Method for connecting an IoT device to an IoT device management entity

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method of connecting an loT device (10) to a loT system (1), the loT system (1 ) comprising an loT device management entity (3) and a communication network (5) which comprises an access point (6) having an access point coverage area, the loT device management entity (3) and the access point (6) being configured to communicate together, the method comprising performing, by the loT device (10), the steps of: sending an on-boarding request to the loT device management entity (3) through the access point (6) when the loT device (10) enters the access point coverage area for the first time; in response to the loT device (10) being on-boarded to the loT system (1), receiving from the loT device management entity (3) through the access point (6) an instruction to perform an operability test, in response to receiving said instruction, performing said operability test, wherein said performing comprises activating a physical output interface of the loT device (10) to inform an operator of a working status of the loT device (10).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE : Method for connecting an loT device to an loT device management entity

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The invention relates to the field of loT (Internet of Things) systems in a store such as a supermarket, a retail outlet in a shopping centre, or any other business premises. Particularly, the invention relates to a computer-implemented method for connecting an loT device to an loT system.

[0005] STATE OF THE ART

[0006] loT devices, for example electronic display devices such as electronic shelf labels or video shelf rails, are used for a variety of tasks at a point of sale and vastly improve the shopping experience. They can be used, for example, to advertise products, to draw customer’s attention to a product or to present product and price information in real-time.

[0007] Therefore, the number of loT devices in stores is growing enormously and rapidly. Today, a single store can house hundreds of thousands of loT devices.

[0008] However, each loT device must be connected to an loT system in the shop before it can be used. To do this, a process, called on-boarding, for connecting the loT device to the loT system is implemented, usually manually, during or after the installation of the device in the store by operators who are usually store employees.

[0009] When a new loT device is to be installed, in addition to unpacking it, the operator first has to install it in the store, for example on a shelf. Then, the operator has to carry out said onboarding process. If the loT device is damaged and does not work properly, for example if it cannot display information sent by the loT system, this can only be diagnosed later, during routine operation of the loT system, when some real information intended to be displayed for the customers is sent to the loT device.

[0010] Such a procedure is therefore very time-consuming, and therefore costly, because detecting such a faulty loT device takes a lot of time, requires unnecessary operations (for example, installing the loT device on the shelf) and is hazardous (it has to be noticed by an employee walking past the loT device).

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a method for connecting an loT device to an loT system which is very easy, efficient, fast and that minimises the need for manual intervention by an operator.

[0013] More precisely, the invention relates in a first aspect to a computer-implemented method of connecting an loT device to an loT system, the loT system comprising an loT devicemanagement entity and a communication network which comprises an access point having an access point coverage area, the loT device management entity and the access point being configured to communicate together.

[0014] This method comprises performing, by the loT device, the steps of:

[0015] sending an on-boarding request to the loT device management entity through the access point when the loT device enters the access point coverage area; in response to the loT device being on-boarded to the loT system, receiving from the loT device management entity through the access point an instruction to perform an operability test;

[0016] in response to receiving said instruction, performing said operability test, wherein said performing comprises activating a physical output interface of the loT device to inform an operator of a working status of the loT device.

[0017] Such a method ensures a proof of work of the loT device without any prior-interaction with the operator and allows to ensure “as soon as possible” that the loT device is perfectly working.

[0018] Moreover, the invention relates in a second aspect to a method which comprises performing, by the loT device management entity, the steps of:

[0019] receiving an on-boarding request transmitted by the loT device through the access point when the loT device enters the access point coverage area;

[0020] executing an on-boarding process for the loT device;

[0021] in response to the loT device being on-boarded to the loT system, transmitting to the loT device through the access point, an instruction to perform an operability test, wherein said operability test comprises activating a physical output interface of the loT device to inform an operator of a working status of the loT device.

