Patent Description:
With the development of internet of things (IoT) technology, Machine to Machine (M2M) has been widely used. M2M can reduce human participation and improve automation degree of system.

Currently, there are two main communication modes for M2M: indirect interconnection through the internet of things platform, or direct interconnection. One machine that initiates a request is referred as an application device, and one machine that provides service is referred as a service device.

<CIT>provides methods of joint registration and de-registration for proximity services and internet of things services. With respect to IoT services, an IoT device needs to make IoT service registration with an IoT server. In the context of proximity services, a proximity manager is used to provide proximity services. In order to leverage such proximity services, the IoT device also needs to perform proximity service registration with the proximity manager. There is no any interaction between the proximity manager and IoT servers. Such independent proximity registration and IoT registration loses many opportunities to enhance the system performance. The proposed joint schemes help to reduce signaling overhead and make the registration/de-registration more efficient. Among the schemes, one scheme is the proximity manager assisted IoT and proximity service registration. In this approach, it is assumed that devices may only know the address of the proximity manager, with the help of the proximity manager. The device can register with the IoT server.

<CIT> provides a network-assisted to direct device discovery switch in which location information is received at an evolved packet core (EPC) from at least a first and a second user equipment (UE). A network-assisted device-to-device (D2D) request is received from the first UE for establishing a D2D wireless connection with the second UE. Proximity of the first UE and the second UE are monitored. Before detecting the second UE being in proximity to the first UE, direct discovery is determined to be more resource efficient than continuing to provide network-assisted D2D discovery.

In actual situations of IoT applications, one application device may be authorized by the IoT platform to use one service device to which the one application device cannot access, and this may bring some inconvenience to the system. Further, some application devices may access to service devices illegally, resulting in resource loss.

In order to make technical problems to be solved, technical solutions and the advantages of the present disclosure more apparent, the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in a clear and complete manner in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments. In the following description, specific configurations and specific details of components are provided only to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, descriptions of known functions and configurations are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

It should be understood that "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that specific features, structures or characteristics related to one embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, "in an embodiment" or "in one embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

In various embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that sequence numbers of the following procedures do not mean execution orders, and execution orders of various procedures should be determined by their functions and inherent logic, and therefore the sequence numbers of the following procedures should not constitute any limitation on implementation process of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

The embodiments of the present disclosure provide solutions to the problem that the internet of things platform may provide a user with a use authorization of a service device which cannot be accessed.

According to one aspect, one embodiment of the present disclosure provides an access method, which is applied to an internet of things (IoT) platform. As shown in <FIG>, the access method includes the following steps <NUM>-<NUM>.

Step <NUM>: receiving an operation request message transmitted by an application device for accessing a service device; where the operation request message carries position information of the application device.

The above-mentioned application device may be a smart terminal of a user or an administrator, such as a mobile phone, a PAD, a notebook computer. The position information may be provided by positioning function of the smart terminal. The above service device may be a vending machine, a self-service camera, a shared application device. The present disclosure does not limit specific operations of the application device to the service device according to the operation request message, for example, a user equipment may request for accessing the service device to use resources of the service device, or an administrator device may request for accessing the service device to update and configure the service device.

Step <NUM>: according to the position information of the application device, determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device.

The service device can be provided by the IoT platform to users only after the service device has completed relevant registration on the IoT platform. Thus, the status of the service device can be known in advance, and then it can be determined whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device.

Step <NUM>: when it is determined that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, transmitting an operation response message carrying instruction information to the application device; where the instruction information is used to instruct the application device to access the service device.

Transmission mechanism of the operation response message is not limited in the present disclosure.

For example, the IoT platform transmits the operation response message to the application device only when the IoT platform accepts the operation request message transmitted by the application device, and then the application device can directly access the service device according to the instruction information in the operation response message. Or, the IoT platform feeds back an operation response message to the application device no matter whether the IoT platform accepts the operation request message transmitted by the application device. When the IoT platform accepts the operation request message transmitted by the application device, the instruction information is carried in the operation response message to instruct the application device to access the service device. When the IoT platform does not accept the operation request message transmitted by the application device, the instruction information is not encapsulated into the operation response message to indicate rejection to the application device (the operation response message indicating rejection may further carry a rejection reason). For another example, the IoT platform enables the service device to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device, then the operation response message is initiated by the service device and then the IoT platform is only responsible for forwarding the operation response message to the application device.

