Management of distributed knowledge encapsulated in embedded devices

Abstract

Embedded electronic devices are now to be found everywhere. In general, they can be used to collect different sorts of data (e.g. on temperature, humidity, illumination and locations). In some specific domains, such as industrial automation, embedded devices are used for process control. The devices may have a programme that can respond immediately to environmental changes perceived through sensors. In the control of large sites, where there are many devices, higher level decisions are made or processed in dedicated computers far away from the sources (devices) where the initial data are collected. This article shows how it is possible to manage portions of distributed knowledge, hosted in embedded devices, making it possible for each embedded device to hold and manage its piece of knowledge. In addition, presented approach allows keeping locus of control at the embedded device level, where the embedded device can make decisions knowing the status of the rest of the world, device contributions and their effects in the overall distributed system knowledge base.