Sap Ag

Sap Se

Stephan Haller

Richard James Swan

Zoltan Nochta

Patrik Spiess

Peter Ebert

Tao Lin

Hartmut K Vogler

Brian S Mo

Jie Weng

Uwe Kubach

Luciana Moreira Sa De Souza

Christof Bornhoevd

Philip Robinson

Stamatis Karnouskos

Nina Oertel

Artin Avanes

Holger Robert Ziekow

Ming Xu

Bruno Robitaille

Patrik Spieß

Embodiments of the invention relate to programming, configuring, and integrating networked embedded devices with other applications. Particular embodiments include an architecture having an application model layer that integrates the networked embedded devices with business application systems, by allowing the devices to be expressed as part of a business application concept. In certain embodiments, an intermediate device programming layer provides a network-centric programming abstraction, relieving the programmer of the details of low-level, node-centric programming. Finally, a self-optimizing run-time system layer adapts to the specific conditions in the deployed network embedded devices, by optimizing e.g. communication patterns and resource consumption based upon input from the higher layer(s). Embodiments may facilitate integration of networked embedded devices with the back ends of business applications, and may provide a unified extensible programming framework simplifying development of applications for network embedded devices.

Model-based programming, configuration, and integration of networked embedded devices

Systems and methods allow service-to-device mapping by which services are mapped onto best-suited smart items selected from a plurality of smart items of a sensor network. As part of the mapping, and/or subsequent thereto, a deployment of the service(s) onto the smart items is initiated. However, in some cases, the deployment may fail, or may only partially succeed. In such cases, one or more conditions of the deployment may be altered to obtain a modified, allowable deployment condition, so that the deployment may then proceed. As a result, users may achieve a desired result in a fast, convenient, and reliable manner, even when executing the deployment remotely or automatically.

Active intervention in service-to-device mapping for smart items

Systems and methods are described that provide a system monitor component, e.g., for a sensor network, which may include, e.g., a server component that is continuously running and monitoring zero or more networks consisting of (possibly wireless) devices, where each network may be executing a different communications protocol, such as a proprietary, platform-dependent protocol. The system monitor may maintain a system model of the networks. The system monitor may be connected with the networks through a message transport system that routes any occurring messages in a common or standard communications protocol, as well as message handlers that access either platform-abstracting gateways or the proprietary messages that the devices of one or more of the networks may use.

System monitor for networks of nodes

A service repository is used to store at least one service in association with service metadata describing service requirements of the service. The service repository also may store one or more platform-specific service executables. A service mapper is used to determine device metadata associated with each of a plurality of devices, where the device metadata provides device characteristics of the devices. The service mapper may thus map the service to a selected device of the plurality of devices for deployment thereon, based on a matching of corresponding elements of the service requirements and the device characteristics. The service mapper also may re-map the service between devices to maintain a quality and reliability of the service.

Service-to-device re-mapping for smart items

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for real-time and context-aware tracking of items. Tags bound to items are read and information read from the tags and location information about the tags is provided by at least two enterprises and used to maintain disposition information about the items, which is made visible to enterprises in the supply chain. The disposition information can be mapped to a world model that tracks the items and circumstances affecting the items, for example, geo-spatial events and traffic delays. Visibility of the disposition information can be controlled through authorization. Visible information can include relationships between particular items and business documents such as order and shipping documents.

Context-aware and real-time item tracking system architecture and scenarios

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for real-time data transfer between sensor or actuator devices and higher-level applications. In one aspect, an integration engine receives a set of rules from an external application and receives item data including item identifiers from one or more tag readers, each item identifier being read from a digital tag bound to a physical item. The integration engine uses the rules and item data to determine in real time which subset of the item data to furnish to the external application. In another aspect, the integration engine receives from the external application configuration data for controlling an actuator device. The integration engine converts the configuration data to a format compatible with the actuator device; and furnishes the converted configuration data in real time to the actuator device.

Integration framework

An embodiment includes a prediction system for initiating a data transfer to a decision system. The prediction system is configured to identify a decision, the decision being a result of a computation of the decision system according to a set of predefined rules and input data. The prediction system is further configured to identify predicted input data representing a portion of the input data and to initiate a transfer of the predicted input data to the decision system prior to the computation of the decision.

Method for fast decision-making in highly distributed systems

A sales information architecture detects user interaction with a tagged item and in response displays product information about the item to the user. The architecture can process a sales transaction involving the item and report the sale in real-time to other enterprises such as manufacturers using a publish subscribe messaging service.

Real-time sales information architecture

A radio frequency identification (RFID) controller within an RFID system includes an RFID interrogator interface configured to receive signals from RFID interrogators and configured to manage the RFID interrogators based on instructions received from an application program. The RFID interrogators are configured to receive data from an RFID tag. The controller also includes a controller core configured to process the signals received from the RFID interrogator interface and to provide the data to the application.

Controller for accessing multiple radio frequency identification (RFID) readers

Methods, systems, and computer program products, implementing techniques for aggregating sensor data. In one aspect, the techniques include receiving sensor data values emitted by a sensor device, identifying the occurrence of a business event based on the sensor data values, and notifying an enterprise application of the occurrence of the business event. The business event being at a higher-level than the sensor data values.

Aggregating sensor data

A radio frequency identification (RFID) controller within an RFID system includes an RFID interrogator interface configured to receive signals from an RFID interrogator. The RFID interrogator receives data from RFID tags. The RFID controller also includes a user interface configured to receive a selection of data processing units and an arrangement of data processing units. The RFID controller further includes a controller core configured to process the signals received from the RFID interrogator interface and configured to modify processing of the signals from RFID interrogator based on the selection and the arrangement of the data processing units.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) controller

Computer-assisted procedure () to communicate data in a transportation system () that physically transports objects () from first to second locations (). The objects () have write/read memory tags (). Prior to communicating data is separated into meta-data M and content-data C. Communicated are: C on the tags (), M through a computer network, and type-data T (representing M) on the tags. System computers () perform complementary methods for forwarding () and retrieving (). To forward () data from the first location (), a first computer () queries () an exchange computer () with M for T according to a predefined T-to-M table, writes T to the tags (), and writes C to the tags (). To retrieve () data at the second location () where the objects arrive, a second computer () reads T from the (), queries () the exchange computer () with T for M according to the same table, and reads () C from the tags ().

Growing community of inventors

Karlsruhe, Germany

Stephan Haller