Shared Link-Subscription Identifier for M2M Network Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication networks, efficiently managing subscriptions for a large number of devices is challenging due to the overhead of individual device discovery and subscription requests, especially when devices are hidden behind gateways.
Innovation Solution
The use of a shared link-subscription identifier allows network applications to subscribe to multiple related device applications, with gateways and the M2M Service Capability maintaining bindings and forwarding subscription requests efficiently, reducing the need for individual device discovery and subscription requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual device discovery and subscription requests are used for each device, then complete device coverage and subscription accuracy are achieved, but network overhead and signaling load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual device identifiers into a single group identifier that represents a collection of devices. Instead of sending separate subscription requests to each device, the system sends a single subscription request containing the group identifier, which automatically subscribes the network application to all devices in the group simultaneously, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining complete coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The group identifier serves multiple functions: it acts as a unique identifier for the device group, enables bulk subscription operations, and allows the network application to manage subscriptions to multiple devices through a single reference. This universal identifier replaces the need for multiple individual device identifiers in subscription management
2Loss of information
If individual device discovery is performed for each device, then accurate device location and registration status are obtained, but time consumption and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary grouping of devices into collections with unique group identifiers before subscription operations. This pre-organization allows the network application to directly subscribe to groups of devices without performing individual discovery operations at the time of subscription, significantly reducing the time required to obtain registration status for multiple devices
3Ease of operation
If subscription requests are sent to each device individually, then precise subscription management is achieved, but network signaling load and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual subscription operations into a single bulk subscription operation by using group identifiers. The network application sends one subscription request containing a group identifier instead of sending multiple separate requests to individual devices, thereby reducing network signaling load and resource consumption while maintaining precise subscription management capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a logical copy of the subscription operation at the group level. Instead of executing the subscription operation separately for each device, the system creates a group-level subscription that automatically propagates to all member devices, reducing the number of actual network transactions while maintaining individual device subscription accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
In a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) network, efficient subscription of a M2M network application to a potentially very large number of device applications executing on remote devices is facilitated by the use of a shared “link-subscription identifier.” Each related device application (e.g., utility meter reading applications) includes a shared link-subscription identifier in its registration to a M2M network gateway or a M2M services capability (SC). The gateways maintain a binding between link-subscription identifiers in the device applications associated with them. To subscribe to all related device applications, a network application includes the link-description identifier in a subscription request to the M2M SC. The M2M SC, in turn, includes the link-subscription identifier in subscription requests it forwards to gateways and directly-connected remote devices. If the link-subscription identifier is one that is maintained locally by a gateway, the gateway forwards the subscription request to all remote devices executing associated device applications.