Processing of IoT data by intermediaries

A computer program product for opaque processing of Internet of Things (IoT) data in a gateway in a hierarchy of connected gateways,

• the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions being executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:
• receiving, at the gateway, data from an IoT enabled device, wherein the data comprises a header that is readable by the gateway and an encrypted payload that is not readable by the gateway, and
• wherein the header contains information about what executable package to use for processing the IoT data at the gateway;
• selecting an executable package from a plurality of executable packages in accordance with the information contained in the header,
• wherein the selecting the executable package is based on one or more of:
• type of payload, ultimate receiver of the payload, geographical origin of the payload, and time of day,
• wherein the executable package includes an opaque algorithm for processing the encrypted payload at the gateway,
• wherein the plurality of executable packages include private opaque algorithms that are owned by various private entities for processing their own IoT data and do not want to have their opaque algorithms and their own IoT data revealed to the hierarchy of connected gateways;
• loading the selected executable package into a container on the gateway;
• processing, inside the container, by the opaque algorithm, the encrypted payload of the data, wherein the opaque algorithm, the encrypted payload processed inside the container and the processing by the opaque algorithm are invisible to the gateway, and comprises:
• decrypting the encrypted payload,
• applying the opaque algorithm to the decrypted payload, and
• encrypting the results from the application of the opaque algorithm to the decrypted payload;
• adding a new header that is readable by the gateway to the encrypted results,
• wherein the new header contains routing information and information about what executable package to use for processing the IoT data at a different gateway in the hierarchy of gateways;
• and
• forwarding the data including the new readable header and the encrypted results to the different gateway, based on routing information contained in the new header.

A system for opaque processing of Internet of Things (IoT) data in a gateway in a hierarchy of connected gateways comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory containing instructions that when executed by the processor causes the following steps to be performed:
• receiving, at the gateway, data from an IoT enabled device, wherein the data comprises a header that is readable by the gateway and an encrypted payload that is not readable by the gateway, and
• wherein the header contains information about what executable package to use for processing the IoT data at the gateway;
• selecting an executable package from a plurality of executable packages in accordance with the information contained in the header,
• wherein the selecting the executable package is based on one or more of:
• type of payload, ultimate receiver of the payload, geographical origin of the payload, and time of day,
• wherein the executable package includes an opaque algorithm for processing the encrypted payload at the gateway,
• wherein the plurality of executable packages include private opaque algorithms that are owned by various private entities for processing their own IoT data and do not want to have their opaque algorithms and their own IoT data revealed to the hierarchy of connected gateways;
• loading the selected executable package into a container on the gateway;
• processing, inside the container, by the opaque algorithm, the encrypted payload of the data, wherein the opaque algorithm, the encrypted payload processed inside the container and the processing by the opaque algorithm are invisible to the gateway, and comprises:
• decrypting the encrypted payload,
• applying the opaque algorithm to the decrypted payload, and
• encrypting the results from the application of the opaque algorithm to the decrypted payload;
• adding a new header that is readable by the gateway to the encrypted results,
• wherein the new header contains routing information and information about what executable package to use for processing the IoT data at a different gateway in the hierarchy of gateways;
• and
• forwarding the data including the new readable header and the encrypted results to the different gateway, based on the routing information contained in the new header.