to accurately connect to and use the computing resources of the target platforms. The edge device management method provided by this disclosure improves the accuracy of edge device access to edge platforms.

[0066] The technical solutions of this disclosure and how they solve the aforementioned technical problems will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. These detailed embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments. The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0067] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a scenario for managing an edge device according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 1, this scenario includes at least a device management platform, a connection management platform, an edge device, and an edge platform.

[0068] The device management platform is used to manage edge devices and edge platforms. For example, there can be multiple edge devices and edge platforms.

[0069] In this embodiment, the device management platform can refer to a central platform. The central platform manages the edge platforms, which can be distributed across different regions. The central platform distributes computing resources to the edge platforms so that when edge devices connect to the edge platforms, they can use the edge platforms' computing resources with low latency. It can be understood that the edge platform can provide low-latency computing resources to edge devices near the edge platform. Low latency can be understood as low latency when edge devices use computing resources, and high efficiency and speed in processing the computing tasks of edge devices.

[0070] Edge devices can refer to IoT devices or other devices, such as cars, trains, and mobile phones. It's understood that edge devices require low-latency computing resources. It's important to note that devices need to be registered on a device management platform. Only after registration can the platform recognize the device as an edge device and manage it. For example, each edge device has a unique account on the device management platform.

[0071] In one implementation, the edge device is equipped with an integrated circuit card (ICC), which can be an IoT card. The ICC enables internet access via a base station. It should be noted that the ICC is pre-registered on a connectivity management platform, which manages the ICC. For example, the ICC also has a unique account on the connectivity management platform. Based on this account, information such as the ICC's data usage and activation status can be queried.

[0072] In one implementation, the account of the edge device in the device management platform is bound to the account of the integrated circuit card (ICC) in the edge device in the connection management platform. This allows the geographical location of the ICC to be the geographical location of the edge device. For example, when the device management platform accesses the interface of the connection management platform, based on the one-to-one correspondence between the account of the edge device in the device management platform and the account of the ICC in the edge device in the connection management platform, the device management platform can obtain relevant information about the ICC in the edge device, such as traffic usage, activation status, and location information.

[0073] For example, the account of a single edge device in the device management platform can be bound to the account of the integrated circuit card in the edge device in the connection management platform. Alternatively, multiple edge devices can be bound to the accounts of the integrated circuit cards in the edge devices in the connection management platform through batch binding.

[0074] For example, as shown in Figure 1, the edge device can be a car. The car is located at a certain geographical location. The integrated circuit card in the edge device car obtains the base station information of base station A by accessing the Internet. Accessing the Internet can refer to establishing a connection with base station A. The edge device car reports the base station information of base station A to the device management platform. The device management platform, combined with the connection management platform's management capabilities for integrated circuit cards, obtains the location information of the integrated circuit card in the edge device car as the location information of the edge device car. Based on the location information of the edge device car, it determines edge platform 1 as the target edge platform, sends the access address of edge platform 1 to the edge device car, and sends the authentication information of the edge device car to edge platform 1, so that the edge device car can successfully access edge platform 1 and use the computing resources of edge platform 1 with low latency.

[0075] As the edge device vehicle moves, the distance between it and edge platform 1 gradually increases. The low-latency advantage of the edge device vehicle using the computing resources of edge platform 1 gradually diminishes. The distance between the edge device vehicle and base station A also gradually increases until the edge device vehicle is closer to base station B. At this point, the integrated circuit card in the edge device vehicle obtains the base station information of base station B through the internet. The edge device vehicle reports this base station information to the device management platform. The device management platform, combined with the connection management platform's management capabilities for integrated circuit cards, obtains the location information of the integrated circuit card in the edge device vehicle. Based on this location information, it determines edge platform 2 as the target edge platform, sends the access address of edge platform 2 to the edge device vehicle, and sends the authentication information of the edge device vehicle to edge platform 2, enabling the edge device vehicle to successfully access edge platform 2 and use its computing resources with low latency.

