Method and apparatus for monitoring and processing sensor data in an interfacing-device network
An interfacing device is configured to process one or more rules, based on sensor data, to perform a predetermined action. During operation, the device can detect a rule-triggering event, and can search a rule repository to obtain a set of rules whose action criteria is satisfied by the rule-triggering event. If the set of rules include a plurality of rules that are simultaneously triggered by the rule-triggered event, the local interfacing device may process the plurality of rules in a user-defined sequence.
1. A method, comprising:
detecting, by an interfacing device that monitors and controls a physical device, a rule-triggering event;
searching a rule repository of the interfacing device to obtain a set of rules whose action criteria is satisfied by the rule-triggering event and a user-defined sequence for the set of rules; and
in response to the set of rules including a plurality of rules that are simultaneously triggered by the rule-triggered event, processing the plurality of rules in the user-defined sequence by:
determining a current state of the interfacing device;
processing a first rule from the user-defined sequence of the plurality of rules to execute a first action description of the first rule based on the current state;
determining an updated state of the interfacing device from the current state based on the execution of the first action description; and
processing a second rule from the user-defined sequence of the plurality of rules to execute a second action description of the second rule based on the updated state.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current or updated state includes one or more of:
a variable state for a logical variable stored in a memory of the local interfacing device;
a sensor measurement for a sensor coupled to the local interfacing device; and
a sensor measurement for a sensor coupled to a remote interfacing device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current state or the updated state includes obtaining, from a remote device over a computer network, a sensor measurement from a remote sensor.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the remote device includes at least one of:
a remote interfacing device, which monitors sensor data from at least one physical device coupled to the remote interfacing device; and
a controller device, which monitors sensor data from at least one interfacing device over a computer network.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein obtaining the sensor measurement for the remote sensor includes:
establishing a network connection with the remote device;
sending a data-subscription request for the remote sensor, to the remote device, via the established network connection; and
receiving an updated sensor value for the remote sensor, from the remote device via the established network connection.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein establishing the network connection includes establishing a peer-to-peer network connection with the remote device.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein establishing the network connection includes:
determining that the remote device is not reachable via a peer-to-peer communication channel associated with the network connection; and
establishing the network connection via a data-forwarding service.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing a respective action description in the plurality of rules that are simultaneously triggered includes one or more of:
sending a command to a predetermined interfacing device over a computer network;
sending an email message to a predetermined recipient;
sending a short message service (SMS) message to a predetermined recipient;
generating a system alert;
generating an event for an event log;
computing an output data value based in part on the obtained sensor data;
sending a predetermined signal pattern over a serial port; and
processing a predetermined script to configure a peripheral device via a serial port.
9. An apparatus that monitors and controls a physical device, comprising:
a processor;
a memory device storing a rule repository; and
a rule-processing module operable to:
detect a rule-triggering event;
search the rule repository to obtain a set of rules whose action criteria is satisfied by the rule-triggering event and a user-defined sequence for the set of rules; and
in response to the set of rules including a plurality of rules that are simultaneously triggered by the rule-triggered event, process the plurality of rules in the user-defined sequence by:
determining a current state of the interfacing device;
processing a first rule from the user-defined sequence of the plurality of rules to execute a first action description of the first rule based on the current state;
determining an updated state of the interfacing device from the current state based on the execution of responsive to executing the first action description; and
processing a second rule from the user-defined sequence of the plurality of rules to execute a second action description of the second rule based on the updated state.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the current or updated state includes one or more of:
a variable state for a logical variable stored in a memory of the local interfacing device;
a sensor measurement for a sensor coupled to the local interfacing device; and
a sensor measurement for a sensor coupled to a remote interfacing device.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a communication module configured to obtain, from a remote device over a computer network, a sensor measurement from a remote sensor for determining the device state or the updated device state.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the remote device includes at least one of:
a remote interfacing device, which monitors sensor data from at least one physical device coupled to the remote interfacing device; and
a controller device, which monitors sensor data from at least one interfacing device over a computer network.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein while obtaining the sensor measurement for the remote sensor, the communication module is further configured to obtain the sensor measurement for the remote sensor by:
establishing a network connection with the remote device;
sending a data-subscription request for the remote sensor, to the remote device, via the established network connection; and
receiving an updated sensor value for the remote sensor, from the remote device via the established network connection.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the communication module is further configured to establish the network connection based on a peer-to-peer network connection with the remote device.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the communication module is further configured to:
determine that the remote device is not reachable via a peer-to-peer communication channel associated with the network connection; and
establish the network connection via a data-forwarding service.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein executing a respective action description in the plurality of rules that are simultaneously triggered includes one or more of:
sending a command to a predetermined interfacing device over a computer network;
sending an email message to a predetermined recipient;
sending a short message service (SMS) message to a predetermined recipient;
generating a system alert;
generating an event for an event log;
computing an output data value based in part on the obtained sensor data;
sending a predetermined signal pattern over a serial port;
processing a predetermined script to configure a peripheral device via a serial port.