MACHINE TO MACHINE ARCHITECTURE

[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of EPO Application No. 10425035.2, filed Feb. 15, 2010, assigned attorney docket number 10022/1694 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] 1. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to a service provisioning and device management platform. In particular, this application relates to providing a platform for remotely hosting services that allows the services to manage and monitor an immense array of different types of devices, as well as collect and track data sent to and from the devices.

[0004] 2. Related Art

[0005] The rapid development of telecommunications technologies has allowed providers of a wide range of services to manage and control devices remotely. While remote control and management of devices has its advantages, service providers constantly develop new services which require control and management of new types of devices in an effort to stay competitive in the market. In the past, the platforms for managing and controlling the devices were proprietary and once they were developed, the platforms were only able to support the devices and/or services for which they were originally contemplated. If the service provider wished to add support for a new device or service, the service provider would have to expend considerable resources to alter an existing platform or develop a new platform providing support for the new device/service. The situation becomes acute as the market endlessly demands more services and support for newer and more types of devices. The service providers are forced to constantly alter existing platforms or develop new platforms which support the new devices and services, which is time consuming and expensive. Implementing a flexible platform that provides support for virtually any type of service and device is a difficult technical challenge.

[0006] A machine-to-machine communication platform provides technical solutions to the technical problems of implementing locally managed vertical services in a flexible, open manner, while connecting to virtual any external device. The communication platform is not restricted to interoperation with limited types of devices. Instead, the communication platform provides a communication manager that implements a device independent communication facility for connecting to, communicating with, and controlling virtually any external device. Furthermore, the communication platform includes a rules engine through which the communication platform hosts and manages third party vertical solutions that interact with the external devices. A third party gateway provides the third parties with access to the communication platform. As a result, the third parties may define, configure, and monitor custom vertical solutions that are locally hosted in the communication platform.

[0007] Other systems, methods, features and advantages will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows an overview of a machine to machine architecture (“architecture”) 100. In the architecture 100, a machine to machine platform (“Platform”) 102 communicates with a wide range of devices 104 through external gateways 106. The Platform 102 may also communicate with the devices 104 directly (e.g., without communicating through a gateway). The Platform 102 may host various services which use the devices 106 that communicate with the Platform 102. The services may include custom services implemented and hosted in the Platform 102 for third parties 108. The third parties 108 may access Platform 102 through the network 110. The network 110 may be any type of computer or telecommunications network, such as the Internet. Users may also access the Platform 102 through the network 110, or the users may also access the Platform 102 locally. Through the network 110, the third parties 108 and the users 112 may have world-wide access to the Platform 102. The devices 106 may include any types of devices/sensors/apparatus/systems which may communicate with the Platform 102, such as cellular phones, pagers, automobile engine control units, tire pressure monitoring system, health care monitoring systems, security systems, video cameras, photographic cameras, or other devices.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment 200 of the Machine to Machine Platform 102. The Platform 102 is largely divided into two sections: the vertical solution section 202 and the Machine to Machine Platform enabler section 204. The vertical solutions 202 are the applications or services hosted by the platform 102. The vertical solutions 202 may define, view, and/or manage rules for dispatching sampling data sent from the devices 106 based on the rules associated with them. The services provided by the vertical solutions 202 may include, for example, vehicle tracking 206, remote healthcare diagnostic 208, remote metering 210, IP surveillance 212, personal security 214, or any other services service providers may implement. The Platform 102 provides the capabilities needed to rapidly create, deliver and manage new vertical solutions 202. The Platform 102 includes four core functionalities: 1) device management, 2) device monitoring, 3) data capture and 4) accounting.

[0061] Device management is a set of technologies, protocols and standards used to allow the remote management of devices 106. Users 112 or third parties 108 may use the device management functionality to update device firmware or operating systems, install applications, or fix bugs, using a wireline or wireless interface to the Platform 102. The device management functionality allows the configuration of the devices 106, including, as examples, configuring the devices for first time use, enabling features of the device, and disabling the features. The device management functionality also allows changes to be made to settings and parameters of the devices 106, provide for new software and/or bug fixes to be loaded on the devices, and provide firmware upgrades and lifecycle management of the devices. The device management functionality may be provided via a web portal or web service interfaces that allow third parties to perform device management operations.

[0062] The device management functionality works in conjunction with one of the repositories 220, thea device repository 224, which contains, for each specific device 106, the configurable settings and the configuration XML which are used to configure the device 106. The device repository 224 manages the specific configurable XML and the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) configuration XML. The device repository 224 is also able to store update packages used to upgrade the device firmware or software.

[0063] Device monitoring functionality provides device diagnostics and fault management functions. The diagnostics and fault management not only refers to the hardware issues, but also encompasses other elements of the device 106, such as the SIM card, device hardware, and application modules which. The device diagnostics component of the device monitoring functionality is able to analyze log files, the presence of the device 106 on the network and the data regarding the status of the device. The fault management component evaluates predetermined rules and performs actions according to the rules. Examples of possible actions are: sending short messaging service messages (SMS) or emails to notify an event or an alarm to the user 112, third party service provider 108 or other interested entities; triggering a workflow; generating a real-time report on the status of the device 106; or other actions that may be defined by the predetermined rules. The fault management component of the device monitoring functionality allows a user 112 or the third party service provider 108 to configure the rules on the fly, and the actions work in conjunction with the alerting system 234. The alerting system 234 is a component of the Platform 102 which notifies alerts to the users 112 or third party service provider 108 through SMS, emails, and/or web-alerts. The users 112 or third parties 108 may display reports and alarms from a web portal. The reports may be chart reports, dashboards, or other reports. Some examples of information displayed by the reports are: number/percentage of device 106 in fault status and number/percentage of device 106 in stand-by status.

[0064] Platform 102 also provides data capture functionality by providing functions to take data received from devices 106 and dispatch the data to third party service provider 108 or processing components of the Platform 102, or to store the data in a data repository 222. The data repository 222 may store detailed data received from the devices 106. Some examples of types of data stored are alarm and data regarding status of the device 106. Service operational data and/or image/video data are dispatched to third parties 108, vertical solutions 202 and are stored in their specific repositories is the set of repositories 220.

[0065] The components of the Platform 102 may trace usages of various types to support the accounting functionality. The accounting functionality may be provided by a flow Business Process manager. The accounting functionality may also be provided by integrating with a third party accounting system. Examples of usages traced are usage of services, number of SMSs sent, number of notified events and amount of data traffic generated. The Platform 102 may be integrated with a metering system to provide support for the accounting functionality. The metering system may be a standalone component from the Platform 102 which may be invoked via Remote Method Invocation (RMI) or Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).

[0066] The machine to machine platform 102 may comprise various logical components which implement the functionalities described in the preceding paragraphs. The vertical solution gateway 216 communicates with the orchestrator and business process manager 238 to allow communication between the rest of the Platform 102 and the vertical solutions 202.

[0067] Third party gateway component 218 provides capabilities to perform inbound and outbound request authorization, authentication criteria management and request dispatching. This component provides web services and APIs that allow vertical solutions 202 and third parties 108 (and their customers) to perform all functionalities of the Platform 102 (for example, subscription/unsubscription of device on the Platform 102, activation/deactivation of services, configuration of device, data retry, check status of device, and metering). Web services and APIs are classified based on application domains. Each service hosted on the Platform 102 may be associated with an application domain. An application domain may be associated with many services. Application domains will be described in further detail below.

[0068] Repositories 220 may include various repositories for storing data or configuration information used for the various components of the Platform 102. The repositories 220 may be implemented as a single database with a plurality of tables or may be implemented as separate databases for specific functions. Examples of repositories 220 include data repository 222, device repository 224 and the events repository 226. Data repository 222 manages the asset of the Platform 102, such as devices 106, their SIM cards and their configuration. Data repository 222 also supports the subscription and provisioning functionalities.

[0069] Components of the common services components 228 provide functionalities which may be shared for hosing various services. Common services components 228 may include a location component 230, an event handler 232, an alerting system 234 and a device management component 236.

[0070] The orchestrator and business process manager (Process Manager) 238 communicates directly or indirectly with all the components of the Platform 102 to orchestrate the functionalities of the Platform 102. Communication manager 240 receives and transforms messages from the devices 106 into messages which may be understood by various components of the Platform. The functionalities of the communications manager 240 also may be implemented in the external gateways 104, to which the devices 106 may be connected.

[0071] The network enabler 256 may communicate with the communication manager 240 to allow the Platform 102 to connect to the telecommunications network or other networks on which the Platform 102 communicates with the devices 106. The network enabler 256 is the component responsible for enabling communications between the Platform 102 and the telecommunications network using various communications standards, such as SMSC, GGSN. LEA and Mail.