In the solution of this embodiment, the IoT platform can obtain the position information of the application device, and then determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information. Only when it is determined that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the IoT platform transmits to the application device the instruction information for instructing access to the service device. In practical applications, the solution of this embodiment can avoid the situation that the IoT platform allocates unusable resources to the user, thereby improving the user experience for the IoT platform. In addition, since the solution of this embodiment can provide resources of the service device to application devices at reasonable positions, to a certain extent, it can prevent one application device from illegally accessing the service device to obtain resources of the service device.

The access method of this embodiment is described hereinafter in details.

In one embodiment, after obtaining the position information of the application device, the IoT platform can determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device in two manners.

One manner to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device includes: comparing, by the IoT platform, a position of the application device with a position of the service device to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device.

Specifically, before performing the above step <NUM>, the access method of one embodiment further includes the following steps: receiving, by the IoT platform, position information of the service device transmitted by the service device.

The IoT platform may actively instruct the service device to report the position information of the service device, or, the service device may actively report its position information to the IoT platform according to a pre-agreement.

Correspondingly, when performing the step <NUM>, the IoT platform specifically determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device.

As an exemplary illustration, in the access method of one embodiment, according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device, a distance between the application device and the service device and/or an angle defined between a connection line of the application device and the service device and the horizontal plane, may be first determined. Then, whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device is determined according to the above distance and/or angle.

In practical applications, in one embodiment, a distance threshold and an angle threshold may be determined according to an access mode of the user equipment and the service device (for example, when one user equipment is connected with the service device by Bluetooth, a distance threshold and an angle threshold may be determined according to interaction ability of Bluetooth).

When the distance between the application device and the service device does not exceed the distance threshold and/or the angle between the application device and the service device does not exceed the angle threshold, it can be determined that the application device at its position is capable of establishing connection with the service device.

Another manner to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device includes: triggering, by the IoT platform, the service device to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device.

That is, the IoT platform may directly forward the operation request message to the service device, and then the service device determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device in the operation request message. Then, the IoT platform receives an operation response message transmitted by the service device. When the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the operation response message carries the instruction information for instructing the application device to access the service device. Thus, the IoT platform determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to whether the operation response message carries the instruction information for instructing the application device to access the service device. When the operation response message carries the instruction information for instructing the application device to access the service device, the IoT platform can determine that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device.

Correspondingly, when performing the above step <NUM>, the IoT platform forwards the operation response message received from the service device to the application device.

After the application device receives the operation response message, the application device can determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device in two manners.

A first manner is that the application device determines whether it is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device itself and the position information of the service device.

A second manner is that the service device attempts to establish connection with the application device; when the connection is established successfully, the service device determines that the service device is capable of establishing connection with the application device.

Apparently, in the second manner, if the service device can actively connect to the application device, it indicates that the application device can also actively connect to the service device. Thus, based on this judgment mechanism, the success rate of configuring by the IoT platform available service devices for user equipment can be greatly improved.

In addition, in one embodiment, after receiving the operation request message, the IoT platform may first determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device. After the IoT platform determines that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the IoT platform may forward the operation request message to the service device, and then the service device further determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device. When the service device further determines that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the service device feeds back an operation response message to the IoT platform.

Correspondingly, one embodiments of the present disclosure further provides an access method applied to an application device. As shown in <FIG>, the access method includes the following steps <NUM>-<NUM>.

Step <NUM>: when access to the service device is required, transmitting an operation request message to an internet of things (IoT) platform; where the operation request message carries position information of the application device.

Step <NUM>: receiving an operation response message transmitted by the IoT platform.

Step <NUM>: when the operation response message carries instruction information required by the application device to access the service device, accessing the service device according to the instruction information.

The application device may directly access the service device, or, indirectly access the service device through the IoT platform.

