IoT Service Enrollment via Virtualized Subscriber Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT ecosystems lack extensibility and flexibility, with manual and non-standardized enrollment processes burdening users and limiting the ability to integrate diverse IoT devices and services from various providers.
Innovation Solution
An automated IoT service enrollment system that virtualizes service enrollees and their devices, applications, and users into software profiles, enabling automated discovery, secure association, and enrollment with IoT service providers, including features such as the use of photos and NFC technology for data extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual enrollment processes are used in existing IoT ecosystems, then service providers can maintain control over device integration, but users experience burden and the system lacks extensibility and flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated service enrollment where the enrollment function autonomously performs device discovery, service matching, and enrollment execution without requiring manual user intervention. The system self-services by automatically enrolling IoT devices with appropriate services based on device profiles and service provider policies, thereby reducing user burden while maintaining ecosystem control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated enrollment function as an intermediary between IoT devices and service providers. This intermediary component handles the complex enrollment process by discovering available services, matching devices with appropriate services, and executing enrollment automatically, thus bridging the gap between user simplicity and system control
2Ease of operation
If automated service enrollment is implemented, then user burden is reduced and ecosystem flexibility improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the enrollment system into distinct functional components: a discovery function for identifying available services, a matching function for pairing devices with appropriate services, and an execution function for completing enrollment. This segmentation manages system complexity by organizing functions into modular, independent units that can be developed and maintained separately
Solution Approach 2:
The automated enrollment function is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple enrollment scenarios across different IoT devices and service providers through a standardized interface. By creating a multi-functional enrollment system that works across diverse contexts, the patent reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate enrollment mechanisms for each device type or provider
3Adaptability or versatility
If diverse IoT devices from various providers are integrated, then ecosystem extensibility improves, but standardized enrollment processes become more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal automated enrollment function that can accommodate diverse IoT devices from different providers through a standardized interface. The discovery function identifies services regardless of device origin, the matching function adapts to different device types, and the execution function handles enrollment uniformly, thereby enabling broad device integration while maintaining process standardization
Data Source
AI summary
IoT service layer capabilities may be employed to automate and simplify the service enrollment process for IOT service subscribers/enrollees. These capabilities enable virtualization of a service subscriber and the physical IoT devices, applications, data and authorized users of the subscriber into a software profile that is representative of the subscriber. Once virtualized, a service subscriber may then delegate the complexities and burden of service enrollment to an automated IoT service enrollment software function.