Abstract:
Individual probe management is accomplished in a measurement system by communicating configuration data to each probe based on that probe&#39;s received metadata. In one embodiment, the configuration data is sent from a server and the server does not keep track of the probe&#39;s configuration. The configuration data can be, for example, parameters used to directly configure the probe or software modules for running on the probe.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to concurrently filed and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. [Attorney Docket No. 10050640-1] entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPPORTUNISTIC TRANSMISSION OF TEST PROBE METADATA”, and concurrently filed and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. [Attorney Docket No. 10050206-1] entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVE DISTRIBUTION OF MEASUREMENT DEVICE CONFIGURATION IN A LOOSELY COUPLED AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM”, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     This invention relates to test probe management and more particularly to a system and method for managing and differentiating test probe information in a high capacity measurement system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is customary for measurement systems to use a number of individual measurement devices (probes) to obtain data at particular locations within a system being monitored. It is also customary for the measurement system to keep track of each probe by knowing, for example, its identity, its type, what units it measures in, etc. The information pertaining to each probe (called metadata) is stored in a measurement system database for interpretation of data from the various probes and for probe configuration purposes.  
         [0004]     In a system with a large number of such probes the management and distribution of configuration information for each probe can become a burden for servers and databases which must manage the individual configuration state for each probe. Thus, when a probe changes its behavior, for example, by going offline, reducing its data transfer rate, etc., the system must deal with the new condition and often must deliver this new information to other probes in the system under test or to other measurement systems.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Individual probe management is accomplished in a measurement system by “pushing” configuration data to each probe based on that probe&#39;s received metadata. In one embodiment, the configuration data is sent from a server and the server does not keep track of the probe&#39;s configuration. The configuration data can be, for example, parameters used to directly configure the probe or parameters for configuring the probe&#39;s software.  
         [0006]     In situations where the data received from the probe contains a probe identifier, the measurement system can track data on a probe-by-probe basis. In such situations, the measurement system can perform probe specific or probe aggregated analysis even though each probe is anonymous from a system configuration perspective. In other situations, the data received can be anonymous.  
         [0007]     In one embodiment, probes can configure other probes by point-to point, or point-to-multipoint, communication. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a multi-probe measurement system;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of a probe having various controls for sending metadata;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of a probe configuration arrangement for a measurement system; and  
         [0011]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show embodiments of arrangements for metadata collection from a plurality of sensors.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment  10  of a test measurement system having a plurality of spaced apart probes. The concepts taught herein can be used in such a system or can be used with any system in which a data collection point has metadata (or parameter data) for each probe. In the discussion to follow, a test system will be described where the metadata is communicated from the various probes, such as from probes  20 - 1  to  20 -N, to the data collection point. In this example, sensor  20 - 1  is a sensor that is producing, for example, temperature readings and is designed to report its metadata (if metadata is required) on demand of a test system. The sensor could, if desired, be designed to occasionally transmit part, or all, of its metadata by omitting a regular scheduled temperature reading or it could randomly insert the metadata transmission (e.g., once an hour, once a day, etc.), or it could wait for its battery level to be high, or it could use other opportunistic criteria useful to its situation.  
         [0013]     In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the data from probe  20 - 1  is transmitted to data collection  11  via network  12  either wirelessly or by wireline or by a combination thereof. Also note that a network need not be used, but rather some or all of the communications from probes  20 - 1  to  20 - 14  can be point-to-point using one or more wireless protocols, such as, for example, the Bluetooth protocol.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows one embodiment  20  of a probe having various controls for sending metadata. In the embodiment, metadata contained in storage  21  and data from the probe (for example data obtained via input  25 ), is stored in storage  23 . Note that storages  21  and  23  can be the same storage if desired. Also note that the measured data sent from probe  20  need not be stored and can be sent directly from input  25  as collected. Input  25  can measure data, or sense data, or sense conditions and report the results of the “sensing”. In addition, data can be provided to input  25  from other sensors. In the discussion herein, measured data sent from probe  20  includes any mode or manner of collecting and sending such data. In the embodiment, data is sent under control of processor  22  and communicator  24 .  
         [0015]     Control units  201 - 206  allow various opportunistic metadata transfers, as discussed in the above-identified patent Application entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TEST PROBE MANAGEMENT”, with each such metadata transfer usually being less than all of the metadata necessary for a data collected in a device, such as device  11   FIG. 1 , to fully utilize the data sent from the probe. Also note that not all probes require all controls  201 - 206  and probes may have other controls or timers or sensors for controlling other opportunistic events. In many situations, such opportunistic data transfers are not required and metadata can be sent all at one time if such metadata is required.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows one embodiment  30  of a probe configuration arrangement for a measurement system. Process  301  receives data from a probe and process  302  determines if this is a probe that must be reconfigured (such as a new probe, or a probe whose configuration must be changed for some reason). If the probe does not have to be configured, then process  303  stores the data from the probe in the customary manner.  
         [0017]     If the probe must be configured or reconfigured, process  304  determines if enough configuration information (such as, for example, metadata) is available. If not, the metadata data must be gathered, for example, as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0018]     If metadata (or other information that allows for a proper determination of probe configuration) is available, processes  305 ,  306  and  307  obtains the metadata and forms the configuration data that is be sent to the probe. Process  308  sends the configuration data to the proper probe. This communication can be over one or more links, such as, for example, network  12 ,  FIG. 1 . The communication can be point to point, using any desired communication medium, including wireline or wireless and using any one or more communication protocols. Note that communication to and from any probe need not be the same as communication to any other probe.  
         [0019]     In the system discussed herein, the assumption can be made, if desired, that the probes require zero state tracking from the configuration point. In addition, it is assumed that probes may come and go from time to time and may or may not participate in a measurement (or set of measurements) at any particular time. Based on these assumptions, each probe must manage its own state by obtaining its state data (configuration data) from the server or data collection point.  
         [0020]     The server, as discussed above only delivers configuration information upon request and makes no attempt to track the configuration of any particular probe. The probes then must ‘pull’ configuration information rather than having it pushed out by the server.  
         [0021]     The configuration information supplied by the server to the probes in one embodiment is determined by the metadata supplied by the probe. Examples of the metadata may be probe type, probe owner, probe capabilities, probe power level, current location, timestamp, etc.  
         [0022]     The configuration can manifest itself in the form of parameters used to configure the probe software. Alternatively, the configuration can manifest itself in the form of executable code modules and associated configuration parameters to allow new capabilities in the probe at configuration time.  
         [0023]     Even though the probes are managed anonymously the system is still able to track data on a probe-by-probe basis if data produced by each probe contain an identifier that can be used to uniquely identify data produced by an individual probe.  
         [0024]     Consider one example having 24 phones with an embedded measurement agent (probe) in each phone. The phones contact a server and provide their current location as a piece of metadata. The server then looks for measurement configurations that cover the region around that location and communicates that data to the phone. The phone then begins making measurements based on this configuration and sends the measured data to the server with each data point tagged with its unique identifier. The server does not need to know anything about the probe other than its location and the fact that it is requesting configuration in order to generate reports based on data reported by that phone. Thus, the management of each probe is anonymous while the data reported from each probe is not.  
         [0025]     In another embodiment, in cases where the probes can communicate with each other via peer to peer protocols such as Wifi or Bluetooth, the probes can retrieve configuration information from nearby probes.  
         [0026]     Note that it is possible for the data from the devices to be anonymous as well. Consider a temperature sensor that reports only temperature, a timestamp, and a location. A server can utilize this data in analysis without knowing anything about the probe that generated the data.  
         [0027]     Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.