How a Cloud Server Manages AI Services on Local Edge Devices

This patent describes a system where a central cloud server helps set up and run Artificial Intelligence tasks on local devices, like smart cameras, by sending them specific AI programs and then displaying the results.

What it covers

This system allows a cloud-based configuration server to manage Artificial Intelligence (AI) services on local edge computing devices. The configuration server provides a web page where a user can specify which edge computing device, terminal device, and AI service are needed. An AI service, which includes one or more 'edge applications,' is then deployed by the cloud server onto the chosen edge computing device, as described in claim 1. The edge computing device then acquires a multimedia data stream from a terminal device, like a camera, and uses the deployed AI application to process this data, performing 'application inference' to get a result. This result is sent back to the configuration server and then displayed on a connected display device. For example, a cloud server could deploy a facial recognition AI application to a local smart camera (edge device) to analyze video (multimedia data stream) from the camera (terminal device), then display alerts on a screen.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover systems where the AI service runs entirely on the cloud server without deployment to a local edge computing device, as claim 1 specifies the edge device performs inference.
• —Does not cover systems where the terminal device does not provide a 'multimedia data stream,' as this is explicitly required by claim 1 for the edge device to acquire.
• —Does not cover deployment methods that do not involve generating a configuration file, acquiring an executable file, a dynamic library, and an algorithm model, as specified in claims 2 and 3.
• —Does not cover systems where the configuration server, edge computing device, terminal device, and display device are all located in the same cloud environment, as claim 1 specifies edge, terminal, and display are 'local devices' and the server is a 'cloud device'.
• —Does not cover systems deploying non-AI services or applications that are not considered 'edge applications' within an AI service context.

The clever bit

The clever aspect is the centralized, streamlined management of complex AI services on distributed edge devices. It allows for flexible deployment and updates of AI applications, potentially as containerized images, from a single cloud interface, simplifying the operational burden of managing many remote AI-powered systems.

Why it matters

This patent addresses a key challenge in modern computing: efficiently deploying and managing complex AI applications on many distributed local devices, often called 'edge computing.' By centralizing the configuration and deployment from a cloud server, it simplifies the process for businesses and organizations that need to run AI close to where data is generated, like in factories or smart cities. This approach can reduce network latency and improve data privacy by processing data locally.

Real-world examples

• 1.Smart city surveillance cameras performing real-time traffic analysis
• 2.Factory automation systems using AI for quality control on the production line
• 3.Retail store analytics systems tracking customer behavior with local cameras
• 4.Home security systems with AI-powered object detection on the camera itself
• 5.Agricultural monitoring systems using AI to analyze crop health from local sensors