[0076] It should be noted that base station A can be a combination of multiple base stations. For example, base station A may include base station a, base station b, base station c, etc. The geographical distance between each base station in base station A is less than a preset distance threshold. For example, the preset distance threshold can be 20 meters. The edge device vehicle is connected to one of the base stations in base station A, and the same applies to base station B.

[0077] The edge device management method disclosed herein addresses the limitation of WIFI signal-based target platform location by determining the edge device's location information and the target platform based on base station information. This allows the device management platform to accurately locate the target platform regardless of whether the edge device is stationary indoors or outdoors, or moving outdoors, enabling the edge device to accurately connect to and utilize the target platform's computing resources. The edge device management method disclosed herein improves the accuracy of edge device access to edge platforms.

[0078] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing an edge device according to some embodiments. This method can be executed by an electronic device, which has a device management platform deployed within it. The device management platform manages the edge device and the edge platform, which provides computing resources to the edge device. The edge device has an integrated circuit card installed within it. The executing entity of this method can be an electronic device, a server, a host, or other devices. As shown in Figure 2, this method may include steps S201-S204.

[0079] S201. Obtain base station information sent by the edge device; the base station information represents the radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device.

[0080] Edge devices can be devices that have been pre-registered on a device management platform, and can include vehicles, smartphones, IoT devices, etc.

[0081] The edge device contains an integrated circuit card that can receive radio frequency (RF) signals from multiple surrounding base stations. For an RF signal emitted by a single base station, the base station information represented by that signal can include the base station's identifier and the signal strength of the RF signal received by the edge device. For RF signals received by the edge device from multiple base stations, the base station information can include the base station identifiers of all base stations and the signal strength of the RF signal received by the edge device from each of the multiple base stations.

[0082] In one implementation, the edge device sends base station information to the device management platform at a preset time frequency. For example, the edge device sends base station information to the device management platform every minute; the base station information consists of radio frequency signals transmitted by multiple base stations surrounding the location of the integrated circuit card in the edge device at that time. The device management platform receives the base station information sent by the edge device.

[0083] S202. Determine the location information of the edge device based on the base station information.

[0084] Because edge devices contain integrated circuit cards (ICCs), which receive radio frequency signals (RFS) from multiple base stations (i.e., base station information), the device management platform can determine the location information of the ICCs within the edge device based on this base station information. Therefore, the location information of the ICCs can be considered the location information of the edge device.

[0085] In one implementation, the device management platform connects to an interface of a connection management platform. The connection management platform manages the integrated circuit cards (ICCs), and there is a one-to-one correspondence between the account of the edge device in the device management platform and the account of the IC card in the edge device in the connection management platform. It can be understood that the device management platform can determine the identification information of the IC card in the edge device based on the edge device. Furthermore, based on the identification information of the IC card in the edge device, it can obtain relevant information such as traffic usage, activation status, and location information. The location information of the IC card is the location information of the edge device.

[0086] For example, the method by which the connection management platform accesses the device management platform to determine the location information of the integrated circuit card in the edge device may include, but is not limited to, triangulation and time difference measurement. This disclosure does not limit the method used to determine the location information of the edge device based on base station information.

[0087] The triangulation method may include: obtaining the identifier and signal strength of each of at least three base stations in the base station information; determining the location of each of the at least three base stations based on the identifier of each of the at least three base stations; predicting the distance between the edge device and each of the at least three base stations using a preset path loss model based on the signal strength of each of the at least three base stations; and determining the location of the edge device using the geometric relationship of triangles.

[0088] Time difference measurement (TDM) methods may include acquiring the arrival times of signals transmitted by edge devices received by multiple base stations, calculating the time differences between the arrival times of signals transmitted by edge devices at multiple base stations, and then calculating the location of the edge device using a hyperbolic positioning method based on these time differences. The hyperbolic positioning method can be understood as forming a hyperbola between every two base stations, with the edge device located at the intersection of these hyperbolas.

