JP6852955B2 - Data collection method and metadata addition device and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a data collection system including a data collection terminal housed in a mobile communication network and a data processing device for processing data acquired from the data collection terminal via the mobile communication network.

In recent years, IoT (Internet of Things) technology has been attracting attention. IoT is a general term for technologies in which a large number of various objects such as sensors and devices are connected to the Internet, and a large amount of information transmitted from or transmitted to those objects is distributed.

In IoT technology, it is necessary to record the data acquisition position and acquisition time when transferring the data collected by a data collection terminal called an IoT terminal to a cloud processing platform. However, it has been pointed out that such processing such as collection of location information and time information may lead to an increase in the cost of the IoT terminal and an increase in maintenance and operation costs due to an increase in power consumption (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 1). 2).

Therefore, an approach has been proposed in which the network side takes over the collection process of the data acquisition position and acquisition location (see Non-Patent Document 3). The system described in Non-Patent Document 3 is a network of a virtual mobile network operator (MVNO: Mobile Virtual Network Operator) connected to a core network provided by a mobile network operator (MNO: Mobile Network Operator), and the network. It has a data processing infrastructure on the Internet connected to.

The MVNO network includes a first server having functions such as adding metadata and protocol conversion, and a second server having functions such as protocol conversion, authentication logic, buffering, and error handling. Examples of the metadata include SIM ID (IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity)), Device ID (IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)), reception time, and the like. On the other hand, various data processing units for providing IoT services such as data collection processing, processing processing, storage processing, and analysis processing are implemented in the data processing platform.

According to the technique described in Non-Patent Document 3, the above-mentioned problems such as an increase in cost of an IoT terminal and an increase in maintenance and operation cost due to an increase in power consumption can be solved.

Nobutaka Okada, "The protagonist of short-range IoT wireless-from Bluetooth Low Energy to Bluetooth 5", [online], [Search on December 27, 2017], Internet <URL: https://thinkit.co.jp/article / 9959> "Establishment of ICT infrastructure for smart infrastructure maintenance", [online], [Search on December 27, 2017], Internet <URL: https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000360177. pdf> "SORACOM Service Release Lecture All Documents Raised (3)", [online], [Searched on December 27, 2017], Internet <URL: https://blog.soracom.jp/blog/2015/10/09/ itpro-expo-2015-presentation-3 />

By the way, in the IoT service, highly accurate time information is required in order to exchange data accurately (see Non-Patent Document 4). However, in what is described in Non-Patent Document 3, the time information to be added as metadata is not the "event occurrence time", that is, the data collection time at the IoT terminal, but the "first server" deployed in the MVNO network. The time it arrived. " Therefore, if the delay in the wireless section or the MNO equipment is large, the deviation becomes large and the accuracy is 0. There is a problem that it can be several seconds to several seconds.

Further, in the IoT service, there is a request to acquire various metadata such as location information as well as time information. However, in the case described in Non-Patent Document 3, it is difficult to acquire the accurate position of the IoT terminal in the MVNO network, so that the position information cannot be acquired as metadata. That is, the one described in Non-Patent Document 3 cannot realize the request for acquiring metadata other than time information.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is data capable of acquiring more accurate time information and other metadata without imposing the cost and load of a data collection terminal. The purpose is to provide a collection method and a metadata addition device and a program.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a data collection terminal housed in a mobile communication network and a data processing device that processes data acquired from the data collection terminal via the mobile communication network. The data collection method in the data collection system, in which the metadata addition means operating in the network device arranged in the mobile communication network is between the network device in which the user operates and the data collection terminal. The data transfer time was measured in advance, and the data transmitted by the data collection terminal was corrected by using the data transfer time with respect to the time information timed by the in-network device in which the data collection terminal operates. It is characterized in that time information is added as metadata and transmitted to the data processing device.
Further, the present invention relates to data in a data collection system including a data collection terminal housed in a mobile communication network and a data processing device for processing data acquired from the data collection terminal via the mobile communication network. In the collection method, the data collection terminal operates in the network device arranged in the mobile communication network, and the data collection terminal operates in the mobile communication network with respect to the data transmitted by the data collection terminal. The network in the mobile communication network that acquires the location information of the data collection terminal from the network device that manages the location information of the data collection terminal and manages the contract information with the communication operator for the data collection terminal. When the position information acquired from the network device that acquires the contract information from the internal device and manages the position information and the position information included in the contract information are within a predetermined range, the contract information The position information included in the data is added as metadata and transmitted to the data processing device.

