Network and service architecture for emerging services based on home sensor networks

• Published in: Bell Labs technical journal Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 235 - 249
• Main Authors: Viswanathan, Harish, Van Leeuwen, Tom, Liekens, Werner, Van Bogaert, Bruno, Acke, Willem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken IEEE 2009; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
• ISSN: 1089-7089; 1538-7305
• DOI: 10.1002/bltj.20382

Sensor networks in the home can enable a variety of applications such as home monitoring and control, home security, home energy management, and home health care. Current state-of-the-art solutions typically target a single sensor application and do not take advantage of the established infrastructure of the broadband service provider, such as a telco operator or cable provider. In this paper, we propose an alternative solution that provides a comprehensive and scalable service platform for multiple parallel home sensor applications, even from third party providers. We highlight the advantages that a broadband service provider holds for providing these emerging high margin services, and derive a suitable end-to-end network architecture. We describe the functions of each of the main components and some of their interfaces, and pay particular attention to one of the key technological challenges: the commissioning and management of the home sensor network. In particular, we describe a laboratory implementation that demonstrates the feasibility of automatic commissioning and remote management of the sensor network.