[0089] S203. Determine the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform.

[0090] The target platform can refer to an edge platform used to provide low-latency computing resources to edge devices.

[0091] In one implementation, the device management platform stores the location information of all edge platforms. By calculating the distance between the location information of the edge device and the location information of each edge platform in the entire edge platform, the edge platform that is closest to the location information of the edge device is selected as the target platform.

[0092] It should be noted that other correspondences can be used to determine the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device. For example, if the edge platforms provide different types of computing resources, the target platform can be determined based on the type of computing resources requested by the edge device. This disclosure does not limit how the target platform is determined.

[0093] S204. Send the access address of the target platform to the edge device; the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

[0094] An access address can refer to the address or port on which an edge device connects to a target platform. The edge device can send an access request to the target platform based on the access address.

[0095] For example, the access address of the target platform can be an IP (Internet Protocol) address, such as 8.8.8.8.

[0096] In one implementation, S204 may include:

[0097] Obtain the current access address of the edge device; the current access address represents the edge platform that the edge device is currently connected to; if the access address of the target platform is inconsistent with the current access address, then send the access address of the target platform to the edge device.

[0098] The current access address can refer to the access address of the edge platform that the edge device is currently connected to.

[0099] For example, if the current access address is 6.6.6.6 and the access address of the target platform is 8.8.8.8, then the access address of the target platform is inconsistent with the current access address. In this case, the access address of the target platform, 8.8.8.8, is sent to the edge device so that the edge device can access the target platform.

[0100] If the current access address is 8.8.8.8 and the target platform's access address is also 8.8.8.8, meaning the target platform's access address is the same as the current access address, then the target platform's access address will not be sent to the edge device. The edge device will continue to maintain the connection with the edge platform corresponding to the current access address in order to use the low-latency computing resources of the edge platform corresponding to the current access address.

[0101] The advantage of this setup is that by obtaining the current access address of the edge device and determining whether it matches the access address of the target platform, unnecessary communication interactions between the device management platform, the edge device, and the target platform can be effectively avoided, thereby improving the connection efficiency and stability between the edge device and the target platform. For example, when the access addresses are inconsistent, the access address of the target platform is promptly sent to the edge device, enabling the edge device to quickly switch to a more suitable target platform to utilize its low-latency computing resources and optimize the edge device's performance and user experience. Conversely, when the access addresses match, the current connection is maintained, avoiding the overhead of frequent switching and ensuring that the edge device can continuously and stably use the computing resources of the currently connected edge platform.

[0102] In one implementation, the above steps may further include:

[0103] Obtain authentication information from the edge device; the authentication information represents the attributes of the edge device; send the authentication information to the target platform; the authentication information is used to instruct the target platform to verify the edge device, and if the verification is successful, the edge device is allowed to access the target platform.

[0104] Authentication information for edge devices can refer to the attribute information of the edge device, such as the type of edge device, the edge device ID (Identity Document), user identity information, digital certificate, etc.

[0105] By sending authentication information to the target platform, the target platform can authenticate the edge device based on the authentication information. For example, the target platform checks whether the edge device's authentication information meets the access requirements according to preset security policies and rules.

[0106] If the verification is successful, the edge device will be allowed to access the target platform when it initiates an access request to the target platform based on the target platform's access address.

[0107] If the verification fails, the target platform will not allow the edge device to connect to the target platform when it receives an access request from the edge device.

[0108] The advantage of this setup is that the edge platform verifies the authentication information to ensure that only verified edge devices can access the target platform, which can effectively prevent potential security threats and attacks faced by the edge platform.

[0109] The edge device management method disclosed herein overcomes the limitations of WIFI signal-based target platform location by determining the edge device's location information and the target platform based on base station information. This allows the device management platform to accurately locate the target platform regardless of whether the edge device is stationary indoors or outdoors, enabling the edge device to accurately access and utilize the target platform's computing resources. Simultaneously, the edge platform enhances the security of interaction between the edge device and the edge platform through authentication information verification. Therefore, the edge device management method disclosed herein improves the accuracy of edge device access to the edge platform.

