Flexible internetworking of devices and controls

Abstract

This paper describes the TSpaces approach to integrated control of heterogeneous devices in heterogeneous control networks. The TSpaces system is an application middleware that provides a uniform layer of indirection between components. The system provides gatewaying between legacy network protocols and IP, asynchronous group communication, a shared data schema, component rendezvous, and event composition. We describe each of these facilities, emphasizing how they enable evolutionary extension of application behaviors, and illustrate with example control applications.