Systems, methods and apparatus for managing machine-to-machine (M2M) entities

1. A method implemented in a machine-to-machine (“M2M”) server, the M2M server having a service capability (“SC”) for remote entity management (“REM”) and a REM resource structure, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first M2M network application, a first RESTful method including a first identifier that identifies a first element of a first subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the first subordinate resource structure is configured for a first management command, and wherein the first element is representative of a first function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the first management command;

translating the first function to a device management command for a device that is accessible via a device management server;

sending the device management command to the device management server;

receiving, from the device management server, a response including information associated with invoking the device management command;

storing the information associated with invoking the device management command in a second element of the first subordinate resource structure, wherein the second element is linked to the first element; and

providing the information from the second element to the M2M network application;

receiving, from a second M2M network application, a second RESTful method including a second identifier that identifies a third element of a second subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the second subordinate resource structure is configured for a second management command, and wherein the third element is representative of a second function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the second management command; and

performing REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway responsive to the second RESTful method.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the M2M server and the first management command are configured in accordance with a first set of protocols, wherein the device management server and device management command are configured in accordance with a second set of protocols, and wherein the second set of protocols comprises at least one protocol different from the first set of protocols.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second subordinate resource structure facilitates REM of any of the M2M device and the M2M gateway in accordance with a device management layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway comprises:

sending, to the M2M device or the M2M gateway, an instruction to change any of a current execution state or execution mode of the second management command in accordance with the second function;

receiving, from the M2M device or the M2M gateway, a response including information associated with changing any of the current execution state and the execution mode of the second management command;

storing the information associated with changing any of the current execution state and execution mode of the second management command in a fourth element of the second subordinate resource structure, wherein the fourth element is linked to the third element; and

providing the information from the fourth element to the M2M network application.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second subordinate resource structure is associated with the M2M device or the M2M gateway, and wherein performing REM of the M2M device or the M2M gateway comprises sending, to the M2M device or the M2M gateway from the M2M server, an instruction to change any of a current execution state or execution mode of the second management command.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second identifiers comprise uniform resource identifiers of the first and third elements, respectively.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein any of the first, second and third elements is a sub-resource or an attribute.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second functions comprises any of a run function, a pause function, a cancel function, and a resume function.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second RESTful methods comprises at least one of a CREATE RESTful method, a RETRIEVE RESTful method, an UPDATE RESTful method, and DELETE RESTful method.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second M2M network applications are the same M2M network application.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second management commands are the same type of management command.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second subordinate resource structures are instantiated from a resource structure template for the same type of management command.

13. A method implemented in a machine-to-machine (“M2M”) server, the M2M server having a service capability (“SC”) for remote entity management (“REM”) and a REM resource structure, the method comprising:

receiving, from a M2M network application, a first RESTful method including a first identifier that identifies a first element of a first subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the first subordinate resource structure is configured for a first management command, and wherein the first element is representative of a first function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the first management command;

creating an instance of the first subordinate resource structure;

translating the first function to a device management command for a device that is accessible via a device management server;

sending the device management command to the device management server;

receiving, from the device management server, a response including information associated with invoking the device management command;

storing the information associated with invoking the device management command in a second element of the instance of the first subordinate resource structure;

providing the information from the second element to the M2M network application;

receiving, from a second M2M network application, a second RESTful method including a second identifier that identifies a third element of a second subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the second subordinate resource structure is configured for a second management command, and wherein the third element is representative of a second function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the second management command; and

performing REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway responsive to the second RESTful method.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second identifiers comprise uniform resource identifiers of the first and third elements, respectively.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein any of the first, second and third elements is a sub-resource or an attribute.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second functions comprises any of a run function, a pause function, a cancel function, and a resume function.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second RESTful methods comprises at least one of a CREATE RESTful method, a RETRIEVE RESTful method, an UPDATE RESTful method, and DELETE RESTful method.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein creating an instance of the first subordinate resource structure comprises: creating an instance of the first subordinate resource structure responsive to the first RESTful method.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second M2M network applications are the same M2M network application.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second management commands are the same type of management command.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first and second subordinate resource structures are instantiated from a resource structure template for the same type of management command.