[0110] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating another edge device management method according to some embodiments. The subject executing this method can be an electronic device, a server, a host, or other devices. As shown in Figure 3, the method may include: S301-S305.

[0111] S301. Obtain base station information sent by the edge device; the base station information represents the radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device.

[0112] For example, this step can be referred to S201 above, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0113] S302. Determine the location information of multiple base stations based on the base station information.

[0114] It is understandable that base station information represents radio frequency signals transmitted by multiple base stations received by the integrated circuit card in the edge device, and the base station information can be information from multiple base stations.

[0115] In one implementation, S302 may include:

[0116] Obtain the identification information of each of the multiple base stations from the base station information; determine the location information corresponding to the identification information of the base station based on the preset first association relationship; the preset first association relationship represents the association relationship between the identification information and the location information of the base station.

[0117] The identification information of a base station can refer to information that uniquely identifies the base station. For example, the identification information of a base station may include, but is not limited to, MCC (Mobile Country Code), MNC (Mobile Network Code), LAC (Location Area Code), and CID (Cell ID).

[0118] The preset first relationship represents the association between the base station's identification information and its location information.

[0119] In one implementation, the execution entity of this method includes a pre-defined first association database for storing the association between base station identification information and base station location information. By querying the database based on the base station identification information, the location information corresponding to the base station identification information can be obtained. For example, this location information includes the longitude and latitude coordinates of the base station.

[0120] The advantage of this setup is that by directly querying the pre-defined relational database, complex calculation processes are avoided, the method of obtaining base station location information is simplified, and the efficiency of locating base stations is improved.

[0121] S303. Determine the location information of the edge device based on the location information of multiple base stations.

[0122] In one implementation, base station information represents the radio frequency signals transmitted by three base stations received by the integrated circuit card in the edge device. The location information of the edge device can be determined using the location information of the three base stations.

[0123] In one implementation, S303 may include:

[0124] Obtain the signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by each of the multiple base stations from the base station information; determine the location information of the edge device based on the location information of the multiple base stations and the signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by each of the multiple base stations.

[0125] The signal strength of a radio frequency (RF) signal can refer to the strength of the electric or magnetic field of the RF signal at the edge device, and is usually expressed in units of power.

[0126] Understandably, the higher the base station's transmit power, the stronger the initial strength of the radio frequency (RF) signal. For example, a base station with a transmit power of 20W will emit a relatively strong RF signal. However, as the energy of the RF signal diffuses in space, the energy density per unit area decreases, causing the RF signal to attenuate with increasing distance during propagation; the farther the distance, the weaker the RF signal strength.

[0127] For example, by inputting the signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by the base station into a preset signal propagation model (e.g., a logarithmic distance path loss model), the distance between the edge device and the base station can be output. By inputting the signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by each of multiple base stations into a preset signal propagation model, the distance between the edge device and each of the multiple base stations can be output.

[0128] Based on the location information of multiple base stations and the distance between the edge device and each of the base stations, a multilateral positioning method can be used to determine the location information of the edge device. For example, this could involve drawing multiple circles, using the location of each base station as the center and the distance between the edge device and each base station as the radius. The location of the edge device is then the intersection point of these circles or the center of the intersection area.

[0129] The advantage of this setup is that by obtaining the signal strength of the radio frequency signals transmitted by each of multiple base stations from the base station information, and combining this with the location information of multiple base stations, the location of the edge device can be determined using algorithms such as multilateral positioning, taking advantage of the inverse relationship between signal strength and distance. This method can effectively locate edge devices in environments where Wi-Fi signals are limited or unavailable, such as outdoors or in urban canyons, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of edge platform positioning.

[0130] S304. Determine the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform.

[0131] For example, this step can be referred to S203 above, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0132] S305. Send the access address of the target platform to the edge device; the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

[0133] For example, this step can be referred to S204 above, and will not be repeated here in this embodiment of the disclosure.

