7th MiNEMA Workshop August 21, 2008 - Lappeenranta, Finland

1. Distributed Middleware for Container Transport: Lessons Learned (Klaas Thoelen, Sam Michiels, Wouter Joosen) 7th MiNEMA Workshop August 21, 2008 - Lappeenranta, Finland 1

2. Context • Authorized Economic Operator • Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) can help to automate the supply chain • Heterogenic, dynamic and mobile WSNs need middleware support

3. Overview Context • Scope • Middleware Architecture • Prototype implementation • Discussion • EPC Network • 6LoWPAN • Conclusion

4. Scope • 1 company divided over multiple sites: • harbor dock, airport terminal, warehouse, … • Each site deploys a WSN • Different sites - different WSNs • Central database: used for transport and resource planning

5. Challenges • End-to-end interoperability • External data exchange • Heterogeneity of data and messaging formats • Intermittent network connection of sensor nodes • Inter-network mobility of sensor nodes

6. Overview Context • Scope • Middleware Architecture • Prototype • Discussion • EPC Network • 6LoWPAN • Conclusion

7. Distributed Middleware • Distributed: multi-tiered • Middleware: vertical set of service layers

9. Challenge 1: End-to-end interoperability

10. Challenge 2: External data exchange

11. Challenge 3: Heterogeneity of data and messaging formats

12. Challenge 4: Intermittent network connection of sensor nodes

13. Challenge 5: Inter-network mobility of sensor nodes

15. Overview Context • Scope • Middleware Architecture • Prototype • Discussion • EPC Network • 6LoWPAN • Conclusion

16. Prototype

17. Overview Context • Scope • Middleware Architecture • Prototype • Discussion • EPC Network • 6LoWPAN • Conclusion

18. Discussion • More realistic: server & database per site

19. EPC Network • Architectural framework for an integrated supply chain using RFID technology • EPC = Electronic Product Code • Unique identifier of an object • Stored in RFID tags • a key to retrieve information about this object

20. EPC Network Based on figure in ‘Enhancing Information Flow in a Retail Supply Chain Using RFID and the EPC Network: A Proof-of-Concept Approach’ by S.F. Wamba and H. Boeck in JTAER Vol.3 Issue 1

21. EPC Network Based on figure in ‘Enhancing Information Flow in a Retail Supply Chain Using RFID and the EPC Network: A Proof-of-Concept Approach’ by S.F. Wamba and H. Boeck in JTAER Vol.3 Issue 1

22. EPC Network • Object Name System standard still in progress: • retrieval of information at all forwarders involved • instance level data

23. Overview Context • Scope • Middleware Architecture • Prototype • Discussion • EPC Network • 6LoWPAN • Conclusion

24. Discussion • What about direct querying an individual sensor node? • Either leverage on ONS • Or exploit the possibilities provided by IPv6 • IPv6: • Larger address space (128 bits instead of 32 bits) • Better support for mobility • But considered too memory- and bandwidth intensive for WSNs!!!

25. 6LoWPAN • Extends IPv6 to Low power Wireless Personal Area Networks • By providing: - Header compression • - Fragmentation

26. 6LoWPAN End-node reachability without proxy gateway

27. Overview Context • Scope • Middleware Architecture • Prototype • Discussion • EPC Network • 6LoWPAN • Conclusion

28. Conclusion End-to-end middleware supporting monitoring of transport containers: • Still far from trivial: heterogeneity (WSN, gateways, backend), resource-constraints of sensor nodes • Feasible: using state-of-the-art software components, through initiatives like EPC Network and 6LoWPAN and new generation of sensor nodes

29. Questions? Thank you!