Chapter 5 Middleware and IoT

Chapter 5

Middleware and IoT

By: Regin Joy Conejar

Professor: Prof. In Han-Bee

Contents:

5.1 An Overview of Middleware

5.2 Communication Middleware for IoT5.2.1 MTC/M2M Middleware5.2.2 SCADA Middleware5.2.3 RFID Middleware5.2.4 WSN Middleware

5.3 LBS and Surveillance Middleware

5.4 Summary

5.1 An Overview of Middleware

Middleware deals with the babble between distributed systems and has a similar objective in bringing linguistic or communication unity to disparate technological systems.

The term middleware stems from distributed computing and refers to a set of enabling services such as standardized APIs, protocols, and infrastructure services for supporting the rapid and convenient development of distributed services and applications based on the client/server and later multitiered paradigm , which was essential for migrating single-tiered mainframe/terminal applications to multitiered architecture.

Middleware is about integration and interoperability of applications and services running on heterogeneous computing and communications devices.

The term middleware refers to a layer that is arranged on top of operating systems and communications stacks and thus hides heterogeneity from the applications through a set of common, well-defined interfaces. (see Figure 5.1, pp.138)

5.1 An Overview of Middleware

5.2 Communication Middleware for IoT In a runtime environment, the DCM (device, connect, and

manage) three-layer model can be further extended into more layers depending upon the geographical scope of the area network (AN) from BAN to interplanetary Internet as listed below:

Body (BAN) Personal (PAN) Near-me (NAN) Machine-to Machine, or M2M (Man) Local (LAN)

Home (HAN) Storage (SAN)

Campus (CAN) Backbone Metropolitan (MAN) Wide (WAN) Internet Interplanetary Internet

5.2.1 MTC/M2M Middleware The 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) is a

collaboration between groups of telecommunications associations known as the Organizational Partners. The Organizational Partners are the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Association of Radio Industries and Business/Telecommunication Technology Committee (Japan) and etc.

3GPP’s coverage/scope for the entire four-pillar Iot networking possibilities are limited.

5.2.1 MTC/M2M Middleware

5.2.2 SCADA Middleware The Concept of MAN (M2M area network) was introduced

in 3GPP/ETSI’s MTC specification. This concept also applies to other pillar segments of IoT.

With the development of wireless technologies, systems have been developed that blend wireless with wired communication in SCADA applications. (see Figure 5.3, pp. 154)

5.2.2 SCADA Middleware OPC middleware products are one of the important

communications layer SCADA middleware that are designed to enhance any OPC standards-based applications. OPC is for Windows only.

RFID middleware is currently no doubt the most well-defined, comprehension, standardized middleware compared with the other three pillar segments of IoT.

5.2.3 RFID Middleware RFID networking shares a similar three-tiered

communication architecture (see Figure 5.4, pp. 156). RFID readers are gateway similar to MAN. However, just like the scenarios of M2M and SCADA, most current RFID systems stop at the corporate LAN level and are IoT systems only.

WSN middleware is a kind of middleware providing the desired services for sensor-based pervasive computing applications that make use of a WSN and the related embedded operating systems or firmware of the sensor nodes.

5.2.4 WSN Middleware

A complete WSN middleware solution should include four major components: programming abstraction, system services runtime support, and quality service (QoS) mechanism. (see Figure 5.6, pp. 159)

LBS is a service that integrates a mobile device’s location or position with other information so as to provide added value to a user.

5.3 LBS and Surveillance Middleware

Middleware is a piece of reusable software that communicates to other processes, most of the time over a network connection. This is essential for IoT applications.

5.4 Summary