[0134] The edge device management method disclosed herein can accurately determine the location information of multiple base stations by acquiring base station information sent by the edge device, and calculate the location of the edge device using the location information of multiple base stations and the signal strength of the radio frequency signals sent by the base stations. This process not only improves the accuracy of edge device positioning, but also provides a reliable basis for the edge device to select and access the edge platform. By sending the access address of the target platform corresponding to the edge device's location information to the edge device, efficient device access can be achieved, ensuring that the edge device can quickly and stably use the resources and services of the target platform, thereby optimizing device performance and user experience. The edge device management method disclosed herein improves the accuracy of edge device access to the edge platform.

[0135] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating another edge device management method according to some embodiments. The subject executing this method can be an electronic device, a server, a host, or other devices. As shown in Figure 4, the method may include: S401-S405.

[0136] S401. Obtain base station information sent by the edge device; the base station information represents the radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device.

[0137] For example, this step can be referred to S201 above, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0138] S402. Determine the location information of the edge device based on the base station information.

[0139] For example, this step can be referred to S202 above, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0140] S403. Determine the area range to which the location information of the edge device belongs as the target range.

[0141] Understandably, to more effectively manage and allocate the computing resources of the edge platform, the entire service area faced by the device management platform can be divided into multiple sub-regions based on factors such as geographical location, business needs, and network coverage. Each sub-region corresponds to an edge platform. Determining the area to which the edge device belongs as the target range helps to identify the edge platforms that the edge device can access.

[0142] For example, the city's boundaries can be used as the area to which the edge device's location information belongs. For instance, if the latitude and longitude coordinates of the edge device's location information fall within the area of ​​city A, then the area to which the edge device's location information belongs is the area of ​​city A, and the area of ​​city A is the target area.

[0143] S404. Based on the preset second association relationship, determine the edge platform corresponding to the target range as the target platform; the preset second association relationship represents the association relationship between the area range and the edge platform.

[0144] The pre-defined second association relationship can refer to the association relationship between the area to which the location information of the edge device belongs and the edge platform.

[0145] In one implementation, the execution body of this method is equipped with a pre-set second association database for storing the association between the region and the edge platform.

[0146] For example, if target range A is associated with edge platform X, then when the edge device is located in target range A, the edge platform corresponding to target range A is edge platform X, and edge platform X is the target platform.

[0147] In one implementation, S404 may include:

[0148] Based on the preset second association relationship, the edge platform corresponding to the target range is determined as the initial platform; if the current remaining resources of the initial platform are greater than or equal to the preset resource threshold, the initial platform is determined as the target platform.

[0149] Resource quantity can refer to the capacity of computing resources on the edge platform, such as 2TB (terabytes).

[0150] A preset resource threshold can be used to assess whether the edge platform has sufficient computing resources to meet the needs of edge devices. For example, the preset resource threshold can be 1TB.

[0151] For example, if the current remaining resource amount is 2TB, which is greater than the preset resource amount threshold of 1TB, then the initial platform is determined to be the target platform.

[0152] The beneficial effect of this setting is that by using edge platforms with a current remaining resource amount greater than or equal to a preset resource amount threshold as target platforms, the resource utilization and service quality of edge platforms are improved, and service delays or interruptions caused by insufficient resources on edge platforms are avoided, thereby providing a stable and efficient service experience for edge devices.

[0153] In one implementation, the above steps may further include:

[0154] If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are less than the preset resource threshold, then the adjacent platforms of the initial platform are determined; the adjacent platform represents the edge platform that is closest to the initial platform; the adjacent platform is determined as the target platform.

[0155] The adjacent platforms of the initial platform can refer to the edge platforms that are geographically closest to the initial platform.

