IoT Edge Module Twins Declarative Event Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IoT technologies face challenges in efficiently managing and communicating events across edge devices and cloud services, particularly in terms of modular application modifications and event-driven rule deployment, which can lead to inefficiencies and increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of module twins with associated metadata and declarative rules allows for the modification of edge device modules to trigger events and communicate with targets, enabling cloud-initiated modifications and event-driven operations without requiring the redeployment of entire applications, using a common security context for secure communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional IoT event management is used across edge devices, then event communication can be achieved, but system complexity and deployment difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the event management system into modular components: event producers, event consumers, and event routes. Each component has a specific function, allowing independent deployment and management. Event routes act as independent intermediaries that can be configured without modifying the core event producers or consumers, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces event routes as intermediary components between event producers and consumers. These routes serve as mediators that manage event distribution, filtering, and routing logic centrally, rather than requiring complex peer-to-peer communication between all devices. This intermediary layer simplifies event management operations while reducing the complexity burden on individual edge devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If modular application modifications are implemented on edge devices, then flexibility and scalability improve, but deployment and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides applications into independent, reusable modules that can be selectively deployed on edge devices. Each module encapsulates specific functionality, allowing them to be modified, updated, or replaced without affecting other parts of the system. This segmentation enables flexible adaptation while simplifying deployment through standardized module interfaces and packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal module templates that can be instantiated and deployed across multiple edge devices with consistent behavior. These modules are designed to be platform-agnostic and can serve multiple functions through configuration rather than code changes. This universality allows flexible adaptation to different scenarios while maintaining simple, standardized deployment processes.
3Extent of automation
If cloud-initiated modifications are implemented, then remote update capability improves, but network dependency and communication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the cloud service prepare and stage module updates before deployment to edge devices. Module metadata and configuration files are pre-processed and validated in the cloud, so that when updates are pushed to edge devices, they require minimal processing and validation. This preliminary preparation reduces communication overhead by eliminating redundant data transmission and processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables edge devices to perform self-service operations by locally validating received module updates against stored metadata and configuration schemas. Rather than requiring continuous cloud verification, edge devices can autonomously determine whether updates are valid and apply them appropriately. This self-service capability reduces ongoing communication overhead while maintaining automated update functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology is generally directed to communications in an IoT environment. In one example of the technology, a plurality of module twins that respectively correspond to a plurality of modules of edge applications on a plurality of edge devices are stored. The plurality of module twins individually include metadata associated with the corresponding module of the plurality of modules. At least one module of the plurality of modules to be modified by adding a declarative rule is determined, such that the declarative rule causes determining whether an event has been triggered based on a particular event having been determined to have occurred, and, in response to the triggering of the event, communicating the triggering of the event to at least one declarative target. The determined at least one module of the plurality of modules is caused to be modified by adding the declarative rule.