Decentralized enterprise systems: a multiplatform wireless sensor network approach

TLDR

Wireless sensor and actuator networks can enhance large‑scale enterprise systems by delegating business functions closer to the point of action, yet integration is hindered by diverse customized platforms and proprietary technologies, a challenge highlighted by oil‑and‑gas industry cases. The authors propose a three‑layer, service‑oriented architecture that uniformly exposes heterogeneous sensor platform functionality to business applications. They implement this architecture with particle, muNode, and Sindrion sensor platforms connected through UPnP and integrated into an enterprise software system. Field tests confirm the solution’s feasibility while uncovering deployment challenges for wireless sensor and actuator networks in industrial settings.

Abstract

Massively deployed wireless sensor and actuator networks, co-existing with RFID technology, can bring clear benefits to large-scale enterprise systems, by delegating parts of the business functionality closer to the point of action. However, a major impediment in the integration process is represented by the variety of customized platforms and proprietary technologies. In this article, we present a three-layer, service-oriented architecture that accommodates different sensor platforms and exposes their functionality in a uniform way to the business application. Our work is motivated by real business cases from the oil and gas industry. In our implementation, we use three sensor platforms (particle, muNode, and Sindrion) integrated through the universal plug and play (UPnP) standard and incorporated into an enterprise software system. The practical tests and application trials confirm the feasibility of our solution but also reveal a number of challenges to be taken into account when deploying wireless sensor and actuator networks at industrial sites.