Multi-tier Indexing Methodology for Scalable Mobile Device Data Collection

Abstract

A mobile device indexing system includes a plurality of edge nodes in communication with each other across a communication network and a plurality of mobile devices configured to communicate with the edge nodes. Each mobile device has both computing and communication functionalities. A separate mobile device index is maintained at each one of the plurality of edge nodes. Each mobile device index is a geographical spatio-temporal index having entries for a unique set of mobile devices derived from the plurality of mobile devices. Each unique set contains only mobile devices registered to the edge node associated with that mobile device index.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for mobile device indexing, the method comprising maintaining a separate mobile device index at each one of a plurality of edge nodes in a communication network, each mobile device index a spatio-temporal index comprising entries for a unique set of mobile devices comprising only mobile devices registered to the edge node associated with that mobile device index, each mobile device comprising computing and communication functionality to operate in the communication network. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the edge nodes comprise base stations in a cellular telephone communication network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each mobile device index comprises an R-tree index. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spatio-temporal index comprises a geographic coordinate system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each index entry further comprises meta-data for the mobile device associated with that entry, the meta-data comprising a unique identification for the associated mobile device, a current operational status for the associated mobile device, an identification of data generating functions of the associated mobile device or policies governing access to data generated by the associated mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises maintaining a peer-to-peer index among the plurality of edge nodes, the peer-to-peer index comprising an identification of mobile devices associated with each edge node and an identification of a geographic coverage area associated with each edge node. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprising determining the geographic coverage area associated with each edge node based on a geographic location of each mobile device currently registered to that edge node. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises maintaining a multi-dimensional R-tree index comprising entries for the plurality of edge nodes at a root node in communication with the plurality of edge nodes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile devices comprise computing systems, cellular telephones, audio surveillance systems, video surveillance systems or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises registering each mobile device with a given edge node having a closest physical proximity to that mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises communicating current location information and current operational state information to each edge node from each mobile device registered to that edge node. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises sending heartbeat signals to each edge node from each mobile device registered to that edge node. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises moving registration of a given mobile device from a first edge node to a second edge node based on at least one of a response received at the given mobile device in response to the heartbeat signal, movement of the given mobile device from a first geographic region associated with the first edge node to a second geographic region associated with the second edge node and receipt at the given mobile device of an explicit command to move registration from the first edge node to the second edge node. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises updating each device index dynamically and continuously based on at least one of movement of each mobile device and current operational state of each mobile device. 
     
     
         15 . A method for collecting data from indexed mobile devices, the method comprising:
 maintaining a separate mobile device index at each one of a plurality of edge nodes in a communication network, each mobile device index a spatio-temporal index comprising entries for a unique set of mobile devices comprising only mobile devices registered to the edge node associated with that mobile device index, each mobile device comprising computing and communication functionality to operate in the communication network;   receiving a query for data generated by one or more mobile devices;   using the mobile device index to route the query to one or more edge nodes; and   collecting data in response to the query from mobile devices registered to the edge nodes to which the query was routed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of receiving the query further comprises receiving the query at a single root node in communication with the plurality of edge nodes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 decomposing the query received at the root node into a plurality of sub-queries; and   routing each sub-query to one of the edge nodes.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 maintaining a multi-dimensional R-tree index comprising entries for the plurality of edge nodes at the root node; and   using the multi-dimensional R-tree index at the root node to route the query to one or more edge nodes.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the spatio-temporal index comprises a geographic coordinate system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 maintaining a peer-to-peer index among the plurality of edge nodes, the peer-to-peer index comprising an identification of mobile devices associated with each edge and an identification of a geographic coverage area associated with each edge node; and   using the peer-to-peer index to transfer a query received at a first edge node to a second edge node.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each index entry further comprises meta-data for the mobile device associated with that entry, the meta-data comprising a unique identification for the associated mobile device, a current status for the associated mobile device, an identification of data generating functions of the associated mobile device or policies governing access to data generated by the associated mobile device. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the mobile devices comprise computing systems, cellular telephones, audio surveillance systems, video surveillance systems or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 registering each mobile device with a given edge node having a closest physical proximity to that mobile device; and   communicating current location information and current operational state information to each edge node from each mobile device registered to that edge node.   
     
     
         24 . A computer-readable storage medium containing a computer-readable code that when read by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for mobile device indexing, the method comprising maintaining a separate mobile device index at each one of a plurality of edge nodes in a communication network, each mobile device index a spatio-temporal index comprising entries for a unique set of mobile devices comprising only mobile devices registered to the edge node associated with that mobile device index, each mobile device comprising computing and communication functionality to operate in the communication network. 
     
     
         25 . A computer-readable storage medium containing a computer-readable code that when read by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for collecting data from indexed mobile devices, the method comprising:
 maintaining a separate mobile device index at each one of a plurality of edge nodes in a communication network, each mobile device index a spatio-temporal index comprising entries for a unique set of mobile devices comprising only mobile devices registered to the edge node associated with that mobile device index, each mobile device comprising computing and communication functionality to operate in the communication network;   receiving a query for data generated by one or more mobile devices;   using the mobile device index to route the query to one or more edge nodes; and   collecting data in response to the query from mobile devices registered to the edge nodes to which the query was routed.