22. A machine-to-machine (“M2M”) server configured with a service capability for remote entity management (“REM”) and with a REM resource structure, wherein the M2M server comprises:

circuitry, including a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the procesor, configured to:

receive, from a first M2M network application, a first RESTful method including a first identifier that identifies a first element of a first subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the first subordinate resource structure is configured for a first management command, and wherein the first element is representative of a first function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the first management command;

translate the first function to a device management command for a device that is accessible via a device management server;

send the device management command to the device management server;

receive, from the device management server, a response including information associated with invoking the device management command;

store the information associated with invoking the device management command in a second element of the first subordinate resource structure, wherein the second element is linked to the first element;

provide the information from the second element to the M2M network application;

receive, from a second M2M network application, a second RESTful method including a second identifier that identifies a third element of a second subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the second subordinate resource structure is configured for a second management command, and wherein the third element is representative of a second function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the second management command; and

perform REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway responsive to the second RESTful method.

23. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein the M2M server and the first management command are configured in accordance with a first set of protocols, wherein the device management server and device management command are configured in accordance with a second set of protocols, and wherein the second set of protocols comprises at least one protocol different from the first set of protocols.

24. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein the second subordinate resource structure facilitates REM of any of the M2M device and the M2M gateway in accordance with a device management layer.

25. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein the circuitry is configured to perform REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway, at least in part, by:

sending, to the M2M device or the M2M gateway, an instruction to change any of a current execution state or execution mode of the second management command in accordance with the second function;

receiving, from the M2M device or the M2M gateway, a response including information associated with changing any of the current execution state and the execution mode of the second management command;

storing the information associated with changing any of the current execution state and execution mode of the second management command in a fourth element of the second subordinate resource structure, wherein the fourth element is linked to the third element; and

providing the information from the fourth element to the M2M network application.

26. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein:

the second subordinate resource structure is associated with the M2M device or the M2M gateway; and

the circuitry is configured to perform the REM of the M2M device or the M2M gateway, at least in part, by sending, to the M2M device or the M2M gateway, an instruction to change any of a current execution state or execution mode of the second management command.

27. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein the first and second identifiers comprise a uniform resource identifiers of the first and third elements, respectively.

28. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein any of the first, second and third elements is a sub-resource or an attribute.

29. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second functions comprises any of a run function, a pause function, a cancel function, and a resume function.

30. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second RESTful methods comprises at least one of a CREATE RESTful method, a RETRIEVE RESTful method, an UPDATE RESTful method, and DELETE RESTful method.

31. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein the first and second M2M network applications are the same M2M network application.

32. The M2M server of claim 22 , wherein the first and second management commands are the same type of management command.

33. The M2M server of claim 32 , wherein the first and second subordinate resource structures are instantiated from a resource structure template for the same type of management command.

34. A machine-to-machine (“M2M”) server configured with a service capability for remote entity management (“REM”) and with a resource structure having a subordinate REM resource structure, wherein the M2M server comprises:

circuitry, including a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, configured to:

receive, from a M2M network application, a RESTful method including an identifier that identifies a first element of a first subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the first subordinate resource structure is configured for a first management command, and wherein the first element is representative of a first function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the first management command;

create an instance of the first subordinate resource structure;

translate the first function to a device management command for a device that is accessible via a device management server;

send the device management command to the device management server;

receive, from the device management server, a response including information associated with invoking the device management command;

store the information associated with invoking the device management command in a second element of the instance of the first subordinate resource structure;

provide the information from the second element to the M2M network application;

receive, from a second M2M network application, a second RESTful method including a second identifier that identifies a third element of a second subordinate resource structure of the REM resource structure, wherein the second subordinate resource structure is configured for a second management command, and wherein the third element is representative of a second function for setting any of an execution state and execution mode of the second management command; and

perform REM of a M2M device or a M2M gateway responsive to the second RESTful method.

35. The M2M server of claim 34 , wherein the first and second identifiers comprise uniform resource identifiers of the first and third elements, respectively.

36. The M2M server of claim 34 , wherein any of the first, second and third elements comprises a sub-resource or an attribute.

37. The M2M server of claim 34 , wherein each of the first and second functions comprises any of a run function, a pause function, a cancel function, and a resume function.

38. The M2M server of claim 34 , wherein each of the first and second RESTful methods comprises at least one of a CREATE RESTful method, a RETRIEVE RESTful method, an UPDATE RESTful method, and DELETE RESTful method.

39. The M2M server of claim 34 , wherein the circuitry is configured to create the instance of the first subordinate resource structure responsive to the RESTful method.

40. The M2M server of claim 34 , wherein the first and second M2M network applications are the same M2M network application.

41. The M2M server of claim 34 , wherein the first and second management commands are the same type of management command.

42. The M2M server of claim 41 , wherein the first and second subordinate resource structures are instantiated from a resource structure template for the same type of management command.