Features & System Architecture
The ifLink platform system is primarily comprised of ifLink Open Cloud that controls recipe creation and distribution, management of modules and terminals, and ifLink App which links the modules and executes If-Then recipes. You can use the microservices development kit provided by ifLink platform (Software Development Kit: SDK) to develop IMSs (ifLink microservices) that link with various devices, internet services, and smartphone apps and register them as shared*.
IMSs registered as shared can be selected from the If-Then Recipe Editor. You can also use data APIs to access data gathered from terminals in ifLink Open Cloud and develop apps that perform visualizations, analyses, and more.
＊Various microservices have been developed and registered as shared in ifLink Open Community which is independent of Toshiba.
System architecture schematic
Functionality Description
1. IoT devices can be modularized and shared
IoT devices can be developed as ifLink-compatible modules using a microservices development kit (SDK). Registering an ifLink module you developed as shared makes it available to large numbers of users.
2. Ability to run apps in non-internet environments
Install to a terminal that runs ifLink App to connect with IoT devices via local communications mediums such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and LAN while functioning as a controller. This can even be activated in environments that are not connected nonstop to the internet.
3. Ability to control app-running terminals
If-Then recipes created on ifLink Open Cloud can be distributed to execution terminals, enabling consolidated distribution to multiple terminals and the ability to check the usage status of each terminal.
4. Ability to utilize IoT data with server APIs
With the ability to collect and accumulate sensor and positional data in the ifLink Open Cloud, you can use a data API to visualize, monitor, analyze and perform other functions on the data.
Function to provide ifLink platform
ifLink Open Cloud
We create and distribute If-Then recipes and provide administrator functions according to user permissions via ifLink Manager which operates on computer browsers
ifLink Manager
We provide the administrator functions to manage terminals, users, groups, and modules from a computer browser.
Management functions (manage terminals, groups, modules) Create, share, and distribute If-Then recipes
We offer the following functions for creating If-Then recipes and sharing them with terminals to execute them.
- Create If-Then recipes
(Select “If” module and configure conditions, select “Then” module and configure actions) - Distribute created If-Then recipes to ifLink App
- Issue QR codes for the If-Then recipes and module configurations
Data APIs
We provide APIs that access sensor and positional data collected from terminals in ifLink Open Cloud.
Acquire time series sensor data, GPS data, and more
Real time relay of specified terminal data
ifLink App
ifLink App works on smartphones, tablets, and gateways, and links with local devices and web services to execute If-Then recipes.
If-Then Execution Engine
Executes If-Then recipes distributed from the ifLink Open Cloud to linked devices and other tools connected to the terminal
Server Send/Receive
Communicated with ifLink open cloud to receive recipes and send sensor data and execution logs
ifLink App UIs
Recipe Manager
Activates and deactivates distributed If-Then recipes.
Recipe Editor
Creates and updates If-Then recipes.
Manage Your Modules
Registers and controls devices linked to the executing terminal.
Execution Management
Monitors the If-Then run status of each recipe.
Open co-creation function
Microservices category
The microservices development kit can be used to add linked functions for coordination with various devices, smartphone apps, and web services (Note)
External Device IMS
Makes it possible to send out execution commands for If-Then recipes via external device IMS when linking to commercially available IoT devices. The local communication methods such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and EnOcean are used, although the method depends on the terminal functions.
Internet IMS
Enables communication of execution commands for If-Then recipes via internet IMS standards such as JSON, MQTT, and SQS when linked with IoT services and web services on the internet.
Smartphone App IMS
Enables communication of execution commands for If-Then recipes via smartphone app IMS when linked with sensors built into smartphones and apps with the ifLink Application Interface (IAI*) installed.
* ifLink Application Interface (IAI): An interface for linking ifLink with other smartphone apps
Visualization UIs
Using data APIs, you can develop web service apps that perform visualizations, monitoring, and analyses using data collected in ifLink Open Cloud.
(Deployment examples) Surveillance monitoring apps / linkage with visualization tools / execution directions for specified recipes / linkage with map information / transferring sensor data, etc.
Note) Various microservices have been developed and registered as shared in ifLink Open Community which is independent of Toshiba.
Examples of modules that can be combined using If-Then
Using ifLink platform, you can connect to many different IoT devices and web services around the world. For example, IoT devices and web services that detect something could be the “If” module, those that react based on results from what was detected could be the “Then” module, or they could be modules connected to both of these.
Partners who join the ifLink business ecosystem can utilize modules registered as shared in ifLink platform.
- ifLink is a registered trademark of Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation. In some cases, other company names and product names displayed on this site are being used as trademarks or registered trademarks of those companies.
- The content of this site is subject to change without prior notice.