According to the present invention, various information collected from each network device in the network device in the mobile communication network is added as metadata to the data transmitted from the data collection terminal. As a result, without increasing the cost and load of the data collection terminal, the data processing device can acquire and utilize highly accurate time information that cannot be realized by itself and other various information that is difficult to acquire by itself. Can be done.

Data collection system configuration diagram Functional block diagram of the metadata addition device Diagram illustrating an example of adding time information as metadata The figure explaining the example which adds the position information as metadata Diagram illustrating an example of adding contract information as metadata Diagram explaining points to be given information and use cases

The data collection system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a data collection system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the data collection system includes a data collection terminal 10, a mobile communication network 100 accommodating the data collection terminal 10, and a data processing platform 200 arranged in an external network connected to the mobile communication network 100. And have.

The data collection terminal 10 has a function of transmitting data to the data processing platform 200 via the mobile communication network 100. One of the examples of the transmitted data is the data acquired from various sensors included in the data collecting terminal 10. One of the other examples of transmission data is data acquired from various input devices included in the data collection terminal 10. One of the other examples of the transmitted data is the data generated by the processing of the data collecting terminal 10 itself. The data collection terminal 1 may periodically transmit data, may transmit data triggered by detection, change, generation, etc. of data, or may transmit data in response to an instruction from the data processing platform 200. You may send it.

The data collection terminal 10 may be fixedly arranged outdoors, in a building, or the like, or may be arranged in a moving body such as a person, a living thing, or an automobile. As shown in FIG. 1, one of the examples of the data collecting terminal 10 is a sensor terminal having various sensors. One of the other examples of the data collection terminal 10 is an infrastructure device such as an anemometer installed on a utility pole to measure a wind speed. One of the other examples of the data collection terminal 10 is a wearable terminal worn by the user.

The data collection terminal 10 can be accommodated in the mobile communication network 100 via the gateway device 15. In this case, the data collection terminal 10 does not necessarily need a communication means for communicating with the base station of the mobile communication network 100, and may be provided with a communication means for communicating with the gateway device 15. As shown in FIG. 1, the UNI (User Network Interface), which is the boundary between the user and the network, is between the gateway device 15 and the mobile communication network 100. The data collection terminal 10 can be directly accommodated in the mobile communication network 100 without going through the gateway device 15.

The mobile communication network 100 is a network constructed by a mobile network operator (MNO), and is a wireless network including a wireless base station 101 and a core network including various in-network devices such as a relay router, a gateway, and a management device. And have. The mobile communication network 100 is connected to an external network via a gateway (not shown), which is an in-network facility of the mobile communication network 100.

In the mobile communication network 100, a plurality of the wireless base stations 101 and OSS / BSS (Operation Support System / Business Support System) devices 102 are arranged as in-network devices necessary for providing mobile communication services. Has been done. Although only one OSS / BSS device 102 is shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity, the OSS / BSS device 102 may be distributed and arranged in a plurality of devices according to its function. In the mobile communication network 100, a position management device that manages the position information of each terminal accommodated in the mobile communication network 100 and a contract information management device that manages contract information for each terminal are arranged. In the example of FIG. 1, the radio base station 101 is a position management device, and the OSS / BSS device 102 is a contract information management device. The contract information is contract information with a mobile communication operator (MNO) of the mobile communication network 100. On the other hand, when the business operator that provides the mobile communication service is a virtual mobile network operator (MVNO), the contract information is contract information with the virtual mobile network operator (MVNO). However, even in this case, it should be noted that the contract information is managed by the contract information management device of the mobile communication network 100.

In the mobile communication network 100, a metadata addition device 300 having a function of receiving data transmitted by the data collection terminal 10, adding the data to the data, and transmitting the data to the data processing infrastructure 200. Is placed. The mobile communication network 100 is route-set so that the data transmitted by the data collection terminal 10 reaches the metadata addition device 300 and the data transmitted by the metadata addition device 300 reaches the data processing platform 200. ..

The data processing infrastructure 200 is housed in the external network. The external network means a network other than the mobile communication network 100, and includes at least a network in which the data processing infrastructure 200 is housed. In a typical example, the external network is the Internet, the network of the Internet connection company that connects the Internet and the mobile communication network 100, and the cloud service provider that is connected to the Internet and has the data processing infrastructure 200 deployed. Including network. Further, the external network can include a network provided by a virtual mobile network operator (MVNO). The data processing infrastructure 200 may be distributed and deployed in the external network.

