Systems and methods for virtualizing internet of things (IoT) devices
View Patent ↗A virtual element includes a communication component that controls, from a remote location, communication with an Internet of Things (IoT) device of a plurality of IoT devices. The virtual element also includes a capabilities augmenting component that facilitates access to resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices. The tasks of the IoT device are allocable to one or more different devices and are performed by the one or more different devices. An interface accessing component facilitates access to information that is directed to the IoT device from an interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and facilitates access to information that is provided from the IoT device.
1. A virtual element, wherein the virtual element is implemented using physical computing components in a processor-based virtual computing environment, the virtual element comprising:
a communication component that generates at least one control signal to controls, from a remote location, communication with an Internet of Things (IoT) device of a plurality of IoT devices, wherein each of the plurality of IoT devices includes an associated communication protocol and the communication component translates each respective communication protocol of a receiving IoT device and a transmitting IoT device to generate the at least one control signal based upon each respective communication protocol,
wherein the communication component transfers information to the receiving IoT device based upon the associated communication protocol;
a capabilities augmenting component coupled to receive the at least one control signal to facilitate access to resources of a computing device that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices,
wherein tasks of the IoT device are allocable to one or more different computing devices and performed by the one or more different computing devices on behalf of the IoT device; and
an interface component coupled to the communication component to access the information that is directed to the IoT device from an interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and to provide access to information that is provided from the IoT device that is presented on the interface;
wherein the communication component, the capabilities augmenting component and the interface component comprise components of a virtual machine.
2. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the communication component comprises IoT device drivers and transmitting and receiving components.
3. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the communication component provides outputs that use a communication protocol that is uniform across the plurality of IoT devices.
4. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the capabilities augmenting component facilitates access to resources that comprise computational and memory resources.
5. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the interface is a user interface.
6. The virtual element of claim 1 wherein the resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device are located on one or more devices which are located remotely to the IoT device.
7. A system for virtualizing IoT devices, the system comprising;
a computing device having a common user interface; and a plurality of virtual elements that correspond to individual IoT devices, each of the virtual machines comprising:
a communication component that generates at least one control signal to controls communication with an IoT device of a plurality of IoT devices, wherein each of the plurality of IoT devices includes an associated communication protocol and the communication component translates each respective communication protocol of a receiving IoT device and a transmitting IoT device to generate the at least one control signal based upon each respective communication protocol
wherein the communication component transfers information to the receiving IoT device based upon the associated communication protocol;
a capabilities augmentation component coupled to receive the at least one control signal to facilitate access to resources of a computing device that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices; and
an interface component coupled to the communication component to access the information that is directed to the IoT device from an interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and to provide provides access to information that is provided from the IoT device that is presented on the interface;
wherein the communication component, the capabilities augmenting component and the interface component comprise components of a virtual machine.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the communication component comprises IoT device drivers and transmitting and receiving components.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the communication component provides outputs that use a communication protocol that is uniform across the plurality of IoT devices.
10. The system of claim 7 wherein the capabilities augmenting component facilitates access to resources that comprise computational and memory resources.
11. The system of claim 7 wherein the interface is a user interface.
12. The system of claim 7 wherein the resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device are located on one or more devices which are located remotely to the IoT device.
13. A method for virtualizing an IoT device, performed by a processor-based computing system, the method comprising:
from a location remote to an IoT device of a plurality of IoT devices, controlling communication to and from the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices using at least one control signal generated based upon respective communication protocols of a receiving IoT device and a transmitting IoT device;
facilitating access to resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device of the plurality of IoT devices based upon the at least one control signal wherein tasks of the IoT device are allocable to one or more different devices and performed by the one or more different devices on behalf of the first IoT device; and
facilitating, in response to the at least one control signal, access to information that is directed to the IoT device from a unified interface that is common to the plurality of IoT devices, and facilitating access to information that is provided from the IoT device for presenting via the unified interface;
wherein the communication component, the capabilities augmenting component and the interface component comprise components of a virtual machine.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the controlling comprises the use of IoT device drivers and transmitting and receiving components.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the communication comprises a protocol that is uniform across the plurality of IoT devices.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the facilitating access to resources comprises facilitating access to computational and memory resources.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the unified interface is a user interface.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein the resources that augment the capabilities of the IoT device are located on one or more devices which are located remotely to the IoT device.