[0072] The platform 102 may also be integrated with the metering system 258 for tracking usage data, while the web portals 260 and 262 allow third party users and administrators, respectively to access the functionalities provided by the Platform 102. Each web portal 260 and 262 includes two different areas. An administration area allows for third party administrators to administrate and maintain third party projects, devices 106 and data. A project is a logical group of devices 106. A device management area of the web portals 260 and 262 allows the third party users to upload new firmware or delta firmware, visualiz the actual configuration of the device 106, and set new values for configuration parameters by directly inputting the values or by uploading a new XML configuration file.

[0073] The communication manager 240 is a component responsible for communication between the devices 106 and the Platform 102 and between external gateways 104 and the Platform 102. The communication manager 240 allows the Platform 102 to communicate with the devices 106 using a common language independent from the particular device and specific for the application domain. In an embodiment, such common language may be a version of XML, a Machine to Machine (M2M) XML format. The translation to and from the M2M XML format is performed using Stylesheets. Using a Stylesheet, the communication manager 240 may translate messages received from devices 106 into the M2M XML format, and also translate the M2M XML message originating from the Platform 102 into a message which the recipient device 106 may understand. Support for a new device may be performed by inserting a new Stylesheet into the repositories 220.

[0074] Device management component 236 is one of the common service components 228. The device management component 236 implements the device management functionality discussed above. This component is responsible for device management functionalities, including implementing any desired server specification (e.g., the Open Mobile Alliance Device Management OAM DM) for communicating with the devices 106.

[0075] A device monitoring component 264, one of the vertical solutions 202, implements parts or all of the device monitoring functionality described above. This component provides the business logic and the functionalities to analyze the log errors from the devices 106, the presence of devices and data regarding the status of the devices. The fault management logic may utilize the event handler 232 and sends the alarms to the alerting system 234 and generates reports in real-time regarding the status of the devices 106. The third party service provider user may access a monitoring web console 266 to monitor and control selectable data, view any parameters as a trend graph and to configure, visualize and handle alarms.

[0076] The event handler 232 is one of the common services 228, which manages events/alarms that the devices 106 send to the Platform 102 (external events) or events/alarms generated by the Platform 102 (internal events). The event handler 232 works in conjunction with the rules repository, which may be one of the repositories 220, to send triggers to the vertical solutions 202. The Alerting system 234 notifies the alerts to the user 112 and/or the third parties 108 via SMS, email or web-alerts. The location component 230 provides geographic information system functionalities, such as view map, geocoding, and tracking. This component also provides a map indicating the locations of projects and devices 106 on a monitor area of the monitoring web console 266.

[0077] Metering system 258, web portals 260 and 262, and the web console 266 may be implemented in the Platform 102, stand alone systems integrated with the Platform 102, or stand alone third party solutions.

[0078] FIG. 3 shows the Platform 102 from a functionalities point of view 300. The funcdtionalities shown in FIG. 3 are described in more detail at other points in this document.

[0079] FIG. 4 shows a device messaging and delivery model 400 which the communication manager 240 implements. The communication manager 240 may support a specific communication model for communicating between the Platform 102 and the devices 106 and manages devices 106 of any technology. The communication manager 240 creates a level of abstraction that allows describing the devices 106 from a behavioral and physical point of view in order to obtain a homogenous view of all devices 106, independent of their underlying technologies. The communication manager 240 includes an adapter manager 242, a CIM mapper 244, and an application manager 246. The adapter manager 242 manages adapters 402. An adapter 402 specific for processing the data 404 received from a device converts the data into a Common Information Module (CIM) device message 406. The adapter 402 is also able to convert the CIM device message 406 into the device message 404. The CIM mapper 244 may transform the CIM device message 406 into a CIM service message 408, and vice versa. The application manager 246 takes the CIM service message 408 and prepares CIM service messages 410 which are ready to be delivered to corresponding applications.

[0080] A communication model implementing a protocol between the Platform 102 and the devices 106 may be provided. A specific library may be managed in order to provide support for devices not compliant with the communication model.

[0081] In an embodiment of the communication model, messages communicated to and from the devices 106 and the Platform 102 may be classified based on their purposes. Table 1 shows the message types and the callers and the recipients identified for each message types.

	TABLE 1
	MessageType	Caller	Recipient
	ConfigurationCommand	Platform	Device
	ConfigurationQuery	Platform	Device
	ConfigurationQuery	Device	Platform
	Event	Device	Platform
	ApplicationQuery	Platform	Device
	Acknowledge	Platform	Device
	Acknowledge	Device	Platform

[0082] A message of MessageType ConfigurationCommand may be used to set up or update the value of a configuration parameter of a device 106. Depending on the application domain, messages of this MessageType could effectively become an application command. For example within the home automation context, in order to turn off all lights in an apartment, the Platform 102 could send a ConfigurationCommand for a parameter “Light Status” with the value “OFF_ALL”. Such message gives the command turn off for all apartment lights to the home automation device.

[0083] A message of MessageType ConfigurationQuery may be used by the Platform 102 to request the current device configuration or vice versa.

[0084] A message of MessageType Event may be used when the device 106 triggers a condition and sends relevant information to the Platform 106.

[0085] A message of MessageType ApplicationQuery may be used by the Platform 102 to perform a data request to a device 106. The type or content of data requested depends on the definition of the application domain.

[0086] A message of MessageType Acknowledge may be used to commit a previous communication.

[0087] The application domain represents the classification of messages based on the application context ownership. In other words, the application domain identifies a family of messages. In this way, it is possible to authorize the dispatch of events coming from devices 106 only for those third parties 108 that have subscribed to the application domain to which the event belongs. For example, a monitoring service provider should be subscribed to the monitoring application domain before receiving monitoring events. Other examples of application domains are: vehicle tracking, security, home automation, vending machine management, remote metering (AMR/AMI, remote monitoring & control), remote health diagnostics and configuration. The domain configuration is a common domain used for configuration purposes. However, some configuration actions could be required only for a particular application domain.

[0088] A Protocol Data Unit (PDU) may be part of the communication model which may be used for interfaces exposed by the platform 102 to the device 106 and vice versa. Each request/response message may include the PDU. A PDU may define the following:

[0089] Request: set of parameters provided by the device 106 or the platform 102 which initiates the communication to the recipient. There are several types of requests as explained below in order to manage synchronous and asynchronous communication scenarios.

[0090] Response: set of parameters provided by the recipient of a previous synchronous request.

[0091] Table 2 shows an example of parameters for the “Requests” and the “Responses”:

	TABLE 2
	Request	Response
	requestType	responseStatus
	caller	conversationID
	Timestamp	Payload
	Priority	protocolVersion
	Expires
	Recipient
	conversatioID
	Payload
	protocolVersion

[0092] The following are examples of possible values for the parameter “requestType”:

[0093] GET: used by the platform 102 or device 106 in order to request a resource to the recipient in a synchronous or in an asynchronous mode. If the physical channel does not support bidirectional channel, the communication is forced to be asynchronous. In some cases, if the asynchronous mode is not suitable for a business process, it could be assumed that the response is not required.

[0094] POST: Used by the platform 102 or the device 106 to set or update the status of the recipient.

[0095] Reply: Used in asynchronous scenarios in order to communicate the response to a previous request.

[0096] Notify: Used when the caller wants to notify the availability of resource. Usually “Notify” will follow a GET request in order to obtain the resource.

[0097] The physical channels of the communication model may be SMS or HTTP/HTTPS over GPRS. SMS is always used by the platform 102 when the Platform needs to initiate the communication with the device 106. SMS supports only asynchronous communications. HTTP/HTTPS over GPRS is used by the device 106 to communication triggered events but also is used by the Platform 102 to send responses to the devices upon previous requests.

[0098] Table 3 shows examples of possible combinations between PDU, caller recipient, messageType, and the physical channel.

TABLE 3
			Physical
PDU	Caller	MessageType	Channel	Recipient
Async.	Platform	ConfigurationCommand	SMS	Device
POST
Async. GET	Platform	ConfigurationQuery	SMS	Device
Async. GET	Platform	ApplicationQuery	SMS	Device
Sync.	Platform	Acknowledge	HTTPs	Device
Response
Async.	Platform	ConfigurationCommand	SMS	Device
Notify
Sync. Reply	Device	Acknowledge	HTTPs	Platform
Sync./	Device	ConfigurationQuery	HTTPs	Platform
Async GET
Sync. POST	Device	Event	HTTPs	Platform
Sync. Reply	Device	Event	HTTPs	Platform

[0099] Referring back to FIG. 4, the CIM Service Messages 410 ready for delivery are grouped into application domains, based on the application context ownership. The CIMs corresponding to the application domain the messages belong to processes the corresponding messages.

[0100] FIG. 5 shows a high level architecture 500 of the event handler 232. The event handler 232 manages the events/alarms sent by the devices 106 to the platform 102 or events/alarms created by the platform. The event handler includes an event generator 502, event manager 504, events repository 226, rules repository 506, data repository 222, rules editor 508, and an events manager front-end 510.

[0101] The task of the event generator 502 component is to verify, through predefined rules and questioning selected sources of information available (in databases, responses from web services, and other sources), whether or not to generate an alarm.

