SENSOR KITS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR MONITORING INDUSTRIAL SETTINGS UTILIZING A DISTRIBUTED LEDGER
A sensor kit and associated method configured for monitoring an industrial setting is disclosed. The sensor kit can include an edge device and a plurality of sensors that capture sensor data and transmit the sensor data via a self-configuring sensor kit network. At least one sensor can capture sensor measurements and output instances of sensor data, generate and output reporting packets, and transmit the reporting packets to the edge device via the self-configuring sensor kit network in accordance with a first communication protocol. The edge device receives reporting packets from the plurality of sensors via the self-configuring sensor kit network, generates a data block based on the sensor data, and transmits the data block to one or more node computing devices that collectively store a distributed ledger that is comprised of a plurality of data blocks.
1 . A sensor kit configured for monitoring an industrial setting, the sensor kit comprising:
an edge device; and
a plurality of sensors that capture sensor data and transmit the sensor data via a self-configuring sensor kit network, wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more sensors of a first sensor type and one or more sensors of a second sensor type, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors comprises:
a sensing component that captures sensor measurements and outputs instances of sensor data;
a processing unit that generates reporting packets based on one or more instances of sensor data and outputs the reporting packets, wherein each reporting packet includes routing data and one or more instances of sensor data; and
a communication device configured to receive reporting packets from the processing unit and to transmit the reporting packets to the edge device via the self-configuring sensor kit network in accordance with a first communication protocol;
wherein the edge device comprises:
a communication system having:
a first communication device that receives reporting packets from the plurality of sensors via the self-configuring sensor kit network; and
a second communication device that transmits sensor kit packets to a backend system via a public network; and
a processing system having one or more processors that execute computer-executable instructions that cause the processing system to:
receive the reporting packets from the communication system;
generate a data block based on sensor data obtained from the reporting packets, wherein the data block includes (i) a block header that defines an address of the data block and (ii) a block body that defines the sensor data and a parent address of another data block to which the data block will be linked; and
transmit the data block to one or more node computing devices that collectively store a distributed ledger that is comprised of a plurality of data blocks.
2 . The sensor kit of claim 1 , wherein generating the data block includes generating a hash value of the block body.
3 . The sensor kit of claim 1 , wherein generating the data block includes encrypting the block body.
4 . The sensor kit of claim 1 , wherein the distributed ledger includes a smart contract that defines one or more conditions relating to collected sensor data and one or more actions that are initiated by the smart contract in response to the one or more conditions being satisfied.
5 . The sensor kit of claim 4 , wherein the smart contract receives the data block from the sensor kit and determines whether the one or more conditions are satisfied based on at least the sensor data stored in the data block.
6 . The sensor kit of claim 4 , wherein the smart contract corresponds to an insurer.
7 . The sensor kit of claim 6 , wherein the action defined in the smart contract triggers a transfer of funds to an account associated with an operator associated with the sensor kit in response to satisfying the one or more conditions.
8 . The sensor kit of claim 7 , wherein the one or more conditions include a first condition that determines whether the sensor kit has reported a sufficient amount of sensor data and a second condition that determines whether the reported sensor data indicates that the industrial setting is operating without issue.
9 . The sensor kit of claim 4 , wherein the smart contract corresponds to a regulatory body.
10 . The sensor kit of claim 9 , wherein the action defined in the smart contract triggers an issuance of a token to an operator associated with the sensor kit in response to satisfying the one or more conditions.
11 . The sensor kit of claim 10 , wherein the one or more conditions include a first condition that requires a certain amount of reported sensor data to be reported by a sensor kit and a second condition that requires the reported sensor data to be compliant with the reporting regulations.
12 . The sensor kit of claim 1 , wherein the edge device is one of the node computing devices.
13 . A method for monitoring an industrial setting using a sensor kit having a plurality of sensors and an edge device including a processing system, comprising:
receiving, by the processing system, reporting packets from one or more respective sensors of the plurality of sensors, wherein each reporting packet includes routing data and one or more instances of sensor data;
generating, by the processing system, a data block based on sensor data obtained from the reporting packets, wherein the data block includes (i) a block header that defines an address of the data block and (ii) a block body that defines the sensor data and a parent address of another data block to which the data block will be linked; and
transmitting, by the processing system, the data block to one or more node computing devices that collectively store a distributed ledger that is comprised of a plurality of data blocks.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein generating the data block includes generating, by the processing system, a hash value of the block body.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein generating the data block includes encrypting, by the processing system, the block body.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the distributed ledger includes a smart contract that defines one or more conditions relating to collected sensor data and one or more actions that are initiated by the smart contract in response to the one or more conditions being satisfied.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the smart contract receives the data block from the sensor kit and determines whether the one or more conditions are satisfied based on at least the sensor data stored in the data block.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the smart contract corresponds to an insurer.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the action defined in the smart contract triggers a transfer of funds to an account associated with an operator associated with the sensor kit in response to satisfying the one or more conditions.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the one or more conditions include a first condition that determines whether the sensor kit has reported a sufficient amount of sensor data and a second condition that determines whether the reported sensor data indicates that the industrial setting is operating without issue.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the smart contract corresponds to a regulatory body.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the action defined in the smart contract triggers an issuance of a token to an operator associated with the sensor kit in response to satisfying the one or more conditions.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the one or more conditions include a first condition that requires a certain amount of reported sensor data to be reported by a sensor kit and a second condition that requires the reported sensor data to be compliant with the reporting regulations.
24 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the edge device is one of the node computing devices.
25 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first set of sensors of a first sensor type and a second set of sensors of a second sensor type.