Decoupling IoT Device Management from Application Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current connected product solutions for IoT devices are complex, brittle, and difficult to reuse, requiring both a connected device and a value-creating user interface, with vendors struggling to deploy connected device-driven user interfaces and business intelligence systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A Product-as-a-Service (PaaS) system that decouples the design, deployment, and operation of connected product solutions between connected devices and user interfaces, using a server computing device to associate devices with applications, facilitating interaction through a micro-services architecture, central message bus, and role-based access control, allowing vendors to manage and instantiate IoT services independently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If current connected product solutions are implemented, then data exposure and control capabilities are provided to end users, but system complexity and deployment difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments connected product solutions into independent modules: device layer, platform layer, and application layer. Each layer operates independently with defined interfaces, allowing complex functionality to be broken down into manageable components that can be developed, deployed, and maintained separately, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary platform is introduced between connected devices and user interfaces/business intelligence systems. This platform handles device connectivity, data management, and application deployment centrally, eliminating the need for vendors to manage complex deployment processes for each individual solution, thereby reducing deployment difficulty while preserving data exposure and control capabilities.
2Productivity
If vendors deploy connected device-driven user interfaces and business intelligence systems, then value-creating applications are delivered, but deployment and operation become difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The platform performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring device profiles, data schemas, and application templates before actual deployment. Vendors can define reusable device templates and application configurations in advance, which are then automatically instantiated when devices are deployed, significantly reducing deployment time while maintaining high productivity in application delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables copying of device profiles, application configurations, and business intelligence templates across multiple deployments. Once a connected product solution is configured and validated, it can be replicated across different device fleets and markets without reconfiguration, accelerating application delivery while minimizing deployment time and effort.
3Adaptability or versatility
If connected product solutions are customized for specific devices, then device-specific functionality is achieved, but reusability and scalability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The platform implements universal device profiles and application templates that can serve multiple device types and use cases. A single application template can be instantiated across different device families by leveraging common data schemas and control interfaces, enabling device-specific functionality through configuration rather than custom development, thus improving reusability while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by allowing device-specific customizations at the configuration level rather than requiring custom code for each device. Generic templates provide core functionality, while device-specific parameters and preferences are configured locally for each device or device family, enabling reusability of core solutions while accommodating local variations in functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for a product-as-a-service. One aspect includes a product-as-a-service system comprising a server computing device. The server computing device stores information associated with a connected device, the information including at least a claim code, and upon receipt of the claim code and an application identifier of an application to be associated with the connected device, associates the connected device with the application and facilitates interactions between the connected device and the application. The server computing device includes a server operating environment that provides one or more Internet of Things (IoT) services for interacting with the connected devices, and subscriber access to the one or more IoT services. The product-as-a-service system can be decoupled from the subscriber access to the one or more IoT services. The product-as-a-service system can be instantiated with a single action. The product-as-a-service system can also be instantiated using a structured template.