[0022] Some preferred but non limiting features of these methods are as follows:

[0023] the loT device is an electronic display device, such as an Electronic Shelf Label; - the access point coverage area covers at least a part of a store;

[0024] the physical output interface comprises a screen and performing the operability test comprises causing the display of an information on the screen;

[0025] the loT device and the access point communicate via radio communications, for example via the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol;

[0026] it further comprises sending, by the loT device management entity to the loT device, an additional instruction from to perform another operability test;

[0027] it further comprises sending, by the loT device management entity to the loT device, a further instruction to repeat the operability test;

[0028] the instruction to perform an operability test is configured to cause the loT device to perform several times the operability test.the instruction is to perform an operability test included within an on-boarding success acknowledgement message transmitted by the loT device management entity to the loT device to confirm that the loT device is correctly on-boarded to the loT system;

[0029] the loT device management entity comprises a cloud-based service or a local server.

[0030] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0031] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, which is purely illustrative and not limiting, and which should be read in relation to the appended drawings in which:

[0032] - Figure 1 is a schematic overview of an loT system according to the invention deployed to handle loT devices installed in one or several stores;

[0033] - Figure 2 is a sequence diagram that visualizes the method according to a first embodiment of the invention; and

[0034] - Figure 3 is a sequence diagram that visualizes the method according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0035] In all the figures, similar elements bear identical references.

[0036] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Figure 1 visualizes an loT system 1 deployed to handle loT devices installed in one or several stores such as supermarkets or any business premises.

[0038] Description of the loT system 1

[0039] The loT system 1 comprises an loT device management entity 3 and preferably at least one loT device 2 already on-boarded (i.e. registered and connected) to the loT system 1. As such, the loT device management entity 3 can send and / or receive instructions or information to / from each already on-boarded loT device 2.

[0040] Generally, the loT system 1 comprises a plurality of on-boarded loT devices 2. The number of on-boarded loT devices 2 may depend on the size of the one or several stores and / or the number of products or product groups offered in the one or several stores. Therefore, when the loT system 1 is installed to handle several stores, the loT system 1 may comprise for example a billion of on-boarded loT devices 2.

[0041] The loT system 1 comprises a communication network 5 deployed within the one or several stores. The communication network 5 is on one hand connected with the on-boarded loT devices 2 and on the other hand connected with the loT device management entity 3.More precisely, the communication network 5 comprises one or more access point 6 connecting the loT device management entity 3 with the on-boarded loT devices 2. The access points 6 may be located in the one or several stores in which the loT system 1 is deployed.

[0042] Each access point 6 is configured to perform a communication between the loT devices 2 and the loT device management entity 3. Each access point 6 realizes therefore a gateway. Said access points 6 are also configured to receive requests, for example on-boarding requests, from an loT device 10 not yet on-boarded to the loT system 1 , and to transmit said on-boarding requests to the loT device management entity 3.

[0043] The communication between each loT devices 2, 10 and any access point 6 may be performed wirelessly. Preferably, said communication can be performed using a radio communication protocol running in a bandwidth around 900MHz or around 2,4GHz. For example, said communication may be performed using a radio communication protocol such as Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee, Z-Wave, 6L0WPAN, or any other suitable radio communication protocol.

[0044] Each access point 6 defines an access point coverage area and each loT device 2, 10 (already on-boarded or not yet on-boarded) which is located in said access point coverage area may communicate with said access point 6.

[0045] The communication between access points 6 and the loT device management entity 3 may be wireless, for example by radio signals, or by wires.

[0046] An loT device 2 is an electronic device which, since it is on-boarded to the loT system 1 , may communicate with the loT device management entity 3 in order to receive and / or transmit information from / to it. For example, an loT device 2, 10 may be a display device capable to display prices or information about products sold in the one or several stores, such as an Electronic Shelf Label (ESL), which is usually installed on shelf rails at positions along the shelf rail in proximity to the product groups or products with which they are logically linked. An loT device 2, 10 may also be a video rail, which comprises one or more video screens that are installed on (or along) a shelf rail or form the shelf rail by itself. An loT device 2, 10 may also be a smart poster.

[0047] Particularly, each loT device 2, 10 comprises a physical output interface, which preferably comprises display means (such as a screen, a LED, or even low- or close-to-zero-power consuming display such as an electronic paper or electrophoretic technology). For example, an loT device 2, 10 may comprise or consist in a flash LED and / or a segmented screen. Some of loT devices 2, 10 may also comprise sound emission means in their physical output interface.