[0156] In one implementation, before identifying adjacent platforms as the target platform, the following is also included:

[0157] Determine the current remaining resources of adjacent platforms. If the current remaining resources of adjacent platforms are greater than or equal to a preset resource threshold, then the adjacent platform is determined as the target platform. If the current remaining resources of adjacent platforms are less than the preset resource threshold, then the adjacent platform's neighboring platform is determined, and the process of determining the current remaining resources of the adjacent platform's neighboring platform continues until the current remaining resources of the adjacent platform are equal to or greater than the preset resource threshold.

[0158] It is understandable that the current remaining resources of the target platform are greater than or equal to the preset resource threshold.

[0159] In one implementation, the step may further include:

[0160] If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are less than the preset resource threshold, then the second platform is determined; the second platform represents the edge platform that is closest to the edge device; the adjacent platform is determined as the target platform.

[0161] The advantage of this setup is that by taking into account the remaining resources of the edge platform and the distance between the edge platform and the edge devices, it ensures that the edge devices can quickly connect to the edge platform with sufficient resources and geographical proximity, thereby guaranteeing service continuity and user experience.

[0162] S405. Send the access address of the target platform to the edge device; the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

[0163] For example, this step can be referred to S204 above, and will not be repeated here in this embodiment of the disclosure.

[0164] The edge device management method disclosed herein determines the location of the edge device by acquiring base station information sent by the edge device and mapping it to a corresponding area. Then, based on a preset association between the area and the edge platform, an edge platform matching that area is selected as the initial platform. During the selection process, the resource availability of the edge platform is also considered. If the initial platform has sufficient resources, it is directly selected as the target platform; if resources are insufficient, a neighboring platform with sufficient resources is selected as the target platform. Finally, the access address of the target platform is sent to the edge device, enabling it to successfully access the platform and enjoy low-latency, high-efficiency edge computing services. This process improves resource utilization and service quality, ensuring that edge devices can obtain a stable and efficient service experience in different areas. The edge device management method disclosed herein improves the accuracy of edge device access to edge platforms.

[0165] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating another edge device management method according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 5, the method may include: S501-S510.

[0166] S501. The edge device sends base station information and the current access address of the edge device to the device management platform according to the preset time frequency.

[0167] S502: The equipment management platform determines the location of edge devices based on base station information.

[0168] S503, The device management platform determines the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the initial platform.

[0169] S504. The equipment management platform determines the current remaining resources of the initial platform.

[0170] S505. If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are greater than or equal to the preset resource threshold, then the initial platform is determined to be the target platform.

[0171] S506. If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are less than the preset resource threshold, and the current remaining resources of the adjacent platforms of the initial platform are equal to or greater than the preset resource threshold, then the adjacent platforms of the initial platform are determined as the target platform.

[0172] S507, The device management platform sends the access address of the target platform to the edge device.

[0173] S508, the device management platform sends the authentication information of the edge device to the target platform.

[0174] S509: The edge device initiates an access request to the target platform based on the access address.

[0175] S510: The target platform returns a successful access message to the edge device based on the authentication information.

[0176] The edge device management method disclosed herein overcomes the limitations of WIFI signal-based target platform location by determining the edge device's location information and target platform based on base station information. This allows the device management platform to accurately locate the target platform regardless of whether the edge device is stationary indoors or outdoors, or moving outdoors, enabling the edge device to accurately connect to and utilize the target platform's computing resources. The edge device management method disclosed herein improves the accuracy of edge device access to edge platforms.

[0177] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a management device for an edge device according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 6, the management device 60 for the edge device includes: an acquisition unit 601, a first determination unit 602, a second determination unit 603, and a sending unit 604.

[0178] The acquisition unit 601 is used to acquire base station information sent by the edge device; the base station information represents radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device.

[0179] The first determining unit 602 is used to determine the location information of the edge device based on the base station information;

[0180] The second determining unit 603 is used to determine the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform;

[0181] The sending unit 604 is used to send the access address of the target platform to the edge device; the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

[0182] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another edge device management device according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 7, the edge device management device 70 includes: an acquisition unit 701, a first determination unit 702, a second determination unit 703, and a sending unit 704. The first determination unit 702 further includes a first processing module 7021 and a second processing module 7022, and the second determination unit 703 further includes a third processing module 7031 and a fourth processing module 7032.