[0102] The role of the event manager 504 is to manage the life cycle of events. Event repository 226 stores all the events, even those already closed. The rules repository 506 stores all the default rules. Data repository 222 may be used as the data dictionary that the event handler 232 may reference during the assessment of the rules contained in the rules repository 506. These data can equally be data in a database, responses to web services invocations internal or external to the platform, etc. The rules editor 508 is an interface, made available by the Platform 102 for defining new rules and the managing existing rules. The rules editor 508, normally provided by commercial BRMS, provides interfaces for the definition and population of the rules repository 224. Through interfaces (web services) made available by the Platform 102 in the event handler 232, the event manager front end 510 provides third party service provider users the ability to see in detail the all the events and the possibility to manage the life cycle (create new event, closing event, and other parts of the life cycle) of the events. For example, part of the event manager front end 510 could be a graphical user interface (GUI) available to an operator of a control room to view the details of an event and ask to close an event the system safety has been verified.

[0103] As examples, an event may include the following attributes:

• • [0104] Event id
  • [0105] Event type
  • [0106] Event status
  • [0107] Creation method (internal/external)
  • [0108] Event creation timestamp
  • [0109] Last status change timestamp
  • [0110] Parent event id (optional)
  • [0111] Event owner id (component/operator)
  • [0112] Event parameters

[0113] Among the main objectives of the event manager 232 is to handle the event: to decide what action to take once an event is created and in what order (event-reaction workflow). The event-reaction will be undertaken on the basis of the attributes of the event, with particular reference to the type of event and subject to the particular value assumed by the parameters that accompany it (event parameters). The actions 512 performed in response to the event may include sending emails, sending SMS, invoking web services, and creating a child event.

[0114] FIG. 6A shows an implementation 600a of the device management component 236. The device management component 236 implements the device management functionality. Of the devices 106, mobile phones 106a may be managed differently by the device management component 236 from other devices 106. The mobile management functionality to manage the mobile phones 106a may be provided for my integrating solutions such as Nokia™ Siemens™ device management solution or Afaria™ Sybase™ device management solution. A custom solution may be implemented for the device management functionality for the devices 106 other than mobile phones 106a. However, the custom solution may also provide management functionality for the mobile phones 106a as well.

[0115] The device management component 236 implementing the custom solution supports the Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) process. The solution is also compliant to the OMA specifications. FOTA is a process that allows embedded software to be updated wirelessly, anywhere and at any time. A firmware includes all the software which enables a device operational. Unlike regular software, firmware is not customizable by the end user using the device.

[0116] The device management component 236 further includes an OMA-DM component 602, OMA-FUMO component 604, a delta generator 606 and an update agent 608. The OMD-DM 602, OMA-FUMO (Open Mobile Alliance-Firmware Update Management Object) 604 and the delta generator 606 components reside on the Platform 102. The OMA-DM component 602 is a component that implements the OMA DM 1.2 specification. The OMA DM 1.2 specification is a device management protocol for management of all small devices over the air. The OMA-FUMO component 604 is a component that implements the OMA FUMO 1.0 specification for updating firmware. The delta generator 606 may be software which compares two firmware versions and generates a delta package containing only the differences between the two firmware versions. The update agent 608 is a client side component which resides in firmware of devices 106 and applies the actual update to the firmware. The delta generator 606 and update agent 608 may be proprietary to each device, but are compliant to the OMA specifications. An OMA-DM client 610 may also be provided on the device 106 for communicating with the components of the device manager component 236 residing on the Platform 102. All the components of the device management component 236 may be implemented to support the linux operating system (OS).

[0117] The FOTA update cycle may generally follow a four stage process: 1) generating the firmware update (delta package); 2) transmitting and submitting the update to a firmware management server; 3) downloading the firmware to the device 106; and 4) updating the device by the update agent 608. The firmware management server may be the DMA-FUMO component 604. The device management component 236 may implement stages 2, 3 and 4 to support the linux OS. The device management 236 may also integrate proprietary solutions to implement support for all the stages 1-4.

[0118] FIG. 6B shows an example 600b describing a common procedure for a FOTA update cycle of a device 106. External systems or the Platform 102 send instructions to the device management component 236 to initiate a firmware update process (612). The device management component 236 sends an initiation signal to the device 106 (614), and the device responds with device information for verification (616). Afterwards, the device management component 236 sends the firmware update package and the instructions to update the firm ware to the OMA-DM client 610 (618, 620). Once device 106 is updated with the new firmware, the device sends a final notification to the device management component 236 (622). Alternatively, the device 106 may initiate and send a request for an update package to the device management component 236 (624). In response, the device management component 236 may send the update package to the device management component 236 (626). Afterwards, the device 106 sends a final notification to the device management component 236 (622).

[0119] The device monitoring component 264 may implement the device monitoring functionality described above. The device monitoring component 264 verifies status, performance, fault condition and diagnostics analysis of the devices 106 in order to avoid/reduce business service outages/failures or in order to fulfill service level agreements between the service provider 108 and a user 112. The device monitoring component 264 allows the service provider 108 to be notified of device failures via emails or SMS, or through a web console 266 displaying a list of failed devices. The web console 266 may display the failed devices in a dashboard. The web console 266 may be part of the web portal 260 or 262.

[0120] The device monitoring component 264 may support trouble shooting of failed devices 106. To that end, the device monitoring component 264 may analyze separately each element of a device, such as the SIM card, the device hardware and firmware, and application modules. Other individual elements of a device 106 may be monitored individually as well.

[0121] Information monitored by the device monitoring component 264 may include status, such as OK, KO, ON, OFF, Stand by, Active, Not Active, or Not Defined. Network channel use, network presence, working condition, last configuration update date, and last reset (reboot) date may also be monitored. Network channel usage for all communications interfaces including SMS and GPRS may be monitored. Network presence indicates the presence of a SIM on an MNO network, such as GSM or GPRS. Working condition indicates whether or not the device is equipped with sensors to discover critical environment conditions such as temperature, humidity, or low power supply or other conditions. The monitored information may also include performance information such as average CPU usage and memory usage.

[0122] The device monitoring component 264 may also aggregate and report visualization of the monitored information. A user 108 or a third party service provider 108 may group all its own devices 106 or a subset of them by the status information. The user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may also group all is devices 106 by client, VAS, project, or site.

[0123] The device monitoring component 264 may further provide for KPI management and configuration of SLA such as real time graphical representation of device performance and tracking of fault condition in order to manage service levels. The component 264 further supports polling, trapping and real time request mechanisms. Polling refers to performing a scheduled query by the Platform 102 to the device 106. Trapping refers to triggering events by messages from the devices 106 based on predefined conditions, configurations or rules. The events also may be triggered by the device 106. Real time request refers to a user 112 or a third party service provider 108 making a real time monitoring request for all monitored entities. The real time request may be made through the web portals 260 or 262. The monitored entities may include any devices 106.

[0124] The device monitoring component 264 may also provide message notification of predefined events via SMS or email. The device 264 may further provide a high-level, business view of monitored devices.

[0125] FIGS. 7-20 show workflows of processes and actions implemented by the Orchestrator and Business Process Manager (Process Manger) 238. The Process Manager 238 may communicate directly or indirectly with all other components of the Platform 102 to provide the functionalities of the Platform.

[0126] FIG. 7 shows a logic flow diagram 700 for the insert device process of the device provisioning functionality discussed above. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request for an insert device action to add a device to one of the device 106 communicating with the Platform 102 (702). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: deviceID, Manufacturer, OEM code, MSISDN sim, ICCID sim. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (704). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the using the insertDevice interface. If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the device ID exists in the device repository 224 (706). If all the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (708) and the insert device process ends (714). At step 706, if the deviceID does not exist in the device repository 224, a new record is created in the device repository 224. If the deviceID already exists in the device repository 224, the existing record corresponding to the deviceID in the device repository 224 is updated with the new information provided with the request (712), and the process ends (714).

[0127] FIG. 8 shows a logic flow diagram 800 for the remove device process of the device provisioning functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request for a remove device action to add a device to one of the device 106 communicating with the Platform 102 (802). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: deviceID. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (804). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the removeDevice interface. If the required parameter is provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (806). If the required parameter is not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (808) and the process ends (814). At step 806, if the deviceID exists in the device repository 224, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not there are any activated services for the device corresponding to the deviceID (810). If there are no active devices, the record corresponding to the deviceID is removed from the device repository 224 (812) and the process ends (814). If there are active services for the device corresponding to the deviceID, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (808) and the process ends (814).