[0048] Each loT device 2, 10 is therefore configured to display or transmit information to the customers of the one or several stores. More precisely, each loT device is configured to display or communicate an individual content-data-set to customers thanks to its physical outputinterface. The content-data-sets are provided by the loT device management entity 3 to the loT devices 2 through the access points 6 and the communication network 5.

[0049] The loT device management entity 3 comprises a computer architecture that may be realized by a cloud-based (hardware and / or software) service or a local server in the one or several stores, wherein in both cases a store management software is executed on the computer architecture. In a particular embodiment, the loT device management entity 3 may be included within an access point 6. the Optionally, the store management software is a software that maintains a database which is configured to store data about the one or serval stores, for example about the products sold in the one or several stores. For example, the database stores a plan of the one or several stores, and / or the products and the loT devices 2 linked to said products. Therefore, the loT device management entity 3 stores and is configured to execute said store management software.

[0050] The loT device management entity 3 comprises a data provision system 4 configured to generate and / or provide individual content-data-sets for each individual on-boarded loT devices 2. The data provision system 4 comprises a computer architecture that may be realized by a cloud-based (hardware and / or software) service or a local server in the one or several stores, wherein in both cases a software, which is part of the store management software, is executed on the respective computer architecture which processes human readably text(s) or picture(s) that is content to be displayed or communicated by the respective loT device 2 to the customers of the one or several stores. The processing leads to the individual contentdata-sets, which are coded in the appropriate data format and which are supplied, typically in an addressed manner, to the individual loT devices 2 through the access points 6.

[0051] The content-data-sets may be generated by the data provision system 4 or may be received by the data provision system 4 from an external device such as a computer-based input device which allows an authorized user, for example an operator (for instance an employee of the one or several stores), to select or to define said content-data-sets. Such an input-device may be for example a computer terminal, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, etc. This input device executes a user interface software on its computer hardware, which is programmed to allow a user to perform the appropriate user interaction for the selection or the definition of the content-data-sets and to interface with the store management software. The input device further comprises the hardware and software needed to supply a representation of the content-data-sets in an suitable format to the data provision system 4.

[0052] As indicated above, in addition to already on-boarded loT devices 2, the loT system 1 further comprises at least one loT device 10 which is not-yet on-boarded to the loT system 1. The loT system 1 is configured to allow the not-yet on-boarded loT device 10 to become on-boarded to the loT system 1. loT devices 2 and 10 may be identical devices, although not mandatory.

[0053] For a not-yet on-boarded device 10 to become on-boarded to the loT system 1, an onboarding process is performed. More precisely, this process is performed by the loT device management entity 3 after having received a valid on-boarding request emitted by said not-yet on-boarded loT device 10. Every on-boarding request comprises an identifier of its author, i.e. the loT device 10 that emitted it. Preferably, the identifier is an address, for instance a network address such as a MAC (Media Access Control) address. Alternatively, the identifier may be a serial number, a unique ID, or any information that allows to designate the loT device 10 that emitted the on-boarding request in an unequivocal manner.

[0054] For this purpose, the loT device management entity 3 may comprise an on-boarding system 7 configured to receive on-boarding requests from not-yet on-boarded loT devices 10 and to perform the on-boarding processes for said loT devices 10. The on-boarding system 7 comprises a computer architecture that may be realized by a cloud-based (hardware and / or software) service or a local server in the one or several stores, wherein in both cases a software, which is part of the store management software, is executed on the respective computer architecture which processes on-boarding requests from the not-yet on-boarded loT devices 10. The processing leads, when the on-boarding request received is valid, to the onboarding of the loT device 10 that emitted said request.

[0055] Method for connecting an loT device 10 to the loT device management entity 3 Initially, the loT device 10 is not yet known by the loT device management entity 3. For example, the loT device 10 is an loT device owned by a third party which has just been delivered to a target store among the one or more stores in which the loT system is deployed.

[0056] A method will now be described for connecting the loT device 10 to the loT device management entity 3. This method is schematically illustrated on figure 2.

[0057] In a first step E1, the loT device 10 sends an on-boarding request to the loT device management entity 3 through one of the access points 6 of the target store. This step E1 is performed automatically when the loT device 10 enters in the access point coverage area defined by one of the access points 6 of the target store for the first time, as soon as the access point 6 is detected by the loT device 10.