[0183] The first processing module 7021 is used to determine the location information of multiple base stations based on the base station information.

[0184] In one example, the first processing module 7021 is used to obtain the identification information of each of the multiple base stations from the base station information;

[0185] Based on a preset first association relationship, the location information corresponding to the identification information of the base station is determined; the preset first association relationship represents the association relationship between the identification information and the location information of the base station.

[0186] The second processing module 7022 is used to determine the location information of the edge device based on the location information of multiple base stations.

[0187] In one example, the second processing module 7022 is used to obtain the signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by each of the multiple base stations from the base station information;

[0188] The location information of the edge device is determined based on the location information of multiple base stations and the signal strength of the radio frequency signals transmitted by each of the multiple base stations.

[0189] The third processing module 7031 is used to determine the area range to which the location information of the edge device belongs as the target range.

[0190] The fourth processing module 7032 is used to determine the edge platform corresponding to the target range as the target platform according to the preset second association relationship; the preset second association relationship represents the association relationship between the area range and the edge platform.

[0191] In one example, the fourth processing module 7032 is used to determine the edge platform corresponding to the target range as the initial platform according to the preset second association relationship;

[0192] If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are greater than or equal to the preset resource threshold, then the initial platform is determined to be the target platform.

[0193] In one example, the fourth processing module 7032 is further configured to determine the adjacent platforms of the initial platform if the current remaining resources of the initial platform are less than a preset resource threshold; the adjacent platform represents the edge platform that is closest to the initial platform.

[0194] The adjacent platforms are identified as the target platforms.

[0195] In one example, the sending unit 704 is also used to obtain the current access address of the edge device; the current access address represents the edge platform that the edge device is currently connected to;

[0196] If the target platform's access address is different from the current access address, the target platform's access address will be sent to the edge device.

[0197] In one example, the management device 70 for the edge device further includes an authentication unit, which is used to obtain authentication information of the edge device; the authentication information characterizes the attributes of the edge device.

[0198] The authentication information is sent to the target platform. The authentication information is used to instruct the target platform to verify the edge device. If the verification is successful, the edge device is allowed to access the target platform.

[0199] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 8, the electronic device 80 provided in this embodiment includes at least one processor 801 and a memory 802. In some embodiments, the device 80 further includes a communication component 803. The processor 801, the memory 802, and the communication component 803 are connected via a bus 804.

[0200] In the implementation process, at least one processor 801 executes computer execution instructions stored in memory 802, causing at least one processor 801 to perform the above-described method.

[0201] The implementation process of processor 801 can be found in the above method embodiments, and its implementation principle and technical effect are similar. Therefore, it will not be described again in this embodiment.

[0202] In the above embodiments, it should be understood that the processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in this invention can be directly implemented by a hardware processor, or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0203] The memory may include random access memory (RAM) and may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device.

[0204] The bus can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, the buses shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to a single bus or a single type of bus.

[0205] This disclosure also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method.

[0206] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the above-described method.

[0207] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this disclosure is not limited to the described order of actions, because according to this disclosure, some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are all optional embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this disclosure.

[0208] It should be further noted that although the steps in the flowchart are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowchart may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these sub-steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0209] It should be understood that the above-described device embodiments are merely illustrative, and the device disclosed herein can be implemented in other ways. For example, the division of units / modules in the above embodiments is only a logical functional division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units, modules, or components may be combined, integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0210] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the functional units / modules in the various embodiments of this disclosure can be integrated into one unit / module, or each unit / module can exist physically separately, or two or more units / modules can be integrated together. The integrated units / modules described above can be implemented in hardware or as software program modules.

