Sensory Data Generator for IoT Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Testing IoT applications requires deploying and stimulating large numbers of physical sensors, which is costly and complex, making it challenging to simulate and test the responses of various sensors to real-world scenarios effectively.
Innovation Solution
A sensory data generator system that simulates sensory data using a processing device coupled with memory, which executes instructions to generate simulated sensor data based on stored functions of time, accounting for sensor location and type, allowing for reproducible and controllable testing of IoT systems without the need for physical sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical sensors are deployed and stimulated to test IoT applications, then testing accuracy and reliability are improved, but cost and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of physical sensors that simulate sensor behavior, environmental conditions, and data transmission protocols. These virtual sensors replicate the functionality of physical sensors without requiring actual hardware deployment, thereby maintaining testing reliability while eliminating the complexity of physical sensor setup, stimulation, and management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual environment as an intermediary layer between test subjects and physical sensors. This virtual environment mediates the testing process by simulating sensor responses and environmental conditions, allowing comprehensive IoT application testing without direct interaction with physical sensors, thus reducing system complexity while preserving testing validity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If large numbers of physical sensors are deployed for testing, then comprehensive scenario coverage is improved, but cost and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures virtual sensors with defined behaviors, response characteristics, and environmental parameters before testing begins. These virtual sensors are prepared in advance with various scenario configurations, allowing immediate deployment without the time-consuming processes of physical sensor installation, calibration, and environmental setup, thereby achieving comprehensive scenario coverage rapidly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal virtual sensor instances that can simulate multiple sensor types and environmental conditions through configuration rather than requiring separate physical sensors for each scenario. A single virtual sensor system can adapt to represent temperature sensors, motion sensors, light sensors, and various environmental conditions, providing comprehensive scenario coverage without proportionally increasing setup time or resource requirements.
3Measurement precision
If physical sensors are environmentally stimulated to produce test data, then data realism is improved, but resource requirements and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements virtual sensors that self-generate realistic test data through programmed algorithms and randomization functions without requiring external environmental stimulation. These virtual sensors autonomously produce data that mimics real sensor behavior, including noise patterns, response curves, and environmental variations, eliminating the need for physical environmental manipulation while maintaining data realism and reducing resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain aspects and features provide generation or simulation of sensory data that would otherwise come from Internet-of-things (IoT) sensors in reproducible and controllable way. Thus, the response of a system to very large numbers of sensors can be tested without acquiring and deploying a very large number of sensors for test and development purposes. In some examples, a processing device coupled to a network interface identifies a stored function of time describing a locally sensed property for a simulated sensor. The locally sensed property corresponds to at least one event taking place in a virtual environment. The processing device can determine values of an input variable produced by the stored function of time. The values can be wrapped in a communication protocol to produce messages that are transmitted over the network interface.