Fleet Management Gateway Protocol Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of managing IoT devices in building systems requires technical knowledge across multiple domains, including hardware, telecommunications, networking, and cloud concepts, making it difficult for users to install and visualize data from these devices effectively.
Innovation Solution
A fleet management system that includes a gateway device and a software architecture to simplify the process of managing IoT devices. The gateway device collects data from IoT devices using various communication protocols and translates it into MQTT payloads, which are then sent to a fleet management server system. This system generates control instructions that can be transmitted back to the IoT devices through the gateway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centralized fleet management system is implemented to simplify IoT device management, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for gateways and centralized platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary component that sits between IoT devices and the centralized fleet management platform. The gateway handles protocol translation, data aggregation, and initial processing, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture. Instead of requiring direct complex connections between numerous IoT devices and the cloud, the gateway acts as a mediator that consolidates these connections into a single manageable interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional layers: edge layer (IoT devices), intermediary layer (gateway devices), and cloud layer (fleet management platform). This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently - devices remain simple, the gateway handles complexity locally, and the cloud provides centralized management. The segmentation also enables partial autonomy where gateways can operate independently if network connectivity is lost.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple communication protocols are supported for diverse IoT devices, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to protocol translation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as a protocol translation intermediary that receives data from various IoT devices using their native protocols (MQTT, CoAP, HTTP, WebSocket) and translates it into a unified internal representation. This allows the fleet management platform to maintain a single standardized interface while supporting multiple device protocols, thereby improving adaptability without increasing platform complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway is designed with universal protocol support capabilities, enabling it to handle multiple communication protocols simultaneously. Rather than requiring the fleet management platform to implement support for every possible device protocol, the gateway provides universal protocol translation functionality, making the system adaptable to diverse devices while keeping the core platform simple and focused.
3Productivity
If real-time data collection and processing is implemented, then productivity is improved, but loss of energy increases due to continuous communication and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device performs preliminary data processing and filtering locally before transmitting data to the cloud platform. It aggregates data from multiple devices, performs local validation, and pre-processes control commands. This preliminary action reduces the volume of data that needs to be transmitted and processed continuously in the cloud, thereby improving real-time responsiveness while reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of maintaining continuous constant communication between all IoT devices and the cloud platform, the system implements periodic data collection and synchronization. The gateway aggregates data at scheduled intervals and transmits it to the cloud, with the frequency adjusted based on device needs and network conditions. This periodic action maintains real-time monitoring capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous communication.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods herein describe a fleet management system. The fleet management system identifies gateway device and transmits configuration data to the gateway device using message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT). The configuration data includes information about internet of things (IoT) devices located in a building. The fleet management system receives status data of the IoT devices from the gateway device and generates control data for controlling operation of the IoT devices. The control data is transmitted to the gateway device using MQTT and the gateway device transmits the control data to the IoT devices. The fleet management system receives an indication from the gateway device that operation of the IoT devices has been modified using the control data.