The data processing platform 200 is a processing device that is transmitted by the data collection terminal 10 and processes data to which the metadata described later is added. In the example of FIG. 1, the data processing board 200 includes a collecting unit 201, a processing unit 202, a storage unit 203, and an analysis unit 204. The user's terminal (not shown) can access the data processing platform 200 and browse raw data, processed data, analysis data, and the like.

A functional block diagram of the metadata addition device 300 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the metadata addition device 300 includes a data reception unit 301 that receives data transmitted by the data collection terminal 10, a metadata addition unit 302 that adds metadata to the received data, and meta. It includes a data transmission unit 303 that transmits data to which data is added toward the data processing platform 200, and a metadata collection unit 304 that collects metadata to be added in the metadata addition unit 302.

The mounting form of the metadata addition device 300 does not matter. The metadata addition device 300 can be configured by mounting the program on the physical server or virtual server of the mobile communication network 100. The metadata addition device 300 can be configured as an appliance product in which hardware and a program are integrated. Each part of the metadata addition device 300 can be distributed and mounted in the mobile communication network 100.

The specific method of the metadata addition processing in the metadata addition unit 302 does not matter. Metadata addition processing can be performed in the application layer of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) reference model.

The metadata collection unit 304 collects metadata from an in-network device in the mobile communication network 100 including the metadata addition device 300, based on the data received by the data reception unit 301. The metadata collection unit 304 can perform processing such as correction on the collected metadata. The metadata collection unit 304 can perform a selection process of selecting one from a plurality of collected metadata of the same type. The metadata collection unit 304 can collect various information necessary for the processing process and the selection process from within the mobile communication network 100.

A specific example of metadata and a method for collecting the metadata will be described.

[Time information]
As shown at point 1 in FIG. 3, the metadata collection unit 304 is random in each section from the data collection terminal 10 to the metadata addition device 300 in the mobile communication network 100 (including the data collection terminal 10). Send a test signal to and measure the data transfer time.

As shown at point 2 in FIG. 3, the metadata collecting unit 304 collects the time information timed by the metadata addition device 300, and corrects the time information by using the data transfer time. Specifically, the process of subtracting the data transfer time from the time information is performed. Then, the metadata collecting unit 304 passes the corrected time information as metadata to the metadata adding unit 302, and the metadata adding unit 302 adds the metadata.

When adding time information as metadata, it is preferable that the metadata addition device 300 periodically performs time synchronization processing with a highly accurate clock server. Further, the metadata collecting unit 304 can use the time information from another in-network device in the mobile communication network 100 instead of the time information measured by its own metadata addition device 300. In this case, the data transfer time between the network device and the metadata addition device 300 can also be used for the correction process.

In this way, the metadata collection unit 304 performs correction processing using the data transfer time in the mobile communication network 100 based on the highly accurate time information timed in the network device of the mobile communication network 100. Therefore, highly accurate time information can be added as metadata. In cases where high accuracy is not required, the correction process can be omitted if necessary. As a result, the processing load of the metadata collection unit 304 is reduced.

[location information]
As shown at point 1 in FIG. 4, the metadata collecting unit 304 is from an in-network device (base station 101 in FIG. 4) that manages the current position information of the data collecting terminal 10 in the mobile communication network 100. , Acquires the current position information of the data collection terminal 10. Further, as shown in point 2 of FIG. 4, the metadata collecting unit 304 manages the contract information of the data collecting terminal 10 in the mobile communication network 100 (OSS / BSS device 102 in FIG. 4). ), The contractual location information included in the contract information of the data collection terminal 10 is acquired. As shown in point 3 of FIG. 4, when the current position information and the contractual position information are within a predetermined distance range, the metadata collection unit 304 selects the contractual position information as metadata. To do. Then, the metadata collecting unit 304 passes the selected position information as metadata to the metadata adding unit 302, and the metadata adding unit 302 adds the metadata.

Generally, the accuracy of the current position information managed by the in-network device of the mobile communication network 100 is not high. Therefore, in the above-mentioned selection process, when the position of the data collection terminal 10 is close to the contractual position, it is considered that the data collection terminal 10 is fixed, and the contractual position which is more accurate position information. Intended to use information.