[0128] FIG. 9 shows a logic flow diagram 900 for the activation process of a service configuration functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request for a service activation action to configure a device 106 to such that a service is activated for that device (902). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: deviceID, serviceId, configuration parameters. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (904). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the activateService interface: activateService(deviceID, serviceId, conf). If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (906). If the required parameter is not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (908) and the process ends (918). At step 906, if the deviceID exists in the device repository 224, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the serviceId exists in the device repository 224 (910). If the serviceID does not exist, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (908) and the process ends (918). If a service ID exists, then the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not a record pairing the serviceID and the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (912). If there is already such pair in the device repository 224, the Process Manager notifies an error (908) and the process ends (918). If there is no such pair in the device repository 224, a new record is created in the device repository pairing the serviceID and the deviceID (914). Next, the Process Manager 238 sends a Configuration message to the device 106 corresponding to the deviceID (916). The message may be sent using the sendRequest synchronous interface, with the following parameters:

	RequestType: POST
	Caller: DCM
	Payload:
	Domain: Configuration
	Parameters: <array of ConfigParam>
	MessageType: ConfiguraitonCommand.Activation
	Status: ON (for all domain associated o that serviceID).
	Afterwards, the process ends (918).

[0129] FIG. 10 shows a logic flow diagram 1000 for the deactivation process of the service configuration functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request for a service deactivation action to configure a device 106 to such that a service is deactivated for that device (1002). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: deviceID, serviceId. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1004). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the deactivateService interface: deactivateService(deviceID, serviceId). If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (1006). If the required parameter is not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1008) and the process ends (1018). At step 1006, if the deviceID exists in the device repository 224, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the serviceId exists in the device repository 224 (1010). If the serviceID does not exist, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1008) and the process ends (1018). If a service ID exists, then the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not a record pairing the serviceID and the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (1012). If there is no such pair in the device repository 224, the Process Manager notifies an error (1008) and the process ends (1018). If there is already such pair in the device repository 224, the record is removed from the device repository (1014). Next, the Process Manager 238 sends a Configuration message to the device 106 corresponding to the deviceID (1016). The message may be sent using the sendRequest synchronous interface via SMS, with the following parameters:

	RequestType: POST
	Caller: DCM
	Payload:
	Domain: Configuration
	Parameters: null
	MessageType: ConfiguraitonCommand.Deactivation
	Status: OFF (for all domain associated o that serviceID).
	Afterwards, the process ends (1018).

[0130] FIG. 11 shows a logic flow diagram 1100 for the update device configuration process of the service configuration functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request to update configuration of a device 106 (1102). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: deviceID, serviceId, configuration. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1104). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the configureService interface: configureService(deviceID, serviceId, configuration). If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (1106). If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1108) and the process ends (1118). At step 1106, if the deviceID exists in the device repository 224, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the serviceId exists in the device repository 224 (1110). If the deviceID does not exist, the Process manager 238 notifies an error (1108) and the process ends (1118). At (1110), if the serviceID does not exist, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1108) and the process ends (1118). If a service ID exists, then the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not a record pairing the serviceID and the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (1112). If there is no such pair in the device repository 224, the Process Manager notifies an error (1108) and the process ends (1118). If there is already such pair in the device repository 224, the record is updated with the information provided with the request (1114). Next, the Process Manager 238 sends a Configuration message to the device 106 corresponding to the deviceID (1116). The message may be sent using the sendRequest synchronous interface via SMS, with the following parameters:

RequestType: POST
Caller: DCM
Payload:
Domain: Configuration (or Application, if the configuration is a command
within a specific application domain)
Parameters: <array of ConfigParam>
MessageType: ConfiguraitonCommand.Configuration
Status: ON (for all domain associated o that serviceID).
Afterwards, the process ends (1118).

[0131] FIG. 12 shows a logic flow diagram 1200 for the swap service/replace device process of the service configuration functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request to replace a device 106 with a new device 106 (1202). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: oldDeviceID, newDeviceId. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1204). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the replaceDevice interface: replaceDevice(oldDeviceID, newDeviceId). If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the old and new deviceIDs exists in the device repository 224 (1206). If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1208) and the process ends (1218). At step 1206, if the old and new deviceIDs exists in the device repository 224, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the new device has any activated service (1210). If either of the deviceID does not exist in the device repository 224, the Process manager 238 notifies an error (1208) and the process ends (1218). At step 1210, if there are services activated for the new device, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1208) and the process ends (1218). If there are no services activated for the new device, then the Process Manager 238 retrieves the service and configuration parameters associated with the oldDeviceID from the device repository 224 (1212). Next, the record is updated in the device repository 224 to transfer the records from the old device to the new device (1214). Next, the Process Manager 238 sends a Configuration message to the device 106 corresponding to the deviceIDs (1216). The message may be sent using the sendRequest synchronous interface via SMS, with the following parameters:

		RequestType: POST
		Caller: DCM
		Payload:
		Domain: Configuration
		Parameters: <array of ConfigParam>
		MessageType: ConfigurationCommand.Configuration
		Status: ON (for all domain associated o that serviceID).
		Afterwards, the process ends (1218).

[0132] FIG. 13 shows a logic flow diagram 1300 for the configuration request (1) from SP to device process of the service configuration functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request for the current configuration of a given device 106 (1302). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: deviceID. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1304). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the receiveSPRequest asynchronous with the following parameters:

		Payload:
		Domain: <Configuration>
		MessageType: ConfigurationQuery
		Target: deviceID

[0133] If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 is authorized to request configuration (1306). If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1308) and the process ends (1312). At step 1306, if the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 is not authorized, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1308) and the process ends (1312). If the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 is authorized, the Process Manager 238 sends a ConfigurationQuery message to the device 106 corresponding to the deviceID (1310). The message may be sent using the send Request asynchronous interface via SMS, with the following parameters:

		RequestType: GET
		Caller: <serviceProvider ID or Service Provider URL>
		Payload:
		Domain: Configuration
		MessageType: ConfigurationQuery
		ConversationID: <ConversationID>
		Afterwards, the process ends (1312).

[0134] FIG. 14 shows a flowchart 1400 for the configuration request (2) from device to SP process of the service configuration functionality. A device 106 may request for the last configuration stored on the Platform 102 (1402). The device 106 may send the request via the following interface:

		send Request(
		RequestType: GET
		Caller: <deviceID>
		Payload:
		Domain: Configuration
		MessageType: ConfigurationQuery
		...)

[0135] The Platform 102 receives the request, processes the request, and retrieves the requested configuration (1404). If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the deviceID exists in the device repository 224 (1406). If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1408) and the process ends (1412). At step 1406, if the deviceID does not exist in the device repository 224, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1408) and the process ends (1412). If the deviceID exists, the Process Manager 238 sends a Configuration message to the device 106 corresponding to the deviceID (1410). The message may be sent using the sendRequest synchronous interface, with the following parameters:

		ResponseStatus: OK
		RequestType: GET
		Payload:
		Domain: Configuration
		Parameters: <array of ConfigParam>
		MessageType: ConfigurationCommand.Activation
		Status: ON (for all domain associated to that service ID)
		Afterwards, the process ends (1412).

[0136] FIG. 15 shows a flowchart 1500 for the subscription process of the service provider subscription functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request for subscription to an application domain in order to receive and request for the set of events related to that application domain (1502). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: serviceProviderID, applicationDomainID. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1504). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the subscribeDomain Interface. If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the requested subscription already exists (1506). If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1508) and the process ends (1512). At step 1506, if subscription already exists, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1508) and the process ends (1512). If the requested subscription does not already exist, a new record is created in the device repository 224 (1510), and the process ends (1512).

[0137] FIG. 16 shows a flowchart 1600 for the cancel subscription process of the service provider subscription functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request to cancel subscription to an application domain (1602). Along with the request, the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 may provide the following data: serviceProviderID, applicationDomainID. The Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1604). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the unsubscribeDomain Interface. If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the requested subscription already exists (1606). If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1608) and the process ends (1612). At step 1606, if subscription does not exist, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1608) and the process ends (1612). If the requested subscription already exists, the record is removed from the device repository 224 (1610), and the process ends (1612).

[0138] FIG. 17 shows a flowchart 1700 for the event dispatch process of the application communication functionality. A device 106 may trigger a specific event and initiate communication to the Platform 102 (1702). The request may be made using the sendRequest interface with the following parameters:

		RequestType: POST
		Caller: <deviceID>
		Recipient: <recipient url>
		Payload:
		Domain: <application domain>
		MessageType: Event <ID>
		Data: <data>

[0139] A device 106 may also send back a requested data (1704). Since SMS is not a bidirectional channel, the Device 106 may initiate a new communication to the Platform 102, using the sendRequest interface with the following parameters:

		RequestType: REPLY
		Caller: <deviceID>
		Recipient: <recipient url>
		Payload:
		Domain: <application domain>
		MessageType: Event <ID>
		Data: <data>
		ConversationID: <conversation id>

[0140] The Platform 102 receives the messages from the device from steps 1702 or 1704 (1706), and determines whether or not required parameters are provided (1708). If the required parameters are not provided, the Platform 102 sends a NACK to the device 106 using the sendResponse interface with the following parameters (1710):

		ResponseStatus: KO
		Payload:
		MessageType: Acknowledge

[0141] Subsequently the process ends (1722). If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not a recipient is provided with the request (1712). If a recipient is provided, the Platform 102 forwards the request to the recipient using the notifyEvent interface (1714). Next, the Platform 102 sends an ACK signal to the device 106 using the sendResponse interface, along with the following parameters (1716):

		ResponseStatus: OK
		Payload:
		MessageType: Acknowledge

[0142] Next, the process ends (1722). At step 1712, if no recipient is provided, the Platform 102 parses the request and dispatches the event to all subscribed service providers (including user 112 and/or third party service provider 108), using the notifyEvent interface (1718). The dispatch depends on the domain to which the triggered event belongs. Next, <data> is stored in the data repository 222, or other repositories 220 (1720). Afterwards, the Platform 102 sends an ACK signal to the device 106 using the sendResponse interface, along with the following parameters (1716):

		ResponseStatus: OK
		Payload:
		MessageType: Acknowledge
		Next, the process ends (1722).