[0058] In a second step E2, the on-boarding request is received by the loT device management entity 3, more precisely by the on-boarding system 7.

[0059] Then, the received on-boarding request is processed by the on-boarding system 7, which executes in a third step E3 an on-boarding process for the loT device 10. This onboarding process may comprise a set of steps that allows the loT device 10 to be registered and connected to the loT device management entity 3. This set of steps depends on the loTdevice 10 and may include unique keys for each device or not. Alternatively, the on-boarding system 7 can reject the on-boarding request.

[0060] When the on-boarding process is successfully performed, i.e. when the loT device 10 is correctly on-boarded to the loT system 1, the loT management device entity 3 may send an on-boarding success acknowledgement message to the loT device 10, to confirm to the loT device 10 that it is correctly on-boarded to the loT system 1 and to conclude the third step E3.

[0061] The process for on-boarding the loT device 10 is preferably totally automatic. More precisely, it can be a zero-touch on-boarding process. Therefore, the operator, which is for example an employee of the target store does not have to do anything to connect the loT device 10 to the loT system 1 once the loT device 10 has entered the access point coverage area.

[0062] In a fourth step E4, in response to the loT device 10 being on-boarded to the loT system 1, the loT device management entity 3 transmits an instruction to perform an operability test to the loT device 10 through the access point 6 and the communication network 5.

[0063] Said instruction is transmitted automatically and immediately after the on-boarding process has been correctly performed. Preferably, said instruction is included within the on-barding success acknowledgement message. Alternatively, said instruction may be transmitted during a time window following transmission of the on-boarding success acknowledgement message. This time window may be less than 5 minutes, preferably less than 1 minute, even more preferably less than 30 seconds after the transmission, by the loT device management entity 3, of the on-boarding success acknowledgement message.

[0064] Said operability test comprises activating the physical output interface of the loT device 10. For example and preferably, the operability test comprises displaying a predetermined image or a predetermined information of the screen of the loT device 10, and / or emitting a light signal on the LED of the loT device 10. The predetermined image or information may be one or more of a store logo, a date of factory, a date of on-boarding, a current location name, a unique identifier to identify the loT device 10 (such as a barcode, a QR code, etc), an image generated by the loT device management entity 3 based on specific instructions given by the loT device’s owner.

[0065] In a fifth step E5, the loT device 10 receives the operability test instruction and, in response to receiving this instruction, performs said operability test by activating its physical output interface according to the received instruction. For example, the loT device 10 displays the predetermined image.

[0066] As a result, the operator does not have to perform any manual operations to connect and test the loT device 10. Specifically, when the loT device 10 is delivered in the target store and more precisely enters the access point coverage area of one of the access points 6 of the target store, the operator only has to check, for instance after unpacking the loT device 10,whether the physical output interface is activated in the way requested during the operability test, i.e. for example whether the predetermined image is displayed on the loT device, to ensure that said loT device 10 is correctly on-boarded and operating correctly.

[0067] The loT device 10 then simply needs to be installed in its place, for example on a shelf. This saves time in installing an loT device when it arrives in the target store, this time saving being multiplied by the number of loT devices to be installed.

[0068] In other words, the activation of the physical output interface according to the operability test constitutes a proof of work for the operator that the loT device 10 is working correctly and that the on-boarding to the loT system 1 was a success. This information may also be used to prove that the loT device 10 was working correctly when it has been delivered to the target store, thereby resolving any warranty issues.

[0069] Following the fifth step E5, the loT device 10 may keep its physical output interface activated according to the received instruction until it receives another instruction from the loT device management entity 3.

[0070] In a sixth step E6, the loT device 10 may receive a further instruction from the loT device management entity 3. Said further instruction may comprise an individual content-data-set generated and / or provided by the data provision system 4 of the loT device management entity 3. The loT device 10 may then check to be the correct recipient of the individual content-dataset, and if so, activate its physical output interface to communicate the individual content-dataset to the customers of the target store.

[0071] Optionally, the method may comprise an optional step E5’ between steps E5 and E6. In this optional step E5’, the loT device 10 receives an additional instruction from the loT device management entity 3 to perform another operability test.