In the access method of one embodiment, when the user requests for resources of the service device from the IoT platform, the application device actively reports its position information, so that the IoT platform can use the position information to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device. Only when it is determined that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the IoT platform transmits to the application device the instruction information for instructing access to the service device. In practical applications, the solution of this embodiment can avoid the situation that the IoT platform allocates unusable resources to the user, thereby improving the user experience for the IoT platform.

The access method applied to the application device of one embodiment is described hereinafter in details.

Specifically, the IoT platform may transmit the received position information of the application device to the service device, and then the service device attempts to establish connection with the application device in advance according to the position information of the application device. The IoT platform determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to a result of the service device attempting to establish connection with the application device.

Therefore, in one embodiment, when the application device receives a request from the service device to establish connection, if the connection is successfully established, the application device feeds back successful connection to the service device, so that the service device notifies the IoT platform of the result of the service device attempting to establish connection with the application device. Thus, the access method of one embodiment further includes the following steps <NUM>-<NUM>.

Step <NUM>: receiving, by the application device, a connection request message which is transmitted by the service device according to a connection command message from the IoT platform.

Step <NUM>: transmitting, by the application device, a connection response message to the service device; where the connection response message is used to indicate whether the service device successfully establishes connection with the application device according to the connection request message.

In actual applications, the application device may not accept the connection request from the service device due to some reasons. The application device may inform the service device of connection failure through the connection response message carrying reasons of the connection failure. Then the service device forwards reason of the connection failure to the IoT platform. Subsequently, the IoT platform may further display the reason of the connection failure to the user of the application device, and then the user may further perform related processing operation.

Apparently, based on the above method, the user of the application device can clearly know which service devices are available and which service devices are not available through the IoT platform. The solution of this embodiment can significantly improve user experience.

In addition, one embodiments of the present disclosure further provides an access method applied to a service device. As shown in <FIG>, the access method includes: step <NUM>: when an application device accesses the service device, providing local service resources to the application device.

Only when the IoT platform determines that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device, the IoT platform transmits to the application device the instruction information for instructing access to the service device. The application device can access the service device only based on the instruction information.

The solution of this embodiment can prevent the IoT platform from allocate unusable service device resources to the user.

Apparently, the access method applied to the service device of this embodiment corresponds to the above access method applied to the IoT platform and the access method applied to the application device, and thus all three access methods can achieve the same technical effect.

Specifically, the IoT platform may compare a position of the application device with a position of the service device to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device.

Therefore, the access method of one embodiment further includes:
Step <NUM>: transmitting, by the service device, position information of the service device to the IoT platform, thereby enabling the IoT platform to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to position information of the application device and the position information of the service device.

In practical applications, the above position information of the service device may be reported to the IoT platform by the service device in response to a command of the IoT platform; or, it may be actively reported by the service device to the IoT platform according to a certain pre-agreement; or, it may be reported by the service device when the service device registers into the IoT platform.

In addition, the IoT platform may forward the received operation request message to the service device, and then the service device determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device and feeds back an operation response message.

As one of feasible implementation solutions, the access method in one embodiment further includes the following steps <NUM>-<NUM>.

Step <NUM>: receiving an operation request message forwarded by the IoT platform, where the operation request message carries the position information of the application device.

Step <NUM>: transmitting a connection request message to the application device according to the position information of the application device.

Step <NUM>: receiving a connection response message transmitted by the application device; where the connection response message is used to indicate whether the service device successfully establishes connection with the application device according to the position information of the application device.

Step <NUM>: when the connection response message indicates that the service device successfully establishes connection with the application device according to the position information of the application device, transmitting an operation response message carrying instruction information to the IoT platform; where the instruction information is used to instruct the application device to access the service device.

Based on the above implementation solution, the service device attempts to establish connection with the application device in advance according to the position information of the application device, and then the IoT platform determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to a result of the service device attempting to establish connection with the application device. Apparently, if the service device can actively connect to the application device, it indicates that the application device can also actively connect to the service device. Thus, based on this judgment mechanism, the success rate of configuring by the IoT platform available service device resources for user equipment can be greatly improved.

As another one of feasible implementation solutions, the access method in one embodiment further includes the following steps <NUM>-<NUM>.

