Operational state management of connected user devices

A user device, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory including a plurality of computer-executable components that are executable by the one or more processors to perform a plurality of actions, the plurality of actions comprising:
• receiving heartbeat signals from multiple connected devices at the user device;
• determining, based at least on the heartbeat signals, whether at least one of the multiple connected devices is a higher-level hub device with an active network connection to a backend service and is connected to the user device;
• in response to determining that none of the multiple connected devices are a higher-level hub device with an active network connection to the backend service and are connected to the user device, establishing a network connection via a communication channel between the user device and the backend service;
• and
• in response to determining that at least one of the multiple connected devices is the higher-level hub device with an active network connection to the backend service and is connected to the user device, sending sensor data from the user device to the at least one of the multiple connected devices that is the higher-level hub device.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• receiving heartbeat signals from multiple connected devices at a particular user device;
• determining, based at least on the heartbeat signals, whether at least one of the multiple connected devices is a higher-level hub device with an active network connection to a backend service and is connected to the particular user device;
• in response to determining that none of the multiple connected devices are a higher-level hub device with an active network connection to the backend service and are connected to the particular user device, establishing a network connection via a communication channel between the particular user device and the backend service;
• and
• in response to determining that at least one of the multiple connected devices is the higher-level hub device with an active network connection to the backend service and is connected to the particular user device, sending sensor data from the particular user device to the at least one of the multiple connected devices that is the higher-level hub device.