[0143] FIG. 18 shows a flowchart 1800 for the application request process of the application communication functionality. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request for the value of an entity within the domain to which the user or the third party service provider subscribed (1802). The request may be sent with the data DCM_Message: <msg>. Next, the Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1804). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the receiveSPRequest asynchronous interface with the following parameters:

		Payload:
		Domain: <application domain>
		MessageType:
		ApplicationQuery: <ID>

[0144] If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 is subscribed to the domain to which the requested resource belongs (1806). If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1808) and the process ends (1812). At step 1806, if the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 is not subscribed to the domain to which the requested resource belongs, then the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1808) and the process ends (1812). If the user 112 or the third party service provider 108 is subscribed to the domain, then the Process Manager 238 sends to the devices 106 the ApplicationQuery message using the sendRequest asynchronous interface via SMS (1810). The message is sent with the following parameters:

		RequestType: GET
		Caller: <serviceProviderID or Service Provider url>
		Payload:
		Domain: <application domain>
		MessageType:
		ApplicationQuery: <ID>
		ConversationID: <ConversationID>
		Next, the process ends (1812).

[0145] FIG. 19 shows the flowchart 1900 of the device management process. A user 112 or a third party service provider 108 may request to update the firmware of all devices 106 of a given model (1902). The request may be accompanied by the following data: Device Model, firmware url. Next, the Platform 102 receives the request and forwards the request to the Process Manager 238 (1904). Platform 102 may receive the request through the third party gateway 218, vertical solution gateway 216, web portals 260/262, or the web console 266. The request may be forwarded using the receiveSPRequest asynchronous interface with the following parameters:

		Payload:
		Domain: Configuration
		MessageType: ConfigurationCommand
		Configuration Parameters: download firmware (ON)
		Device Model: <deviceModel>
		Firmware url: <url>

[0146] If all the required parameters are provided, the Process Manager 238 determines whether or not the devices of the provided device model exists (1906). The determination may be done by searching the device repository 224. If the required parameters are not provided, the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1908) and the process ends (1912). At step 1906, if devices of the provided device model do not exist, then the Process Manager 238 notifies an error (1908) and the process ends (1912). If such device exists, then the Process Manager 238 sends to the devices 106 the ConfigurationCommand message using the sendRequest asynchronous interface via SMS (1910). The message is sent with the following parameters:

		RequestType: Notify
		Caller: DCM
		Payload:
		Domain: Configuration
		MessageType: ConfigurationCommand
		ConfParameters:download firmware (ON)
		ConversationID: <ConversationID>
		Firmware url: <url>
		Next, the process ends (1912).

[0147] Upon receiving a download firmware notify message from the Platform 102, a device 106 may connect to a provided url to initiate downloading of firmware (1914). The platform 102 may receive the download request from the device 106 and processes the request (1916). Next the Platform 102 determines whether or not the firmware download package exists and whether or not the device requesting the download is authorized (1918). If no package is available for download or if the device is not authorized, the Platform 102 notifies an error (1920) and the process ends (1924). If a package is available and the device is authorized, then the download begins (1922). If the download is successful, then the process ends (1924). If the download is not successful, then the Platform 102 notifies an error (1920) and the process ends (1924).

[0148] FIG. 20 shows a flowchart 2000 of a device monitoring process. A monitoring service provider—a vertical solution 202 such as the device monitoring component 264 or other vertical solution provided by a third party service provider 108 which provides monitoring service—may execute a scheduled device monitoring request (2002). The request may be accompanied by the following data: <device id> list. The monitoring service provider may also execute a real time device monitoring request (2004). The request may be accompanied by the following data: <device id> list. After the request of either steps 2002 or 2004 are executed, the Application Communication-Application Request process is executed in order to forward the device monitoring requests to the devices 106 (2006).

[0149] A device 106 may trigger a fault condition and initiate communication to a monitoring service provider (2008). Next, Application Communication—Event Dispatch process is executed in order to dispatch to the device 106 status data which were previously requested to a service provider (2010). Next, data is stored into a monitoring repository which may be one of the repositories 220 (2012). Data stored in the monitoring repository may be data received from the devices 106 in response to the device monitoring request or data sent to the device in response to a fault condition. Then, the event handler component 232, based on predefined rules, manages the status information captured from the devices 106 (2014). The event handler 232 communicates with the alerting component 234 in order to present the fault conditions to the monitoring service provider. Three exemplary channels of communicating the fault conditions are: displaying on the web console 266, sending SMS messages to a distribution list, and mailing to a distribution list. In the case of using the web console 266, the web console is refreshed to display the fault condition (2016), and the process ends (2018).

[0150] The various interfaces described above are exposed and used by the Platform 102 to communicate with the devices 106 or vertical solutions 202. The interfaces may be asynchronous or synchronous interfaces such as SMS, HTTP, SOAP, or SOAP with call back.

[0151] The communication manager 240 is described in further detail below.

[0152] Devices 106 interacting with the platform 102 may send their messages/samplings to communication manager 240. The communication manager 240 may expose on /M2MWEB/receiver the com.company.amos.m2m.dcm.web.StandardDeviceServlet servlet. Once a message is received by the servlet, then an appropriate adapter is selected to extract data from the message and produce a device message 406. Adapters may be stored in a M2M_DCM repository, which may be one of repositories 220. The adaptors may be stored in the M2M_DCM repository according to the following hierarchy of categorization:

[0153] Device→Model→Model_adaptors→Adapters (by communication channel).

[0154] Once the device message 406 is produced, then the message is transformed by a transformer 244 into a standard, high-abstraction level service message 408 which may be understood by rest of the components of the Platform 102. The transformer may be stored in the M2M_DCM repository, and may be stored in the M2M_DCM.DeviceToSvcMsgTransformer table. A suitable transformer is selected by matching the nameSpaceURI parameter contained in the message and the M2M_DCM.DeviceToSvcMsgTransformer.expression field. The message 406 is transformed into a service message 408 by invoking the transform( )method of the selected transformer. Once the message is transformed, the transformed service message 408 may be sent to the Process Manager 238 for delivery to appropriate components of the Platform 102. The application manager 246 described with reference to FIG. 4 may be integrated with the Process Manager 238.

[0155] An exemplary process for providing support for a new device model named MyNewModel by manufacturer DUMMY is provided below.

[0156] First, the M2M_DCM repository is configured. The record (DUMMY) is inserted into M2M_DCM.Manufacturer table. Next, the record (N, MyNewModel, DUMMY) is inserted into M2M_DCM.Model table, where N is the key of the M2M_DCM.Model table. N is a progressive number. In this example, the value 4 will be used. Then, the record (4,1) is inserted into the M2M_DCM.Model_adapter table. 1 is the key of one adapter specified in the M2M_DCM.Adapters table.

[0157] A new transformer is also needed. The purpose of a transformer is to transform the message received from a device 106 into a standard message to be sent to the Process Manager 238 or other components of the Platform 102. Every transformer extends directly or indirectly from the com.company.amos.m2m.dcm.msgprocessing.MessageTransformer class.