[0072] Said another operability test also comprises activating the physical output interface of the loT device 10, but preferably differs from the previous operability test in that another predetermined image and / or information and / or another light is requested to be displayed and / or communicated and / or emitted by the physical output interface of the loT device 10. Performing another operability test allows to ensure that the loT continues to work properly. This also allows the operator to be able to track the proper functioning of the loT device 10 until its real first use during the step E6. For warranty purposes, first good execution may be recorded in the loT device management entity 3.

[0073] More precisely, the optional step E5’ may be executed regularly until the reception by the loT device 10 of the further instruction comprising an individual content-data-set by the loT device management entity 3, i.e. until the execution of the sixth step E6.

[0074] For example, the optional step E5’ may be performed every three days.

[0075] In other words, the optional step E5’ corresponds to a repetition of the fourth and fifth steps E4 and E5 in a regular interval.Alternatively, in another embodiment illustrated on figure 3, the optional step E5’ may be combined with the fifth step E5 in that the instruction emitted by the loT device management entity 3 during the fifth step E5 to perform an operability test may be an instruction to perform a different operability test regularly, for example every three days. The loT device 10 may then perform another operability test regularly in an automatic manner, without the need for the loT device management 3 to regularly emit an additional instruction to perform another operability test.

[0076] The invention is not limited to the above-described method but also extends to an loT device comprising a processor configured to perform the loT device side steps of this method as well as to an loT device management entity comprising one or more processors configured to perform the loT device management entity side steps of this method. The invention further extends to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the loT device side steps of this method or the loT device management entity side steps of this method.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A computer-implemented method of connecting an loT device (10) to an loT system (1), the loT system (1) comprising an loT device management entity (3) and a communication network (5) which comprises an access point (6) having an access point coverage area, the loT device management entity (3) and the access point (6) being configured to communicate together, the method comprising performing, by the loT device (10), the steps of:sending (E1) an on-boarding request to the loT device management entity (3) through the access point (6) when the loT device (10) enters the access point coverage area;in response to the loT device (10) being on-boarded to the loT system (1 ), receiving from the loT device management entity (3) through the access point (6) an instruction to perform an operability test;in response to receiving said instruction, performing (E5) said operability test, wherein said performing comprises activating a physical output interface of the loT device (10) to inform an operator of a working status of the loT device (10).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the loT device (10) is an electronic display device, such as an Electronic Shelf Label.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the access point coverage area covers at least a part of a store.

4. Method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the physical output interface comprises a screen and wherein performing the operability test comprises causing the display of an information on the screen.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the loT device (10) and the access point (6) communicate via radio communications, for example via the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.

6. A computer-implemented method of connecting an loT device (10) to an loT system (1), the loT system (1) comprising an loT device management entity (3) and a communication network (5) which comprises an access point (6) having an access point coverage area, the method comprising performing, by the loT device management entity (3), the steps of:receiving (E2) an on-boarding request transmitted by the loT device (10) through the access point (6) when the loT device (10) enters the access point coverage area;executing (E3) an on-boarding process for the loT device (10);in response to the loT device (10) being on-boarded to the loT system (1), transmitting (E4) to the loT device (10) through the access point (6), an instruction to perform an operability test, wherein said operability test comprises activating a physical output interface of the loT device (10) to inform an operator of a working status of the loT device (10).

7. Method according to claim 6, further comprising sending, by the loT device management entity (3) to the loT device (10), an additional instruction from to perform another operability test.

8. Method according to claim 6, further comprising sending, by the loT device management entity (3) to the loT device (10), a further instruction to repeat the operability test.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the instruction to perform an operability test is configured to cause the loT device (10) to perform several times the operability test.

10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the instruction is included within an on-boarding success acknowledgement message transmitted by the loT device management entity (3) to the loT device (10) to confirm that the loT device (10) is correctly on-boarded to the loT system (1).

11. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the loT device management entity (3) comprises a cloud-based service or a local server.

12. loT device (10) comprising a processor configured to perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 5.

13. loT device management entity (3) comprising one or more processors configured to perform method according to any of claims 6 to 8.

14. Computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method of claim 1 to 5 or the method of claims 6 to 8.

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