If it is known that the data collection terminal 10 is fixed, it is possible to omit the acquisition of the current position information managed by the mobile communication network 100, if necessary. Similarly, when it is known that the data collection terminal 10 moves at a position distant from the contractual position, acquisition of the contractual position information can be omitted if necessary. By omitting the acquisition process of one of the position information in this way, the processing load of the metadata collecting unit 304 is reduced.

[Contract information]
As shown at point 1 in FIG. 5, the metadata collection unit 304 is from an in-network device (OSS / BSS device 102 in FIG. 5) that manages contract information of the data collection terminal 10 in the mobile communication network 100. , Acquire the contract information of the data collection terminal 10 (step S21). Then, the metadata collection unit 304 passes a part or all of the contract information as metadata to the metadata addition unit 302, and the metadata addition unit 302 adds the metadata.

As an example of contract information, as shown in FIG. 5, contractor attribute information (for example, name, gender, address, telephone number, email address, etc.), payment information (for example, bank account information, credit card information, credit information, etc.) , Etc.), contract content information (for example, usage service information, etc.), purchase / payment history information, authentication information (for example, biometric information, password information, etc.). The contract information is also called subscriber information.

Next, the characteristics of the data collection system according to the present invention and its use cases will be described in comparison with the prior art. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating points to be given information and use cases.

As shown in FIG. 6, the data collection system according to the present invention has the following characteristics. When time information is added as metadata, the maximum time error allowed is several tens [milliseconds]. When the position information is added as metadata, it can be automatically followed because it is based on the connection information (position information) of the mobile communication network 100, and its accuracy is several tens [m]. As for other additional information, the contract information with the mobile network operator (MNO) or the virtual mobile network operator (MVNO) is the central source of information. Based on this, personal information of users can be added across services / terminals.

Since it has such characteristics, the use case of the data collection system according to the present invention has the following characteristics. Position information and time information require medium accuracy. The data collection terminal is cheap (for example, the terminal is powered by batteries and left unattended). The number of data collection terminals is huge and individual maintenance is difficult. Data analysis (marketing, etc.) using various user information (attributes, credit information, etc.) that cannot be obtained by individual service contracts is required.

Here, the above-mentioned "location information" cannot be configured by adding metadata on the cloud processing platform. Further, regarding the "cheap", it is impossible to add metadata at the data generation source. Further, regarding the above-mentioned "individual maintenance", it is impossible to add metadata on the data generation source or the cloud processing platform.

A specific example of a use case having the above characteristics will be described.

[Wearable device / activity meter]
One of the use cases of the data collection system according to the present invention is a system in which a wearable terminal or an activity meter worn by a person is used as a data collection terminal. In this use case, it is assumed that the following information is added as metadata from the location information of the data collection terminal held by the base station and the contract information of the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module).
・ Location information: This is used for tracking the range of action (for users) ・ Contractor attribute information + payment information + contract content information + purchase / payment history information + location information: This is for user behavior analysis and marketing Used

In such a system, there is a demand to reduce power consumption as much as possible in order to reduce the charging frequency of the data collection terminal. Therefore, the "configuration in which metadata is added at the data generation source", which is premised on a rich data collection terminal, is inappropriate. Further, in such a system, since the data collection terminal moves the location in real time, the "configuration of adding metadata on the cloud processing platform" in which the location information is fixedly set is also inappropriate. On the other hand, the data collection system according to the present invention satisfies the above-mentioned requirements and requirements.

[Delivery management tag]
One of the use cases of the data collection system according to the present invention is a delivery management system using a delivery management tag attached to a delivery as a data collection terminal. In this use case, the location information of the data collection terminal held by the base station is added as metadata. The delivery position can be automatically tracked by this added position information. In the conventional system of this type, the positions of individual packages are registered by a reader such as RFID at the timing of delivery such as loading, but the data collection system according to the present invention can automate this.

In such a system, there is a desire to use a built-in battery as the power source for the data collection terminal to minimize power consumption. Therefore, the "configuration in which metadata is added at the data generation source", which is premised on a rich data collection terminal, is inappropriate. Further, in such a system, since the data collection terminal moves the location in real time, the "configuration of adding metadata on the cloud processing platform" in which the location information is fixedly set is also inappropriate. On the other hand, the data collection system according to the present invention satisfies the above-mentioned requirements and requirements.

