Centralized Device Registry Service for IoT Interoperability

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is no centralized way for organizations and individuals to manage, organize, and share the functions and capabilities of IoT devices, leading to inefficiencies in their operation and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A device registry service that allows users to register, organize, and share IoT devices, providing a unified catalogue and enabling interoperability by defining types, relationships, and interfaces, which facilitates the discovery and interaction of devices across networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If devices are registered and organized in a centralized registry service, then device management efficiency and interoperability are improved, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice management efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a centralized device registry service as an intermediary between IoT devices and users/applications. This registry service maintains a catalog of device information, capabilities, and interfaces, enabling efficient device discovery and interaction without requiring direct peer-to-peer connections. The registry acts as a mediator that simplifies device management while improving interoperability across diverse IoT ecosystems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a centralized device registry service is implemented, then device sharing and capability exposure are improved, but security risks and access control complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sharing capabilityVSAvoidaccess control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining device interfaces, capabilities, and access policies in the device registry before actual device interactions occur. Device metadata including supported operations, data schemas, and authorization requirements are registered in advance, enabling the system to automatically enforce access controls and facilitate device sharing without ad-hoc security configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If detailed device information is stored in the registry, then device discovery and interaction are improved, but data privacy and security exposure risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice information availabilityVSAvoidsecurity exposure risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating between public device information and private device data in the registry. Device metadata such as device type, capabilities, and interface definitions are made publicly accessible for discovery and interaction, while sensitive device-specific data remains private and accessible only to authorized parties. This selective information disclosure maintains device functionality while protecting privacy and security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10951431B1Device registry service
Publication Date: 2021.03.16 AMAZON TECH INC
  • US10951431B1 patent drawing
  • US10951431B1 patent drawing
  • US10951431B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Technologies are disclosed for providing a device registry service for devices that communicate over a network. The devices are configured as Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The devices are registered and classified as various types. Based upon the classification, interfaces are provided for the registered devices by the registry service if the devices do not already include them to allow for interaction and control of the devices. New interfaces can be provided to the service by various parties including manufacturers and system integrators to expose additional capabilities of the devices and create additional functionalities. The new interfaces are generally made available to all users of the registry service.