[0211] When integrated units / modules are implemented in hardware, the hardware can be digital circuits, analog circuits, etc. The physical implementation of the hardware structure includes, but is not limited to, transistors, memristors, etc. Unless otherwise specified, the processor can be any suitable hardware processor, such as a CPU, GPU, FPGA, DSP, and ASIC, etc. Unless otherwise specified, the storage unit can be any suitable magnetic or magneto-optical storage medium, such as Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Enhanced Dynamic Random Access Memory (EDRAM), High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM), Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC), etc.

[0212] If the integrated unit / module is implemented as a software program module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage device (CMD). Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this disclosure, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a memory and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this disclosure. The aforementioned memory includes various media capable of storing program code, such as a USB flash drive, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), portable hard drive, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0213] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments. The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other, it should be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0214] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0215] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for managing edge devices, wherein, The method is executed by an electronic device, which has a device management platform deployed thereon. The device management platform manages edge devices and the edge platform, which provides computing resources to the edge devices. The edge devices are equipped with integrated circuit cards. The method includes: The base station information sent by the edge device is obtained; wherein the base station information represents radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device. Based on the base station information, the location information of the edge device is determined; The edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device is identified as the target platform; The access address of the target platform is sent to the edge device; wherein the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Based on the base station information, the location information of the edge device is determined, including: Based on the base station information, determine the location information of the plurality of base stations; The location information of the edge device is determined based on the location information of the multiple base stations.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Based on the base station information, the location information of the plurality of base stations is determined, including: Obtain the identification information of each of the plurality of base stations from the base station information; Based on a preset first association relationship, location information corresponding to the identification information of the base station is determined; wherein, the preset first association relationship represents the association relationship between the identification information and the location information of the base station.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Based on the location information of the multiple base stations, the location information of the edge device is determined, including: The signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by each of the multiple base stations is obtained from the base station information; The location information of the edge device is determined based on the location information of the multiple base stations and the signal strength of the radio frequency signal transmitted by each of the multiple base stations.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Determining the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform includes: The target range is defined as the area to which the location information of the edge device belongs. According to a preset second association relationship, the edge platform corresponding to the target range is determined as the target platform; wherein, the preset second association relationship represents the association relationship between the region range and the edge platform.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, Based on the preset second association relationship, determining the edge platform corresponding to the target range as the target platform includes: Based on the preset second association relationship, the edge platform corresponding to the target range is determined as the initial platform; If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are greater than or equal to a preset resource threshold, then the initial platform is determined to be the target platform.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: If the current remaining resources of the initial platform are less than the preset resource threshold, then the adjacent platforms of the initial platform are determined; wherein, the adjacent platform represents the edge platform that is closest to the initial platform; The adjacent platform is identified as the target platform.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Sending the access address of the target platform to the edge device includes: Obtain the current access address of the edge device; wherein, the current access address represents the edge platform currently accessed by the edge device; If the access address of the target platform is inconsistent with the current access address, then the access address of the target platform is sent to the edge device.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, further comprising: Obtain the authentication information of the edge device; wherein the authentication information represents the attributes of the edge device; The authentication information is sent to the target platform; wherein the authentication information is used to instruct the target platform to verify the edge device, and if the verification is successful, the edge device is allowed to access the target platform.

10. A management device for an edge device, comprising: The system comprises an acquisition unit, a first determination unit, a second determination unit, and a transmission unit. The acquisition unit is used to acquire base station information sent by the edge device; wherein the base station information represents radio frequency signals sent by multiple base stations received through the integrated circuit card in the edge device; The first determining unit is configured to determine the location information of the edge device based on the base station information; The second determining unit is used to determine the edge platform corresponding to the location information of the edge device as the target platform; The sending unit is used to send the access address of the target platform to the edge device; wherein the access address is used to connect the edge device to the target platform.

11. An electronic device, comprising: Memory, processor; The memory stores computer-executed instructions; When the processor executes the computer execution instructions stored in the memory, the processor performs the method according to any one of claims 1-9.

12. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method according to any one of claims 1-9.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to any one of claims 1-9.

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