Network Element Mediator for IoT Service Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In IoT scenarios, machine devices (MDs) often provide data to services without the endpoints being aware of their location, leading to challenges in discovering and requesting data, especially when traditional discovery mechanisms like CoAP Resource Directory are not available or supported.
Innovation Solution
A network element establishes an observe relationship with MDs on behalf of services interested in specific information, allowing MDs to send requested data directly to services, using a token to identify the information and reduce signaling traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional discovery mechanisms like CoAP Resource Directory are used, then services can discover MD locations, but the system complexity increases and signaling traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network element as an intermediary that maintains mappings between service identifiers and MD identifiers. This intermediary enables service discovery without requiring complex distributed directory systems, as the network element centrally manages the binding information between services and machine devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses identifier copying where service identifiers are copied into binding information stored by the network element. This allows services to be referenced by their identifiers without requiring direct knowledge of MD locations or complex discovery protocols, simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Loss of information
If MDs register to a centralized Resource Directory, then service discovery is enabled, but the signaling traffic and registration overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network element acts as an intermediary that receives binding information from services and maintains mappings to MD identifiers. This eliminates the need for MDs to actively register with a Resource Directory, reducing signaling traffic while still enabling location information to be obtained when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary binding where service identifiers are associated with MD identifiers in advance by the network element. This preliminary action enables subsequent service discovery without requiring real-time registration or discovery signaling between services and MDs.
3Productivity
If MDs send data directly to services, then communication efficiency improves, but the service must know the MD location which is not available
Solution Approach 1:
The network element serves as an intermediary that resolves service identifiers to MD identifiers and facilitates direct communication. The service sends data to the network element using only the service identifier, and the network element routes it to the correct MD, enabling efficient direct communication without the service needing to know MD locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses identifier copying where the service identifier is copied and used by the network element to look up the corresponding MD identifier. This copying mechanism enables indirect addressing where services can communicate with MDs using only service identifiers, maintaining communication efficiency while hiding location information.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a network element 2 in a communication network 1. The method comprises detecting a machine device (MD) 4 able to provide a first type of information to the network. The method also comprises receiving an information message comprising a token of a service 3 which is interested in receiving the first type of information. The method also comprises sending a request message to the MD comprising the token and a request for the MD to send the first type of information together with the token. The present disclosure also relates to a machine device as well as to the network element and a rendezvous point, and methods thereof, in the network.