Step <NUM>: determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device.

Step <NUM>: when the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, transmitting an operation response message to the IoT platform; where the operation response message carries instruction information which is used to instruct the application device to access the service device.

When performing the step <NUM>, according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device, a distance between the application device and the service device and/or an angle defined between a connection line of the application device and the service device and the horizontal plane, may be determined. When the distance is less than or equal to a distance threshold, and/or, the angle is less than or equal to an angle threshold, it is determined that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device; otherwise, it is determined that the application device is not capable of establishing connection with the service device.

Practical applications of the access method of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in details in conjunction with the IoT platform, the application device and the service device.

As shown in <FIG>, the access method of this first practical application includes:.

As shown in <FIG>, the access method of this second practical application includes:.

On the basis of the above, this second practical application may also be appropriately changed.

For example, when AE2 transmits to CSE a connection command response message for indicating that AE2 is capable of successfully establishing connection with AE1, then when CSE receives the connection command response message, CSE may further determine whether AE1 and AE2 meet a preset strategy according to position information of AE1 and position information of AE2 in the same way as in the first practical application (for example, whether the distance between AE1 and AE2 exceeds a distance threshold, and whether the angle defined between the connection line of AE1 and AE2 and the horizontal plane exceeds an angle threshold). When the preset strategy is met, then CSE transmits an operation response message carrying instruction information to AE1; otherwise, CSE executes procedures of rejecting AE1 to access AE2.

The connection command response message may carries the position information of AE2, that is, CSE can obtain the position information of AE2 through the connection command response message.

For another example, when CSE receives the operation request message for AE2 transmitted by AE1, the CSE first determines whether AE1 and AE2 meet a preset strategy according to position information of AE1 and position information of AE2 in the same way as in the first practical application (for example, whether the distance between AE1 and AE2 exceeds a distance threshold, and whether the angle defined between the connection line of AE1 and AE2 and the horizontal plane exceeds an angle threshold). When the preset strategy is met, then CSE transmits a connection command message to AE2; otherwise, CSE determines that AE1 is unable to be connected with AE2 and executes procedures of rejecting AE1 to access AE2.

In the third practical application, AE1 can access AE2 without CSE. As shown in <FIG>, the access method of the third practical application includes:.

As shown in <FIG>, the access method of this fourth practical application includes:.

In the fifth practical application, AE1 can access AE2 without CSE. As shown in <FIG>, the access method of the fifth practical application includes:.

According to another aspect, one embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an internet of things (IoT) platform. As shown in <FIG>, the IoT platform includes:.

Apparently, the IoT platform of this embodiment is an execution entity of the access method applied to the IoT platform in the above embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, the technical effect that can be achieved by the access method, can also be achieved by the IoT platform of this embodiment.

Optionally, the IoT platform of this embodiment further includes:
a second receiving circuit configured to, before determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, receive position information of the service device transmitted by the service device.

The first processing circuit <NUM> specifically includes: a first processing sub-circuit configured to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device.

The first processing sub-circuit is specifically configured to, according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device, determine a distance between the application device and the service device and/or an angle defined between a connection line of the application device and the service device and the horizontal plane; when the distance is less than or equal to a distance threshold, and/or, the angle is less than or equal to an angle threshold, determine that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device; otherwise, determine that the application device is not capable of establishing connection with the service device.

Optionally, the first processing circuit <NUM> of this embodiment further includes: a second processing sub-circuit configured to,
forward the operation response message to the service device, thereby enabling the service device to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device in the operation request message; receive an operation response message transmitted by the service device; when the operation response message carries instruction information for instructing the application device to access the service device, determine that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device.

The first transmitting circuit is specifically configured to forward the operation response message received from the service device to the application device.

In addition, one embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an application device. As shown in <FIG>, the application device includes:.

Apparently, the application device of this embodiment is an execution entity of the access method applied to the application device in the above embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, the technical effect that can be achieved by the access method, can also be achieved by the application device of this embodiment.

Optionally, the application device of this embodiment further includes:.

In addition, one embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a service device. As shown in <FIG>, the service device includes: a resource providing circuit <NUM> configured to provide local resources to the application device when the application device accesses the service device.

