There are seven levels of interoperability, each with more interoperability than the last. Next, we will discuss the different levels:
No interoperability: No interoperability refers to a situation where devices or systems are completely unable to communicate with each other. In such a scenario, data or information cannot be shared or exchanged between devices, and they are completely isolated from each other.
Technical interoperability: Technical interoperability refers to the ability of devices or systems to communicate with each other using common communication protocols and data exchange formats. In this case, devices can communicate with each other, but the data exchanged may not be easily understood by both parties. An example would be smart home devices such as thermostats, lighting systems, and security cameras using a common protocol such as Zigbee or Z-Wave to communicate with each other. However, the specific data each device sends might not be immediately interpretable by other devices if they are expecting data in a different format.
Syntactic interoperability: Syntactic interoperability refers to the ability of devices or systems to understand and interpret the syntax or structure of data exchanged between them. In this case, data is structured and formatted in a way that both devices can understand, but the meaning or semantics of the data may not be clear.
Semantic interoperability: Semantic interoperability refers to the ability of devices or systems to understand and interpret the meaning or semantics of the data exchanged between them. In this case, data is structured and formatted in a way that both devices can understand, and the semantics of the data are clear and consistent between both devices.
Pragmatic interoperability: Pragmatic interoperability refers to the ability of devices or systems to interact and cooperate with each other in a practical and functional manner. In this case, devices can exchange data, understand the meaning of the data, and work together to achieve a common goal.
Dynamic interoperability: Dynamic interoperability refers to the ability of devices or systems to adapt and change dynamically in response to changing requirements or conditions. In this case, devices can change their behavior, communication protocols, or data exchange formats in response to changing conditions, ensuring that they can continue to communicate and cooperate with each other.
Conceptual interoperability: Conceptual interoperability refers to the ability of devices or systems to understand and work with the same concepts, models, or data representations. In this case, devices can understand and work with the same data representations and models, ensuring that they can exchange data and work together in a meaningful and consistent way.
With that understanding of the types of interoperability, we can look at the different layers of IoT involved to consider.
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