Tunnel Anchor Point for ASL Inter-Networking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network technologies face challenges in seamlessly interconnecting Application Service Layers (ASLs) of different networking technologies, such as ZigBee Smart Energy 2.0 and ETSI M2M, due to differences in attributes, services, and resource structures, making end-to-end communication across interconnected networks difficult, especially in existing networks where updating ASLs is not feasible.
Innovation Solution
A minimally intrusive and transparent intelligent tunneling mechanism is introduced to interface different ASLs, allowing encapsulation of messages and establishing a tunnel anchor point (TAP) for facilitating end-to-end communication, enabling applications to use services from both local and remote networks without complex gateway or proxy functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional mirroring techniques are used to interface different ASLs, then communication between applications across different networks is enabled, but device complexity and scalability issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Tunnel Anchor Point (TAP) as an intermediary component that enables communication between applications on different ASLs without requiring complex gateway functionality. The TAP establishes intelligent tunnels that encapsulate and transport messages between disparate ASLs, simplifying the interconnection mechanism while maintaining full communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication function into distributed TAPs deployed at different network locations, rather than relying on a single complex gateway. Each TAP independently manages tunnel establishment and message routing, distributing the complexity and improving scalability across the network infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ASLs of existing networks are updated to add support for interfacing to other network technologies, then inter-networking capability is improved, but technical, business, and accessibility limitations prevent feasibility
Solution Approach 1:
The TAP acts as an intermediary that enables inter-networking without requiring updates to existing ASLs. By deploying TAPs at network boundaries or gateway points, the system provides inter-networking capability while leaving existing ASL implementations unchanged, thus overcoming technical and business constraints associated with ASL updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes TAPs in advance at strategic network locations to provide inter-networking capability before any ASL updates would be attempted. This preliminary deployment of tunneling infrastructure enables immediate inter-networking without the need for subsequent ASL modifications, avoiding the feasibility issues of updating existing networks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If intelligent tunneling mechanism is implemented, then end-to-end communication across different ASLs is achieved with minimal intrusion, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The TAP serves as an intermediary that handles the complexity of tunnel establishment, message encapsulation, and routing transparently. Applications interacting with the TAP experience minimal intrusion as the tunneling mechanism operates in the background, managing complexity internally while providing simple interfaces to end applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The intelligent tunneling mechanism automatically performs tunnel establishment, message routing, and ASL protocol translation without requiring manual configuration or complex management. The TAP self-manages the tunneling operations, reducing the burden on network operators and simplifying deployment despite the underlying complexity of the tunneling protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine-to-machine (M2M) node is configured to provide a communication management function to facilitate communication between a first service layer in a first network and a second service layer in a second network. The M2M node is configured to store a plurality of attributes for use by the communication management function and to receive via the first network, a first message from a first application in the first service layer. The M2M node is configured to determine, based on at least a first attribute identifying an expiration time after which the communication management function does not facilitate communication, that the communication management function is available to process the first message. The M2M node is configured to determine, based on at least a second attribute defining an access control list identifying applications in the first service layer, that the communication management function is available to process the first message.