[0158] In case of an XSL transformer, an example of its implementation is com.company.amos.m2m.dcm.msgprocessing.impl.AbstractXslTransformer. AbstractXslTransformer is an abstract class and it is extended by implementing the getXslt( ) method that returns the path of XSLT transformer file. The transformer produces, in the output, an XML which is validated against the XSD file dcmMessage.xsd shown below in Table 4:

TABLE 4
<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-8”?>
<xs:schema	xmlns:xs=“http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema”
elementFormDefault=“qualified”>
<xs:element name=“DCMDOCUMENT”>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element maxOccurs=“unbounded” ref=“EVENT”/>
</xs:sequence>
<xs:attribute name=“version” use=“optional” type=“xs:string”/>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element name=“EVENT”>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element ref=“TIMESTAMP” minOccurs=“1” maxOccurs=“1”/>
<xs:element ref=“DEVICE” minOccurs=“1” maxOccurs=“1”/>
<xs:element ref=“TRANSACTION_ID” minOccurs=“1”
maxOccurs=“1”/>
<xs:element ref=“TRIGGER” minOccurs=“1” maxOccurs=“1”/>
<xs:element maxOccurs=“unbounded” ref=“RAW_DATA”/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element name=“TIMESTAMP” type=“xs:dateTime”/>
<xs:element name=“DEVICE” type=“ID”/>
<xs:element name=“TRANSACTION_ID” type=“xs:string”/>
<xs:element name=“TRIGGER”>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base=“ID”>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element minOccurs=“0” ref=“DETAIL”/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:extension>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element name=“DETAIL” type=“xs:string”/>
<xs:element name=“RAW_DATA”>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element maxOccurs=“unbounded” ref=“PARAM”/>
</xs:sequence>
<xs:attribute name=“impl” use=“optional” type=“xs:string”/>
<xs:attribute name=“type”use=“required” type=“xs:string”/>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element name=“PARAM”>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:attribute name=“name” use=“required” type=“xs:string”/>
<xs:attribute name=“value” use=“required” type=“xs:string”/>
<xs:attribute name=“javatype” use=“required” type=“xs:string”/>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:complexType name=“ID”>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element ref=“ID” minOccurs=“1” maxOccurs=“1”/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:element name=“ID” type=“xs:string”/>
</xs:schema>

[0159] Next, a new record is inserted into the M2M_DCM.DeviceToSvcMsgTransformer table. For example, if the new name of the transformer class is com.company.amos.m2m.dcm.msgprocessing.impl.MyNewXslTransformer, and the root node of XML to be transformed is intercepted by XPath Query //:dummy-service[@domain=‘sampling’], then the record (//:dummy-service[@domain=‘sampling’], com.company.amos.m2m.dcm.msgprocessing.impl.MyNewXslTransformer) is inserted into the M2m_DCM.DeviceToSvcMsgTransformer table.

[0160] To completely support a new device type in the Platform 102, some configuration has to be executed also on the Process Manager 238 component:

[0161] insert into the M2M_AIB.device_type table the new device type,

[0162] insert into the M2M_AIB.repository table appropriate configuration, and

[0163] insert into the M2M_AIB.repository_group association between repository and groups.

[0164] The M2M_AIB database may be one of the repositories 220 which may store configuration information for the Platform 102.

[0165] The Platform 102 may store data sent from devices in dedicated tables of repositories such as data repository 222. The M2M_AIB database may be one such repository. Tables for storing data has a primary key field named id_base defined as:

	PRIMARY KEY (‘id_base‘), KEY ‘fk_1 _base1‘ (‘id_base‘),
	CONSTRAINT ‘ fk_1 _base1‘ FOREIGN KEY (‘id_base‘)
REFERENCES ‘base‘ (‘id_base‘)

[0166] FIG. 21 shows an example 2100 of a data collection table. An example of a new device type DUMMY data collection table may be defined as:

	CREATE TABLE ‘dummy‘ (
	‘id_base‘ int(11) NOT NULL,
	‘field_1‘ varchar(255) default NULL,
	‘field_2‘ varchar(255) default NULL,
	PRIMARY KEY (‘id_base‘),
	KEY ‘fk_home_metering_base1‘ (‘id_base‘),
	CONSTRAINT ‘fk_home_metering_base1‘ FOREIGN KEY
	(‘id_base‘)
REFERENCES ‘base‘
	(‘id_base‘) ON DELETE NO ACTION ON UPDATE NO ACTION
	ENGINE=lnnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;

[0167] The Platform 102 may use JPA (Java Persistence API) to manage data access. M2M-DAL module manages access to M2M_AIB DB.

[0168] Once the data collection table has been created, a POJO class with JPA annotations is created in the package com.company.amos.m2m.dal.entity.

[0169] The Platform 102 exposes data access as web services. To perform that task, particularly to identify POJO attributes to return, a custom annotation is used: com.company.amos.m2m.dal.entity.Exclude. @Exclude annotation is set on methods of the POJO that doesn't return the value of one of the attributes we have to expose.

[0170] For the table dummy the annotated POJO may be implemented as shown in Table 5:

TABLE 5
@Entity
@Table(name = “dummy”)
public class Dummy implements Java.io.Serializable {
private static final long serialVersionUID = −8228360678364527411L;
private int idBase;
private Base base;
private String field1;
private String field2;
public Dummy( ) {
}
public Dummy(Base base) {
this.base = base;
}
public Dummy(Base base, String field1, String field2) {
this.base = base;
this.field1 = field1;
this.field2 = field2;
}
@GenericGenerator(name = “generator”, strategy = “foreign”,
parameters =
@Parameter(name = “property”, value = “base”))
@Id
@GeneratedValue(generator = “generator”)
@Column(name = “id_base”, unique = true, nullable = false)
@Exclude
public int getIdBase( ) {
return this.idBase;
}
@Exclude
public void setIdBase(int idBase) {
this.idBase = idBase;
}
@OneToOne(fetch = FetchType.LAZY)
@PrimaryKeyJoinColumn
@Exclude
public Base getBase( ) {
return this.base;
}
@Exclude
public void setBase(Base base) {
this.base = base;
}
@Column(name = “field_1”, length = 255)
public String getField1( ) {
return field1;
}
@Exclude
public void setField1(String field1) {
this.field1 = field1;
}
@Column(name = “field_2”, length = 255)
public String getField2( ) {
return field2;
}
@Exclude
public void setField2(String field2) {
this.field2 = field2;
}
}

[0171] The details of the event handler 232 are further described below.

[0172] A third party service provider 108 or a user 112 may access the event handler 232 by calling the webservices interface exposed by the Platform 102 through the third party gateway 218. The event handler manages and processes events by using rules, actions and functions.

[0173] A Rule is a logical expression characterized by (customerId, serviceId, deviceId) and a set of associated Actions. The third party service provider 108 or the user 112 can associate a Rule to one or more device 106. A Rule can have one or more Actions associated with it.

[0174] The logical expression must be provisioned by a third party service provider 108 or a user 112 and can be composed of zero or more Functions.

[0175] A Function is a complex logical expression provided by event handler 232. For each service hosted by the Platform 102 exists a set of Field with which a third party service provider 108 or a user 112 may compose a logical expression. A Field is an entity characterizing the associated Service. If logical expression evaluation is positive than the set of Actions associated to specified Rule is executed.

[0176] An Action is a task provided by the event handler 232 and can be associated to zero or N input Parameter.

[0177] Logical Expression

[0178] Logical expression can be composed of logical operators, Fields, Functions. Fields can be retrievedby findFields service. Functions can be retrieved by findFunctions service.

[0179] In a logical expression a field is expressed by syntax ${fieldName} where fieldName is the name of field. In a logical expression a function can be expressed by syntax #functionName(input1, input2) where functionName is the name of the function and input1, input2 are input parameters of the function.

[0180] Table 6 shows some examples of logical expressions:

TABLE 6
Description	Rule
if checkStatus is TRUE then execute actions	${checkstatus} == true
if a sampling is received then execute actions	${baseid}
if the field temperature of a sampling is greater	${temperature} > 30
than 30 degrees then execute actions

[0181] Action

[0182] An Action is a task provided by the event handler 232 and can be associated with zero or N input Parameters.

[0183] A list of available Actions is provided by the findActionAndParamiters service.

[0184] Rule

[0185] A Rule is a logical expression characterized by (customerId, serviceId, deviceId) and a set of associated Actions. A third party service provider 108 or a user 112 can associate a Rule with one or more Devices. A Rule can have one or more Actions associated.

[0186] To create a new rule, a third party service provider 108 or a user 112 can invoke the addRule service.

[0187] Once a rule is created, the third party service provider 108 or the user 112 may:

• • [0188] a. modify associated logical expression by calling modifyRuleExpression service,
  • [0189] b. deactivate the rule by calling deactiveRule service,
  • [0190] c. add a new Action by calling addActionService, or
  • [0191] d. activate the rule by calling activeRule service.

[0192] Table 7 shows examples of XML messages that are exchanged between the Platform 102 and the devices 106 or external gateways 104.

