VIRTUAL MODELS FOR ACCESS/CONTROL OF INTERNET OF THINGS (IoTs) DEVICES

A network device, comprising:

• a communication interface connected to a network;
• and
• a processing unit configured to:
• enable, via the communication interface, browsing of a plurality of pre-defined virtual models (VMs) associated with Internet of Thing (IoT) devices,
• receive, from a user device via the communication interface, selection of a first pre-defined VM from the plurality of pre-defined VMs, wherein the first pre-defined VM comprises at least one first device state and at least one first sensor type,
• receive, from the user device via the communication interface, instructions to modify the first pre-defined VM, by adding an additional device state or an additional sensor type to the first pre-defined VM or by removing the at least one first device state or the at least one first sensor type from the first pre-defined VM, to create a first customized VM associated with a first physical IoT device,
• store, via the communication interface, the first customized VM in a database that already stores the plurality of pre-defined VMs, and
• use the first customized VM for accessing or controlling the first physical IoT device.

A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by a computational device, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to cause the computational device to:

• provide a virtual model (VM) browser to a user device, wherein the VM browser enables browsing of a plurality of pre-defined device states and a plurality of pre-defined sensor types associated with VMs of Internet of Thing (IoT) devices,
• receive, from the user device via the VM browser, selection of at least pre-defined device state from the plurality of pre-defined device states or at least one pre-defined sensor type from the plurality of pre-defined sensor types to create a first customized VM associated with a first physical IoT device,
• cause the first customized VM to be stored in a database that already stores the plurality of pre-defined device states and the plurality of pre-defined sensor types, and
• use the first customized VM to provide access to, or control over, the first physical IoT device.