Global IoT Connectivity Fabric for Mobile Device Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

IoT devices face challenges in maintaining connectivity when moving between locations, requiring reprogramming and changes in data transmission paths, with customers lacking control over data routing and infrastructure.

Innovation Solution

A globally connected fabric of nodes establishes dynamic connectivity, allowing IoT devices to connect to nearby nodes without prior knowledge, using a messaging bus topology for controlled interactions and declarative management, enabling developer-controlled state management and high availability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If IoT devices use regional IoT hubs for connectivity, then local data transmission is efficient, but device mobility and global connectivity are limited requiring reprogramming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnectivity reliabilityVSAvoiddevice mobility support
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal connectivity fabric where message brokers can handle both local regional communication and global cross-regional communication through a unified architecture. The fabric allows IoT devices to maintain connectivity regardless of location by providing multiple routing paths (direct regional brokers, peer-to-peer, and cloud-based fallbacks), eliminating the need for reprogramming when devices move between regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary components including regional message brokers, cloud-based message brokers, and discovery services that mediate between IoT devices and applications. These intermediaries enable seamless handoff when devices move between regions by maintaining session state and routing messages through appropriate brokers without requiring device reprogramming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If IoT devices connect to regional hubs, then infrastructure control is simplified, but customer control over data routing paths is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfrastructure managementVSAvoidcustomer control over data routing
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic routing capabilities where message paths can be configured and changed at runtime based on customer requirements. The system supports declarative routing configurations that allow customers to specify preferred data transmission paths (e.g., requiring data to pass through specific regional brokers or applications) without increasing infrastructure complexity, as the fabric adapts dynamically to routing rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the routing control into multiple layers: regional broker routing, cross-regional fabric routing, and application-level routing. This segmentation allows customers to control data transmission at different levels of the architecture, enabling fine-grained control over data paths while maintaining simplified infrastructure management through automated routing decisions at each layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If static regional hubs are used, then infrastructure stability is maintained, but connectivity availability during disruptions is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfrastructure stabilityVSAvoidconnectivity availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements redundant messaging paths and fallback mechanisms that are预先 configured in the connectivity fabric. When primary regional hub connections are disrupted, the system can automatically route messages through alternative paths (peer-to-peer connections, cloud-based brokers, or other regional hubs) without affecting service availability, thus cushioning against infrastructure disruptions while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables dynamic parameter changes in the connectivity fabric, allowing the system to adapt routing parameters, broker selections, and connection priorities based on real-time infrastructure status. This flexibility maintains infrastructure stability by preserving the overall fabric architecture while dynamically adjusting operational parameters to ensure connectivity availability during disruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4222928B1Global internet of things (IOT) connectivity fabric
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4222928B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4222928B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4222928B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The systems and methods relate to an internet of things (IoT) system that includes a global IoT connectivity fabric to facilitate communications between a plurality of applications that provide services to one or more IoT devices. The global IoT connectivity fabric may include a plurality of global IoT connectivity fabric nodes that establish communication channels between the applications and the IoT devices. The global IoT connectivity fabric may implement a channel architecture where the IoT devices declare one or more channels for sending and/or receiving communications. The applications may subscribe to the one or more channels declared by the IoT devices and may communicate with the IoT devices through the one or more channels.