	TABLE 7
	<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-8” ?>
−	<home-metering	domain=“sampling”
	xmlns=“http://www.domotica.com”>
	−	<event id=“SAMPLING” detail=“”>
	<timestamp>2010-01-13T12:50:00.000</timestamp>
	<senderMacAddress
	protocol=“IEEE”>008098E91FA2</senderMacAddress>
	<consumption unit=“kWh”>0.483</consumption>
	<voltage unit=“V”>111.9</voltage>
	<current unit=“A”>0.055</current>
	</event>
	−	<event id=“SAMPLING” detail=“”>
	<timestamp>2010-01-13T12:51:00.000</timestamp>
	<senderMacAddress
	protocol=“IEEE”>008098E91FA2</senderMacAddress>
	<consumption unit=“kWh”>0.483</consumption>
	<voltage unit=“V”>222.9</voltage>
	<current unit=“A”>0.078</current>
	</event>
	−	<event id=“SAMPLING” detail=“”>
	<timestamp>2010-01-13T12:52:00.000</timestamp>
	<senderMacAddress
	protocol=“IEEE”>008098E91FA2</senderMacAddress>
	<consumption unit=“kWh”>0.583</consumption>
	<voltage unit=“V”>333.9</voltage>
	<current unit=“A”>0.078</current>
	</event>
</home-metering>
	<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-8” ?>
	−	<home-metering	domain=“sampling”
	xmlns=“http://www.domotica.com”>
	−	<event id=“SAMPLING” detail=“”>
	<timestamp>2010-01-11T12:50:00.000</timestamp>
	<senderMacAddress protocol=“IEEE”>333</senderMacAddress>
	<presence>1</presence>
	</event>
	</home-metering>
	<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-8” standalone=“no” ?>
	−	<home-metering	xmlns=“http://www.domotica.com”
	domain=“sampling”>
	−	<event detail=“” id=“SAMPLING”>
	<timestamp>2009-11-18T14:46:37.093</timestamp>
	<senderMacAddress protocol=“IEEE”>333L</senderMacAddress>
	<lightLevel unit=“LUM”>16.0</lightLevel>
	</event>
	−	<event detail=“” id=“SAMPLING”>
	<timestamp>2009-11-18T14:46:39.062</timestamp>
	<senderMacAddress protocol=“IEEE”>333T</senderMacAddress>
	<temperature unit=“C”>31.5</temperature>
	</event>
	−	<event detail=“” id=“SAMPLING”>
	<timestamp>2009-11-18T14:46:39.171</timestamp>
	<senderMacAddress protocol=“IEEE”>333H</senderMacAddress>
	<humidity unit=“%”>39.3</humidity>
	</event>
	</home-metering>

[0193] Device Map

[0194] The Platform 102 may create and maintain a device map for keeping track of all the devices 106 in communication with the Platform for efficient management of the devices. The device map may identify the devices in communication with the Platform 102. For each identified device 106, the device map may indicate the channels the device uses to communicate with the platform 102, and whether the device acts only as a sensor which is only able to transmit information to the Platform, whether the device may only receive commands from the Platform, or wheter the device may receive commands and act as a sensor. The device map may also contain other information which may be used for managing the devices 106. The device map may be stored in one of the repositories 220, such as the device repository 224.

[0195] The Platform may receive the information necessary to populate the device map directly from the devices 106. The Platform 102 also may receive the necessary information from the external gateways 104, which collects the information from the devices 106 connected to itself, and submits the collected information to the Platform. In one embodiment, rather than just relaying the information, the external gateways 104 may create a device map of all the devices 106 connected to itself and forward the map to the Platform 102, which in turn aggregates the maps received from other external gateways to create a complete device map of all the devices 106 connected to the Platform.

[0196] Web Services

[0197] Third party gateway component 218 provides a web services interface that specifies the services exposed to 3rd parties. In one implementation, the link between the Web services and external systems of the third party gateway component 218 is simple object access protocol (SOAP) over HTTPS/1.1 or SOAP over HTTP/1.1. HTTPS or HTTP may be used as the transport protocol for the SOAP messages. Within a single HTTPS/HTTP connection, request and response messages may operate in a synchronous mode such that SOAP requests are made by Web Service client applications which are then processed by Web Service applications and an appropriate SOAP response is returned. The client making the request may wait until a response has been received before sending another request. Multiple parallel HTTPS/HTTP connections may exist for a Web Service enabling multiple requests to be processed concurrently.

[0198] In one implementation, external systems connecting to the third party gateway component 218 Web Services are authenticated using SSL client certificates. Application level username/password combination may be used as another layer of customer authentication and this application level authentication may be used in particular for to authenticate internal systems. The external systems connecting to the third party gateway component 218 may be systems operated by the third party service provider 108 or user 112.

[0199] The third party gateway component 218 Web services include a data access Web Service that provides methods to manage and monitor devices. In particular, the methods of the data access Web Service allow extraction of information about executed on devices, such as the commands remove, replace, put, configure, and events related to devices such as presence and power On/Off events.

[0200] FIG. 22 shows an example of a data access Web service data model 2200 employed by the data access Web service. The data access Web service data model shows the relationship between various platform entities that allow the data access Web service to define and extract information. The data access Web service data model includes a device group entity 2202, a groups entity 2204, a customer service entity 2206, an event entity 2208, a device entity 2210, a customer entity 2212, a service entity 2214, a device type entity 2216, and a base entity 2218.

[0201] The data access Web service exposes methods including: findCommandByDeviceId; findEventByDeviceId; findEventDetail; and findEventDetailsByDeviceId.

[0202] Table 8 shows an example findCommandByDeviceId request message for the findCommandByDeviceId method which retrieves a command list for a specified device and parameters.

TABLE 8
findCommandByDeviceId Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
commandType	String	N	30	used to identify
				the type of
				operation on a
				device, a
				service or in
				general on an
				event
deviceId	String	Y	30	the identifier of
				a specific device
fromDate	dateTime	N		used to extract
				a command list
				from a specific
				date
status	String	Y	30	indicates the
				actual state of
				a device
				(Provisioned,
				active etc.)
toDate	dateTime	N		used to extract
				a command list
				until a specific
				date
transactionId	string	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction
				identifier inside
				system 100

[0203] Table 9 shows an example findCommandByDeviceId response message for the findCommandByDeviceId method.

TABLE 9
findCommandByDeviceId Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate
				either error or
				success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description of the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated
				to the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)
commandId	int	N	11	identifier of the
				specific command
				found by the
				request
commandType	String	N	30	describes the type
				of command
				found by the
				request
lastDate	dateTime	N		Most recent date
				on which the
				command was
				executed
status	String	N	30	The field contains
				the result of the
				specific command

[0204] Table 10 shows an example findEventByDeviceId request message for the findEventByDeviceId method which retrieves an event list for a specified device and parameters.

TABLE 10
findEventByDeviceId Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
deviceId	String	Y	30	the identifier of a
				specific device
eventType	String	N	50	Identifier of an
				event
fromDate	dateTime	N		used to extract a
				command list from
				a specific date
toDate	dateTime	N		used to extract a
				command list until a
				specific date
transactionId	string	Y	255	The field indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system

[0205] Table 11 shows an example findEventByDeviceId response message for the findEventByDeviceId method.

TABLE 11
findEventByDeviceId Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate
				either error or
				success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated
				to the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)
eventId	int	N	11	the identifier of
				the specific event
				found by the
				request
commandType	String	N	30	describes the type
				of command
				found by the
				request
eventType	String	N	30	describes the type
				of event found by
				the request
lastDate	dateTime	N		Most recent date
				on which the
				event was verified

[0206] Table 12 shows an example findeventDetail request message for the findeventDetail method which retrieves an event details list for a specified device and parameters.

TABLE 12
findeventDetail Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
eventId	String	N	30	the identifier of a
				specific event
transactionId	String	Y		indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0207] Table 13 shows an example findeventDetail response message for the findeventDetail method.

TABLE 13
findeventDetail Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)
name	String	N	50	The field is the
				name of a
				parameter
				configuration
value	String	N	50	The field is the
				value of a
				parameter
				configuration

[0208] Table 14 shows an example findEventDetailByDeviceId request message for the findEventDetailByDeviceId method which retrieves an event details list for a specified device ID.

TABLE 14
findEventDetailByDeviceId Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
deviceId	String	Y	30	the identifier of a
				specific device
eventType	String	N	50	Identifier of an
				event
fromDate	dateTime	N		used to extract a
				command list from
				a specific date
toDate	dateTime	N		The field is used to
				extract a command
				list until a specific
				date
transactionId	string	Y	255	The field indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system

[0209] Table 15 shows an example findEventDetailByDeviceId response message for the findEventDetailByDeviceId method.

TABLE 15
findEventDetailByDeviceId Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)
name	String	N	50	the name of a
				parameter
				configuration
value	String	N	50	the value of a
				parameter
				configuration

[0210] Third party gateway component 218 provides a device manager Web service. FIG. 23 shows an example of the device manager Web service data model 2300 which defines relationships between various platform entities that allow the device manager Web service to define and extract information. The device manager Web service data model includes a device group entity 2302, a groups entity 2304, a customer service entity 2306, a device entity 2308, a customer entity 2310, and a service entity 2312.

[0211] The device manager Web service provides methods to manage devices and provision new devices (e.g., configuration of the device, and enabling and disabling features), configure devices (e.g., changes to settings and parameters of the device), and remote management of devices (e.g., remove/replace a device), and activating a service. The exposed methods from the device manager Web service include: activate; checkStatus; configure; configureByDetails; deactivate; insertDevice; removeDevice; and replaceDevice.

[0212] Table 16 shows an example activate request message for the activate method which activates a service for a specified device.

