Abstract: A system and method provide a software platform and enable the configuration of the software platform for communications on a per service basis. In one example, the software platform includes a core that interacts with an operating system on a device on which the core is nm and is configured to nm services on the device. Multiple blocks are provided, with each block based on a base block class and customized with task specific processing functionality that can be executed only through one of the plurality of services. Each service is based on a base service class and is configured to run at least some of the blocks within a mini runtime environment provided by the service in order to use the blocks' task specific processing functionality. Each service is individually configured with an input block and an output block that define how the service receives and sends information, respectively.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for creating a configuration for a platform instance using a development environment that has a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes creating a service to be run by the platform instance and providing a graphical representation of a block library containing available blocks that are available for use by the service. Input is received via the GUI identifying at least some of the available blocks as selected blocks, where the selected blocks are to be run by the service. Input is received via the GUI arranging the selected blocks into an order of execution. The development environment generates and stores at least one configuration file containing the order of execution for use by the platform instance.

Abstract: An improved system and method for providing real time redundancy for a configurable software platform are disclosed. In one example, two platforms each include a core configured to interact with an operating system of a device, a service that is run by the core, and a set of blocks that are configured to be run by the service using a defined order of execution of the blocks. The service is identical on the two platforms. Each of the sets of blocks includes a relay block that can switch between first and second states. The first state allows the blocks following the relay block in the order of execution to receive information to be processed and the second state does not allow the blocks following the relay block to receive such information. A relay block's state depends on whether the platform running the service is designated as active or passive.

Abstract: An improved system and method for communication among clients using multiple messaging types are disclosed. In one example, a client includes at least one brew that interfaces with a module. The module encapsulates a transfer mechanism for sending and receiving messages using a particular message type. The client further includes at least one brewer or patron, but may include many brewers and/or patrons, each of which corresponds to at least one topic. An application using the client can send messages to other clients using a standardized interface provided by all brewers and may receive messages from other clients either from patrons using a standardized interface provided by all patrons or from the brew.

Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and architectures for a neutral input/output (NIO) platform that includes a core that supports one or more services. The core may be thought of as an application engine that runs task specific applications called services. The services are constructed using defined templates that are recognized by the core, although the templates can be customized. The core is designed to manage and support the services, and the services in turn manage blocks that provide processing functionality to their respective service. Due to the structure and flexibility provided by the NIO platform's core, services, and blocks, the platform can be configured to asynchronously process any input signals from one or more sources and produce output signals in real time.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for receiving sensor readings from one or more devices and processing the readings in real time to create an output. For example, the method may include, for each device, calculating a value based on the sensor readings obtained from the device for which the value is being calculated. Each of the values that satisfies at least one defined parameter is identified. All of the values that satisfy the defined parameter are aggregated to form an aggregated value. A defined action is executed based on the aggregated value. The steps of receiving, calculating, identifying, aggregating, and executing occur in real time without storing the sensor readings, the values, or the aggregated value.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for configuring a platform instance at runtime using predefined configuration information and contexts that contain at least a portion of the predefined configuration information and also contain dynamically generated information that is not available until the platform instance is started. A core server of the platform instance is started and configured, contexts are created, and services and blocks are started and configured using the contexts.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for managing some or all of an agricultural ecosystem. In one example, the method includes obtaining a current soil moisture level for multiple zones at a geographic location, where each of the zones has been assigned a desired minimum soil moisture level. The zones are ranked in a watering schedule based on a delta between the current soil moisture level and the desired minimum soil moisture level of each zone. For each zone, in the order based on the zone's ranking, at least one valve is opened to deliver water to the zone and closed after watering of the zone is completed. The water may be delivered based on time or volume. If by volume, the volume needed by the zone is calculated.

Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and architectures for a neutral input/output (NIO) platform that includes a core that supports one or more services. The core may be thought of as an application engine that runs task specific applications called services. The services are constructed using defined templates that are recognized by the core, although the templates can be customized. The core is designed to manage and support the services, and the services in turn manage blocks that provide processing functionality to their respective service. Due to the structure and flexibility provided by the NIO platform's core, services, and blocks, the platform can be configured to a synchronously process any input signals from one or more sources and produce output signals in real time.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for configuring a platform instance at runtime using predefined configuration information and contexts that contain at least a portion of the predefined configuration information and also contain dynamically generated information that is not available until the platform instance is started. A core server of the platform instance is started and configured, contexts are created, and services and blocks are started and configured using the contexts.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed that enable task specific functionality, including real time processing, to be distributed across multiple configurable platform instances that can be arranged in a single or multi-tiered manner. In one example, the system includes multiple configurable platforms that are each based on an identical architecture. Each configurable platform has a core that is configurable to run services that provide mini runtime environments for blocks. Each service runs at least one block that provides the service with the task specific processing functionality contained within the block. The blocks can generally be run by any of the services. This enables a highly flexible system where the task specific functionally can be shifted around the system as desired by moving the blocks containing the task specific functionality to other services on the same configurable platform instance or on other configurable platform instances.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for reacquiring a service on a configurable neutral input/output (NIO) platform. In one example, the method includes determining, by a core of a NIO platform instance that is running on a device, whether any services that the core is configured to start are currently running on the device before being started by the core. The core attempts to reacquire any of the services that are currently running. Reacquiring a service integrates the service with the NIO platform instance and a normal startup process is not performed for any service that has been reacquired. The core performs the normal startup process to create a new instance of any of the services that have not been reacquired and are to be started.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for creating a configuration for a platform instance using a development environment that has a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes creating a service to be run by the platform instance and providing a graphical representation of a block library containing available blocks that are available for use by the service. Input is received via the GUI identifying at least some of the available blocks as selected blocks, where the selected blocks are to be run by the service. Input is received via the GUI arranging the selected blocks into an order of execution. The development environment generates and stores at least one configuration file containing the order of execution for use by the platform instance.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for providing persistence for components of a configurable neutral input/output (NIO) platform. For example, a block running with a service of the NIO platform may be configured to write information to and retrieve information from a persistence storage either directly or using an intermediary, such as a persistence module. The persistence of information enables the block to restart and resume running using a previous saved state.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for monitoring a plurality of mini runtime environments provided by a software platform. In one example, the software platform includes a core, multiple services, a monitoring component, and multiple blocks. The core is configured to interact with an operating system running on a device on which the core is running and includes the monitoring component. The services are configured to be run by the core. Each service provides a mini runtime environment for the blocks assigned to that service. The monitoring component monitors a current status of each service. Each of the blocks is configurable to run asynchronously and independently from the other blocks. The software platform is configurable to individually monitor any of the blocks for errors while the blocks are running within the mini runtime environment of the service to which the block is assigned.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for creating a configuration for a platform instance using a development environment that has a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes creating a service to be run by the platform instance and providing a graphical representation of a block library containing available blocks that are available for use by the service. Input is received via the GUI identifying at least some of the available blocks as selected blocks, where the selected blocks are to be run by the service. Input is received via the GUI arranging the selected blocks into an order of execution. The development environment generates and stores at least one configuration file containing the order of execution for use by the platform instance.

Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and architectures for a neutral input/output (NIO) platform that includes a core that supports one or more services. The core may be thought of as an application engine that runs task specific applications called services. The services are constructed using defined templates that are recognized by the core, although the templates can be customized. The core is designed to manage and support the services, and the services in turn manage blocks that provide processing functionality to their respective service. Due to the structure and flexibility provided by the NIO platform's core, services, and blocks, the platform can be configured to a synchronously process any input signals from one or more sources and produce output signals in real time.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for receiving sensor readings from one or more devices and processing the readings in real time to create an output. For example, the method may include, for each device, calculating a value based on the sensor readings obtained from the device for which the value is being calculated. Each of the values that satisfies at least one defined parameter is identified. All of the values that satisfy the defined parameter are aggregated to form an aggregated value. A defined action is executed based on the aggregated value. The steps of receiving, calculating, identifying, aggregating, and executing occur in real time without storing the sensor readings, the values, or the aggregated value.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for configuring a platform instance at runtime using predefined configuration information and contexts that contain at least a portion of the predefined configuration information and also contain dynamically generated information that is not available until the platform instance is started. A core server of the platform instance is started and configured, contexts are created, and services and blocks are started and configured using the contexts.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for creating a configuration for a platform instance using a development environment that has a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes creating a service to be run by the platform instance and providing a graphical representation of a block library containing available blocks that are available for use by the service. Input is received via the GUI identifying at least some of the available blocks as selected blocks, where the selected blocks are to be run by the service. Input is received via the GUI arranging the selected blocks into an order of execution. The development environment generates and stores at least one configuration file containing the order of execution for use by the platform instance.