Applying a metadata level for concurrency in wireless sensor networks

SUMMARY Achieving a clean separation of concerns is a well known approach to improving system adaptability and evolution. We propose to apply this principle to run‐time reconfigurable component models for networked embedded systems. By separating configuration properties from runtime component instances, we achieve: (i) improved support for concurrent component use, (ii) optimized resource use, and (iii) reduced effort in runtime configuration management. We demonstrate how this approach can be seamlessly implemented on existing component models for wireless sensor networks without imposing additional constraints and without changes to their API or coordination model. Furthermore, significant memory savings are achieved in concurrent scenarios. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.