TABLE 16
Activate Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
configurationId	int	N	11	identifier of an
				existing
				configuration
customerId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific customer
deviceId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific device
serviceId	int	Y	11	identifier of
				specific service
transactionId	string	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0213] Table 17 shows an example activate response message for the activate method.

TABLE 17
Activate Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0214] Table 18 shows an example checkStatus request message for the checkStatus method which sends a checkStatus request to a specified device.

TABLE 18
checkStatus Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
configurationID	int	N	11	identifier of an
				existing
				configuration
customerID	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific customer
deviceID	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific device
serviceID	int	Y	11	identifier of
				specific service
transactionID	string	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction
				identifier inside
				the system 100

[0215] Table 19 shows an example checkStatus response message for the checkStatus method.

TABLE 19
checkStatus Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0216] Table 20 shows an example configure request message for the configure method which configures a device by selecting a configuration.

TABLE 20
configure Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
configurationId	int	N	11	identifier of an
				existing
				configuration
customerId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific customer
deviceId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific device
serviceId	int	Y	11	identifier of
				specific service
transactionId	string	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system

[0217] Table 21 shows an example configure response message for the checkStatus method.

TABLE 21
configure Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0218] Table 22 shows an example configureByDetails request message for the configureByDetails method which configures a device by providing configuration parameters.

TABLE 22
configureByDetails Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
name	String	Y	50	the name of a
				parameter
				configuration
value	String	Y	50	the value of a
				parameter
				configuration
customerId	String	Y	30	the identifier of a
				specific customer
deviceId	String	Y	30	the identifier of a
				specific device
serviceId	int	Y	11	the identifier of a
				specific service
transactionId	String	M	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0219] Table 23 shows an example configureByDetails response message for the configureByDetails method.

TABLE 23
configureByDetails Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0220] Table 24 shows an example deactivate request message for the deactivate method which deactivate a service for a specified device.

TABLE 24
deactivate Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
configurationId	int	N	11	identifier of an
				existing
				configuration
customerId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific customer
deviceId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific device
serviceId	int	Y	11	identifier of
				specific service
transactionId	string	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside a system 100

[0221] Table 25 shows an example deactivate response message for the deactivate method.

TABLE 25
deactivate Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0222] Table 26 shows an example insertDevice request message for the insertDevice method which executes the provisioning of a new device.

TABLE 26
insertDevice Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
customerId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific customer
deviceId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific device
deviceType	String	Y	255	specifies the
				device type
groupId	int	Y	11	identifier of the
				group owning the
				customer
iccid	String	N	20	the sim iccd
ipAddress	String	N	255	the ip address of
				the device
msisdn	String	N	15	the phone number
				associated to the
				sim
transactionId	String	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0223] Table 27 shows an example insertDevice response message for the insertDevice method.

TABLE 27
insertDevice Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0224] Table 28 shows an example removeDevice request message for the removeDevice method which removes an existing device.

TABLE 28
removeDevice Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
customerId	String	Y	30	The field identifier
				of specific customer
deviceId	String	Y	30	The field identifier
				of specific device
transactionId	String	M	255	The field indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system

[0225] Table 29 shows an example removeDevice response message for the removeDevice method.

TABLE 29
removeDevice Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0226] Table 30 shows an example replaceDevice request message for the replaceDevice method which places a device with the new device. In one implementation, and the new device must be in the provision status.

TABLE 30
replaceDevice Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
customerId	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific customer
oldDevice	String	Y	30	identifier of an
				existing device
newDevice	String	Y	30	identifier of
				specific new device
transactionId	String	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0227] Table 31 shows an example replaceDevice request message for the replaceDevice method.

TABLE 31
replaceDevice Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0228] Third party gateway component 218 provides an event handler Web service provides methods to manage the events and alarms that devices send to the platform (e.g., external events) any events generated by the platform (e.g., internal events). In particular, the methods of the event handler Web service: Retrieve alarms and notification of alarms; and Manage rule definitions and execution.

[0229] FIG. 24 shows an example of the event handler Web service data model 2400 which defines relationships between various platform entities that allow the event handler Web service to define and extract information. The event handler Web service data model 2400 includes a field entity 2402, an alarm entity 2404, a device rule entity 2406, a rule action entity 2408, a service among and entity 2410, a status entity 2412, a rule entity 2414, a device entity 2416, an action entity 2418, a function entity 2420, a service entity 2422, and a customer entity 2424.

[0230] In one implementation, the exposed methods from the event handler Web service include: activeRule; addAction; addRule; deactiveRule; fineActionsAndParameters; findAlarms; findFields; findFunction; findRules; modifyRuleExpression; modifyRule; removeAction; and removeRule.

[0231] Table 32 shows an example activeRule request message for the activeRule method which activates a rule for specified devices.

TABLE 32
activeRule Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
devices	String	Y	255	identifies a device
ruleName	String	Y	255	the name of a rule
				associated with a
				specific device
transactionId	String	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0232] Table 33 shows an example activeRule response message for the activeRule method.

TABLE 33
activeRule Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0233] Table 34 shows an example addAction request message for the addAction method which adds an action to a specified rule.

TABLE 34
addAction Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
actionName	String	Y	255	The field is the
				name of an action
key	String	N	255	The field is a
				parameter key
value	String	N	255	The field is a
				parameter value
ruleName	String	Y	255	The field is an
				existing rule name
transactionId	String	Y	255	The field indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system

[0234] Table 35 shows an example addAction response message for the addAction method.

TABLE 35
addAction Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0235] Table 36 shows an example addRule request message for the addRule method which adds a new rule and associated actions to a specified device.

TABLE 36
addRule Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
actionName	String	Y	255	the name of an
				action
customerId	String	Y	30	identifier of a
				specific client
description	String	N
devices	String	Y	255	a device
expression	String	Y		a logical expression
				associated to the
				rule.
name	String	Y	255	the name of the rule
key	String	N	255	a parameter key
value	String	N	255	a parameter value
serviceName	String	Y	255	the name of a
				service
transactionId	String	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0236] Table 37 shows an example addRule response message for the addRule method.

TABLE 37
addRule Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0237] Table 38 shows an example deactiveRule request message for the deactiveRule method which deactivates a specified rule for all associated devices.

TABLE 38
deactiveRule Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
devices	String	Y	255	The field is a device
ruleName	String	Y	255	The field is the
				name of a rule
				associated with one
				or more device
transactionId	String	Y	255	The field indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system

[0238] Table 39 shows an example deactiveRule response message for the deactiveRule method.

TABLE 39
deactiveRule Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)

[0239] Table 40 shows an example findActionsAndParameters request message for the findActionsAndParameters method which retrieves all actions and associated parameters available.

TABLE 40
findActionsAndParameters Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
transactionId	String	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0240] Table 41 shows an example findActionsAndParameters response message for the findActionsAndParameters method.

TABLE 41
findActionsAndParameters Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate either
				error or success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated to
				the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)
name	String	N	255	the name of an
				action
param	String	N	255	a parameter type

[0241] Table 42 shows an example findAlarms request message for the findAlarms method which retrieves all alarms by specified parameters.

TABLE 42
findAlarms Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
baseId	int	N	11	the identifier of an
				entity
deviceId	String	N	255	the device identifier
from	dateTime	N		the date from to
				start the search
ruleName	String	N	255	the name of a rule
serviceName	String	N	255	the name of a
				service
statusType	String	N	45	the Status of an
				Alarm
to	dateTime	N		the date to end the
				search
transactionId	String	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside the system
				100

[0242] Table 43 shows an example findAlarms response message for the findAlarms method.

TABLE 43
findAlarms Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate
				either error or
				success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated
				to the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)
baseId	int	N	11	the identifier of
				an entity
creationDate	dateTime	N		the alarm date
				creation
lastModifyDate	dateTime	N		the last modify
				date for the alarm
ruleName	String	N	255	the rule name
statusType	String	N	45	the Status of an
				Alarm

[0243] Table 44 shows an example findFields request message for the findFields method which retrieves the list of fields a user can build a rule for a specified service.

TABLE 44
findFields Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
serviceName	String	Y	255	the name of a
				service
transactionId	String	Y	255	indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system

[0244] Table 45 shows an example findFields response message for the findFields method.

TABLE 45
findFields Response Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
errorCode	int	Y	11	contains the code
				returned by the
				request. this code
				may indicate
				either error or
				success.
errorDesc	String	Y	255	Contains the
				description if the
				error code.
statusCode	int	Y	11	Describes the
				status associated
				to the error code
				(0 = success;
				1 = error)
fields	String	N	255	The field is a string
				with it is possible
				create a rule

[0245] Table 46 shows an example findFunctions request message for the findFunctions method which retrieves the list of functions a user can compose a rule with for a specified service.

TABLE 46
findFunctions Request Message
DATA
ELEMENT	TYPE	MANDATORY	SIZE	DESCRIPTION
serviceName	String	Y	255	The field is the
				name of a service
transactionId	String	Y	255	The field indicates a
				transaction identifier
				inside M2M system