Apparently, the service device of this embodiment is an execution entity of the access method applied to the service device in the above embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, the technical effect that can be achieved by the access method, can also be achieved by the service device of this embodiment.

Optionally, the service device of this embodiment further includes:
a fourth transmitting circuit configured to transmit position information of the service device to the IoT platform, thereby enabling the IoT platform to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to position information of the application device and the position information of the service device.

Optionally, the service device of this embodiment further includes:.

The second processing circuit is specifically configured to,.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, one embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a computer device <NUM>, which includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a computer program stored on the memory <NUM> and executable on the processor <NUM>.

Data exchange may be realized between the processor <NUM> and the memory <NUM> through a bus architecture. The bus architecture may include any number of interconnected buses and bridges. Specifically, various circuits of one or more processors represented by the processor <NUM> and memory represented by the memory <NUM> are linked together. The bus architecture may also link various other circuits, such as peripherals, voltage regulators, and power management circuits, as is known in the art. Thus, no further description is provided in the present disclosure. The bus interface provides an interface.

When the computer device <NUM> of this embodiment is applied to an IoT platform, the processor <NUM> reads the program of the memory to execute the following procedures:.

Optionally, before determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the processor <NUM> reads the program of the memory to execute the following procedures: receiving position information of the service device transmitted by the service device.

Correspondingly, the processor <NUM> determines whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device in a way including: according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device, determining a distance between the application device and the service device and/or an angle defined between a connection line of the application device and the service device and the horizontal plane; determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the distance and/or angle.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> reads the program of the memory to execute the following procedures:.

When the computer device <NUM> of this embodiment is applied to an application device, the processor <NUM> reads the program of the memory to execute the following procedures:.

In addition, when the computer device <NUM> of this embodiment is applied to a service device, the processor <NUM> reads the program of the memory to execute the following procedures: providing local resources to the application device when the application device accesses the service device.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> reads the program of the memory to execute the following procedures:
transmitting position information of the service device to the IoT platform, thereby enabling the IoT platform to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to position information of the application device and the position information of the service device.

The determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device, includes:.

In addition, one embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a computer-readable storage medium including a computer program stored thereon.

When the computer-readable storage medium of this embodiment is applied to an IoT platform, the computer program stored in the computer-readable storage medium is executed by a processor to execute the following procedures:.

Optionally, before determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the computer program stored in the computer-readable storage medium is executed by the processor to execute the following procedures: receiving position information of the service device transmitted by the service device.

When determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device, whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device is determined according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device in a way including:.

Optionally, the computer program stored in the computer-readable storage medium is executed by the processor to execute the following procedures:.

In addition, when the computer-readable storage medium of this embodiment is applied to an application device, the computer program stored in the computer-readable storage medium is executed by a processor to execute the following procedures:.

In addition, when the computer-readable storage medium of this embodiment is applied to a server device, the computer program stored in the computer-readable storage medium is executed by a processor to execute the following procedures: providing local resources to the application device when the application device accesses the service device.

Optionally, the computer program stored in the computer-readable storage medium is executed by the processor to execute the following procedures:
transmitting position information of the service device to the IoT platform, thereby enabling the IoT platform to determine whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to position information of the application device and the position information of the service device.

Claim 1:
An access method applied to an internet of things, Iot, platform, comprising:
receiving (<NUM>) an operation request message transmitted by an application device for accessing a service device; wherein the operation request message carries position information of the application device;
determining (<NUM>) whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device;
when determining that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, transmitting (<NUM>) an operation response message carrying instruction information to the application device; wherein the instruction information is used to instruct the application device to access the service device;
wherein before the determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device, the method further includes: receiving position information of the service device transmitted by the service device;
the determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device, includes:
determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device;
characterized in that the determining whether the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device, includes:
according to the position information of the application device and the position information of the service device, determining an angle defined between a connection line of the application device and the service device and a preset axis;
when the angle is less than or equal to an angle threshold, determining that the application device is capable of establishing connection with the service device;
otherwise, determining that the application device is not capable of establishing connection with the service device.