[Product order button]
One of the use cases of the data collection system according to the present invention is a small terminal that orders a specific product with the push of a button. In this use case, contractor attribute information, payment information, and purchase / payment history information are added as metadata. The added contractor attribute information and payment information automatically complement the purchaser's address and payment information, and the business operator can deliver based on the information. Further, since the added purchase / payment history information can be used as credit information, it is possible to determine whether or not the contract is possible on the cloud side. In addition, based on each added information, user behavior analysis and marketing can be performed across terminals / services.

In such a system, there is a desire to use up the power supply of the data collection terminal with a built-in battery to minimize power consumption. Therefore, the "configuration in which metadata is added at the data generation source", which is premised on a rich data collection terminal, is inappropriate. Further, in such a system, there is a request for delivery to the current location (including drone delivery, for example), not limited to the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) environment in the house. For this reason, the "configuration that adds metadata on the cloud processing platform" that fixedly sets the location information is also inappropriate. On the other hand, the data collection system according to the present invention satisfies the above-mentioned requirements and requirements.

As described above, in the data collection system according to the present embodiment, various information collected from each network device in the network device in the mobile communication network 100 is meta-meta to the data transmitted from the data collection terminal 10. Add as data. As a result, the data processing platform 200 can acquire and utilize highly accurate time information that cannot be realized by itself and other various information that is difficult to acquire by itself without increasing the cost and load of the data collection terminal 10. can do.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, various information to be added as metadata is not limited to the above-mentioned information, but information that can be acquired from an in-network device in the mobile communication network and processing such as processing / selection are performed from these information. Other information may be used as long as it is the information.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the data processing infrastructure is deployed on the Internet that can be accessed by anyone is illustrated, but the data processing infrastructure is deployed in a network (including a virtual private network) that can be accessed only by a specific user. You may do so. Further, the data processing infrastructure may be deployed in the mobile communication network.

10 ... Data collection terminal 100 ... Mobile communication network 101 ... Base station 102 ... OSS / BSS device 200 ... Data processing platform 300 ... Metadata addition device

Claims (6)

A data collection method in a data collection system including a data collection terminal housed in a mobile communication network and a data processing device for processing data acquired from the data collection terminal via the mobile communication network.
The metadata addition means operating in the network device arranged in the mobile communication network measures in advance the data transfer time between the network device in which the network device operates and the data collection terminal, and the data transfer time is measured in advance. With respect to the data transmitted by the data collection terminal, the time information corrected by using the data transfer time with respect to the time information measured in the network device in which the data collection terminal operates is added as metadata to the data. A data collection method characterized by sending to a processing device. The data collection method according to claim 1, wherein the correction in the metadata adding means subtracts the data transfer time from the time information measured in the network device in which the user operates. A data collection method in a data collection system including a data collection terminal housed in a mobile communication network and a data processing device for processing data acquired from the data collection terminal via the mobile communication network.
The metadata addition means operating in the network device arranged in the mobile communication network manages the position information of the data collection terminal in the mobile communication network with respect to the data transmitted by the data collection terminal. The contract information is acquired from the network device in the mobile communication network that acquires the position information of the data collection terminal from the network device and manages the contract information with the communication carrier for the data collection terminal. When the position information acquired from the network device that manages the position information and the position information included in the contract information are within a predetermined range, the position information included in the contract information is included in the contract information. Is added as metadata and transmitted to the data processing apparatus. It is arranged in the mobile communication network that accommodates the data collection terminal, the data transfer time between itself and the data collection terminal is measured in advance, and the data transmitted by the data collection terminal to the data processing device is used. On the other hand, it is provided with a metadata addition means for adding time information corrected by using the data transfer time to the time information measured by itself as metadata and transmitting it to the data processing device. A metadata addition device characterized by this. It is arranged in the mobile communication network that accommodates the data collection terminal, and manages the position information of the data collection terminal in the mobile communication network with respect to the data transmitted by the data collection terminal to the data processing device. The location information of the data collection terminal is acquired from the in-network device, and the contract information is obtained from the in-network device in the mobile communication network that manages the contract information with the communication carrier for the data collection terminal. When the position information acquired from the network device that manages the position information and the position information included in the contract information are within a predetermined range, the position information included in the contract information is used. , A metadata addition device comprising a metadata addition means for adding as metadata and transmitting the data to the data processing device. A metadata addition program comprising operating a computer as the metadata addition device according to claim 4 or 5.

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