User-Centric Service Composition via Logical Device Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing service paradigms are provider-centric, limiting user control over device and service composition, leading to cumbersome device interoperability, data privacy issues, and lack of customization options.
Innovation Solution
A user-controlled service composition function (SCF) manages device profiles and subscriptions to enable user-defined service composition, allowing devices to form a logically new device through resource management, configuration, and deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a provider-centric service paradigm is used, then service providers can centrally control and manage services, but users lose control over device composition and service customization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional provider-centric control model by enabling user-centric service composition. Users are empowered to define service graphs that specify how multiple devices and services should be composed together, while service providers transition to a supportive role by validating and deploying these user-defined compositions. This inversion resolves the contradiction by giving users control (improving adaptability) while maintaining automated service management (preserving extent of automation).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the service control functionality into two distinct parts: service definition (user-controlled) and service deployment (provider-controlled). Users can define service graphs that describe desired service compositions without needing to manage the underlying infrastructure. Service providers separately handle validation, deployment, and orchestration. This segmentation allows both user customization and automated control to coexist without conflict.
2Adaptability or versatility
If devices from different vendors are manually paired, then device interoperability can be achieved, but the process becomes cumbersome and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a universal service graph model that can represent service compositions across devices from different vendors. This unified modeling approach allows users to define service compositions that work across heterogeneous devices without needing vendor-specific pairing procedures. The service graph abstraction layer provides universal functionality that simplifies device interoperability while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The service graph acts as an intermediary that mediates between user intentions and device interactions. Instead of users directly managing complex device pairing protocols, they define high-level service compositions in the service graph model. The service composition function then translates these abstract definitions into concrete device interactions, automatically handling the complex pairing processes in the background while presenting a simple interface to users.
3Extent of automation
If data is transmitted to service provider servers, then centralized service management is enabled, but user data privacy and control are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the service definition and composition logic from service provider servers and places it under user control through service graphs. Users define their own service compositions locally on their devices, specifying how data should flow between services without needing to transmit sensitive information to provider servers. Only validated service graph definitions are deployed to the network, while user data remains under user control. This extraction of composition authority from providers resolves the contradiction by maintaining automated service management through validation and deployment while preserving user data privacy.
4Adaptability or versatility
If users want to dynamically compose services across multiple devices, then service flexibility is improved, but service composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic service graphs that allow users to define flexible service compositions that can be modified at runtime. Service graphs can dynamically add, remove, or reconfigure service nodes and their connections based on user needs and environmental conditions. This dynamic modeling capability enables service flexibility while the automated validation and deployment processes handle the complexity of managing these dynamic compositions, preventing complexity from overwhelming users.
Solution Approach 2:
The service composition function provides self-service capabilities that automatically handle the complexity of service composition. When users define service graphs, the system automatically validates the compositions against service provider policies, resolves dependencies between services, and deploys the compositions to the appropriate devices. This self-service automation eliminates the need for users to manually manage complex composition details, allowing service flexibility without proportional increases in user burden.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to service composition among a group of device, particularly in order to propose a user centric solution for composing a service in wireless network. To this end, the disclosure proposes a method performed by an SCF, comprising: receiving a request from a first device, wherein the request is used to prescribe synthesized functionalities provided by one or more second devices to form a first logical device; and providing configuration information to the one or more second devices based on the request, wherein the configuration information indicates a set of actions and/or parameters to form the first logical device. Further, this disclosure also proposes a corresponding method for service composition, which comprises: determining a first logical device to be formed; and sending a request to an SCF, for synthesizing functionalities for the first logical device.