Third International Workshop on Networked Appliance 2001 SONA: Applying Mobile Agent to Networked Appliance Control S.Aoki, S.Makino, T.Okoshi J.Nakazawa and H.Tokuda Keio University, Japan

Background Networked appliances have network connectivity. Therefore we can control them via network. But it’s not enough! Users need to control each appliance one by one by him/herself.

Scenario1 1, Turn on Air Conditioner 2, Wait 15 minutes 3, Measure the temperature 4, Turn on Fan 5, Turn on Light 6, Turn on TV Control System HomeOutside

Scenario2 Control System HomeOffice 1, Getting Dark 2, Turn on Lights 1, Getting Hot ! 2, Turn on Air Conditioner

Purpose Relieving users from complicated and time consuming operation of networked appliances. Autonomous & Asynchronous control system can help users.

Research Characteristics Using mobile agent as an approach, and realize following character Autonomous Asynchronous Environment-adaptive Distributed Mobile Simple

Following Presentation Outline Networked Appliance Environment Control System SONA: Smart Operation of Networked Appliance Design Implementation Evaluation Conclusion

Networked Appliance Environment System resources Networks Functions & operations Users Networked appliances are the appliances with network connectivity. This environment is consist of many kinds of … ( Example of functions & operations )

Networked Appliance Control System Approach: Client – Server Architecture Distributed Object Architecture Agent Architecture System Resource Problem Remote Execution Load Distribution Network Problem Reduction of Network Load Disconnected Operation Functions & Operation Problem Scalability Flexibility Users Problem GUI Interaction We chose agent architecture as our approach.

Approach: Agent & Mobile Agent Agent is the software program which has characteristics of Autonomy Social Ability Reactivity Pro-activeness Mobile Agent is the agent with mobility. Asynchronous Distribution

Approach: Agent Sample Code public class Agent extends Aglet{ Agent agent = new Agent(); public void onCreation{ agent.start(); // agent starts migration } public void onArrival{ agent.control(Fan, SwitchOn); //agent execute commands } public void on Disposing{ agent.dispose(); //agent dispose itself }

SONA: Smart Operation of Networked Appliance Networked appliance control system using mobile agents Provides Client program for user (user interface) Agent program Appliance control program Client Program Appliance Control Program users appliances Agent migrate

Design of SONA SONA: Subsystems Agent Agent controller Agent platform Appliance server Sensor server

Design: System Procedure Agent Platform Agent Agent Platform Appliance Server Network 1, create & command Agent Controller Agent 3, command 4, command User ： Client Appliance User 2, migrate

Design: Autonomous & Asynchronous Agent User command result AP & AC agent AS1AS2SS command request result command result command result Long Term Operation Multiple Appliance Operation Environment Adaptive Operation AP: Agent Platform AC: Agent Controller AS: Appliance Server SS: Sensor Server

Comparison with Existing System agent SONAOTHERS ON & OFF example 1, Fan On 2, Wait 15 minutes 3, Fan Off 4, Wait 15 minutes 5, Light On 6, Wait 15 minutes 7, Light Off SONA let users set complicated commands easily

Implementation: Environment Language JDK Library Aglets Java Communication API 2.0 Hardware Plasma Display Light Fan

Implementation: Hardware

Implementation: Software Agent Agent Platform (utilizing Aglets’ agent server) Agent Controller Agent Monitor (utilizing Aglets’ Tahiti) Agent Dispatcher Appliance Server Plasma Display Fan & Light Sensor Server Temperature

Implementation: Software (Agent) Agent Itinerary Control Module Manage agents plan (destination & command) Command Execution Module Execute appliance control operation Environment Adaptive Module Acquire environmental information and let agent react to it > Agent Environment Adaptive Itinerary Control Command Execution

Evaluation: Quantitative Required time for appliances control. T = 1070×n – 210 (msec) (T: time, n: number of appliance) Tini RS-232C

Related Work Simple Network Management Protocol (RFC 1157) Echonet (Echonet Consortium) Machinery Control System using Autonomous Agents (Wada 2000)

Evaluation: Qualitative Comparing to existing system, SONA has autonomous & asynchronous characteristics. Approach fits to the networked appliance environment Need agent platform on each appliances Users need to input appliance’s address But…..

Conclusion Constructed the SONA system which is autonomous and asynchronous networked appliance control system using mobile agents Users are relieved from complicated difficult manipulation of networked appliance. The SONA’s approach fits to the networked appliance environment.

Thank you very much for your attention…

Outline Scenario Networked Appliance Environment SONA: Smart Operation of Networked Appliance Design Implementation Evaluation Conclusion

Background & Purpose Relieving users from direct & complicated operations Realizing the networked appliance control system which is Autonomous Asynchronous Adapting to networked appliance environment Realizing the networked appliance control system which is Adaptive to environment Distributed

Networked Appliance Environment (elements) Device Computers PDA & Cell. Phones Appliances Protocol Middleware Application

Networked Appliance Control System (Requirements) System Resource Problem Remote Execution Load Distribution Network Problem Reduction of Network Load Disconnected Operation Functions & Operation Problem Scalability Flexibility Users Problem GUI Interaction Autonomous Asynchronous Environment Adaptive Distributed Mobile Simple

Networked Appliance Control System Client – Server Architecture Distributed Object Architecture Agent Architecture

Future Work Improvement of autonomy Collaboration with Jini technology Authentication when controlling agents Agent platform for J2ME