M2M Gateway Protocol Translation for Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current M2M communication systems face challenges in ensuring interoperability and efficient management of diverse M2M devices and networks, lacking standardized protocols for remote entity management, which hinders widespread adoption and effective operation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a gateway-based system with multiple management protocols and a resource structure framework that allows for dynamic management of M2M devices and networks, enabling seamless communication and protocol negotiation between devices and servers, and supporting authority delegation and command execution across different management protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple management protocols are supported for diverse M2M devices, then interoperability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway as an intermediary component that mediates between diverse M2M devices and the management server. The gateway translates and adapts multiple device-specific protocols into a unified management protocol, allowing devices to communicate without directly supporting all protocols themselves. This resolves the contradiction by centralizing protocol complexity in the gateway rather than requiring each device to be complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple management protocols simultaneously. It can translate between different protocols (e.g., TR-069, OMA DM, SNMP) and a unified internal protocol, making the system universally compatible with diverse devices without requiring each device to implement all protocols. This universal gateway approach improves interoperability while keeping individual devices simpler.
2Productivity
If standardized remote entity management is implemented across diverse devices, then management efficiency is improved, but adaptability to different protocols deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The management system is segmented into distinct functional layers: a protocol-adaptation layer at the gateway that handles protocol-specific complexity, and a standardized management layer at the server that implements uniform remote entity management. This segmentation allows the server to focus on efficient standardized management while the gateway handles protocol diversity, resolving the contradiction between management efficiency and protocol adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway acts as a mediator that translates diverse device protocols into a standardized format for the management server. This allows the server to implement efficient standardized management procedures without directly dealing with protocol variations. The gateway absorbs the adaptability requirements while the server maintains standardized efficient operations.
3Ease of operation
If authority delegation is implemented for remote entity management, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway serves as an intermediary that manages authority delegation on behalf of devices. Instead of requiring devices to directly implement complex authority delegation logic with multiple servers, the gateway handles the delegation, authentication, and coordination. This simplifies device operation while the gateway absorbs the resulting complexity in managing delegated authorities across multiple management servers.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods and apparatus for managing machine-to-machine (M2M) entities are disclosed. Included herein is a method that may include implementing one or more management layers for managing M2M entities in an M2M environment. The method may also include using a plurality of management layers to manage a M2M area network, wherein the M2M area network may include one or more M2M end devices. The M2M end devices may include, for example, an M2M gateway and/or an M2M device. The management layers may include any of an application management layer, service management layer, network management layer and a device management layer. The management layers may provide any of configuration management, fault management, and performance management of the M2M entities.