Sensor Multiplexing in Linux Containers

We reduce sensor and compute hardware on the edge for different applications by safely sharing sensor hardware and compute resources. To this end, we propose an open architecture for multiplexing sensors in a Linux container environment. This allows to run independent applications requiring different sensor settings safely in parallel in a container on one edge device, ultimately consuming less power and reducing the number of sensors and compute hardware. We wrap native drivers on the host for each sensor and translate different configuration settings into one common configuration. The values produced by each sensor are preprocessed and distributed in accordance with container settings to the containerized application that will consume them. Preprocessing and distribution are implemented in kernel or user space. Applications can be developed and maintained under the illusion of exclusivity, allowing for easier maintenance and a more stable application behavior.