Page 168 - Unleashing the potenti al of the Internet of Things

3 Unleashing the potential of the Internet of Things

Step 7: A cold chain management application requests sensed data/RFID tag data to USN
middleware. USN middleware in turn sends the requests to the target sensor networks
and RFID readers to collect data.

Step 8: Sensor networks sense temperature and send the sensed data to USN middleware. At
the same time, RFID readers collect RFID tag data and then send them as well.
Step 9: USN middleware collects and integrates the sensed data and RFID tag data to provide
pairs of {RFID tag data, sensed data} to a cold chain management application. USN
middleware filters redundant duplicate tag data to reduce the redundant RFID tag data.
Moreover, sensed data aggregation may be performed.

Step 10: USN middleware tells the sensor networks to lower the temperature, if the rules are
specified. Then the refrigerator (actuator within the sensor network) can be activated to
decrease the temperature. Simultaneously, the event can be delivered to the application
to notify the operators of the abnormal situation.
Step 11: A cold chain management application displays the current status of environment on the
screen. RFID tag data may be converted into the product information and linked to
other sensed data.
Step 12: A cold chain management application may request USN middleware not to collect data
any more when a cold chain management application is about to stop its service.

Cold chain
management application
USN
middleware

Gateway Gateway Gateway

Actuator
Sensor RFID RFID RFID
reader reader reader
Distribution
Supplier Wholesaler Retailer Customer
center
F.744(09)_F02.doc

Figure 2 – Use case of a cold chain management service

6.3.3 Sensor network monitoring application

A sensor network monitoring application monitors the various sensor networks. The purpose of a
sensor network monitoring application is to check and to control current state of sensor networks.
See Figure 3.

154 Rec. ITU-T Y.4104/F.744 (12/2009)