NAS backup control device and method based on front panel physical interaction

Abstract

The invention discloses an NAS backup control device and method based on front panel physical interaction, and belongs to the technical field of data storage and backup, the NAS backup control device comprises a front panel, the upper surface of the front panel is equally divided into a functional area A, a functional area B, a functional area C and a functional area D through two transverse and longitudinal staggered separation strips, the central position of the upper surface of the front panel is connected with a functional area selection knob, a pressing button is installed in the middle area of the upper surface of the functional area selection knob in an embedded mode, a director is fixed to the edge of the inner side of the functional area selection knob above the pressing button, and a color-changing LED indicating lamp is installed in the director in an embedded mode. And a main control chip is fixed in the front panel. The NAS backup control device does not need to depend on a network or an external terminal through the structures such as the mechanical rotating turntable, the physical keys and the multicolor LED state indicator lamp integrated on the front panel, is extremely simple to operate, visual in state and flexible and selectable in direction, supports preset strategy linkage, and is suitable for non-technical users to use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of data storage and backup technology, and more specifically, to a NAS backup control device and method based on front panel physical interaction. Background Technology

[0002] Most mainstream NAS (Network Storage Device) backup functions currently rely on web management interfaces, mobile apps, or SSH command-line tools. Users must complete the following steps to perform a backup: 1. Ensure the device is connected to the internet; 2. Open a browser or app on a computer or mobile phone; 3. Log in to the NAS management account; 4. Access the "Backup and Restore" module; 5. Manually select the source volume and target device, such as a USB hard drive, remote server, or cloud storage; 6. Configure the backup type (full / incremental), schedule, and retention policy; 7. Click "Run Now" or wait for the schedule to trigger.

[0003] The above process has the following significant problems: First, it is complex and has a high barrier to entry. Non-technical users find it difficult to understand concepts such as path selection and policy configuration, especially when the network is interrupted, the device is in the initialization phase, or no smart terminal is available, making it almost impossible to perform emergency backups. Second, it lacks a physical confirmation mechanism. High-risk operations such as "overwrite" and "delete" on the graphical interface rely on a single click for confirmation, which can easily lead to the overwriting or loss of important data due to accidental touches. Third, it has weak status awareness. Users need to continuously check the screen to understand the backup progress and cannot quickly determine whether the task is successful through the device itself. Fourth, it is heavily dependent on external devices and must rely on third-party terminals such as mobile phones and computers, which violates the edge computing concept of "device as a service". Fifth, it lacks flexibility. Although some products provide a "one-click backup" button, it usually only supports a fixed direction, such as internal disk → USB, and cannot switch to reverse recovery (USB → internal disk) or internal volume mutual backup, let alone call user-defined remote backup policies. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the prior art, the present invention provides a NAS backup control device and method based on front panel physical interaction. The NAS backup control device integrates a mechanical rotating dial, physical buttons and multi-color LED status indicators on the front panel. It does not rely on the network or external terminal, is extremely simple to operate, has an intuitive status, offers flexible direction selection and supports preset strategy linkage, and is suitable for non-technical users.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction includes a front panel. The upper surface of the front panel is divided into functional areas A, B, C, and D by two intersecting horizontal and vertical dividing strips. A functional area selection knob is connected to the center of the upper surface of the front panel. A push button is embedded in the middle area of ​​the upper surface of the functional area selection knob. A pointer is fixed to the inner edge of the functional area selection knob above the push button. A color-changing LED indicator is embedded in the pointer. A main control chip is fixed inside the front panel. The main control chip is connected to the functional area selection knob, the push button, and the color-changing LED indicator through a GPIO interface. A USB interface is also provided on the upper surface of the front panel.

[0007] As a further optimization of this solution, function area A corresponds to the backup mode from internal storage volume to external USB storage device, function area B corresponds to the backup mode from external USB storage device to internal storage volume, function area C corresponds to the backup mode that calls the first set of user-preset custom backup rules, and function area D corresponds to the backup mode that calls the second set of user-preset custom backup rules. The first set of user-preset custom backup rules and the second set of user-preset custom backup rules are pre-configured and enabled by the user after the NAS system is initialized through the Web management interface or client.

[0008] As a further optimization of this solution, the first set of user-preset custom backup rules and the second set of user-preset custom backup rules include target address, transmission protocol, encryption method and retention policy parameters.

[0009] As a further optimization of this solution, the digital signal output by the function area selection knob is identified as the current backup mode, and when the down button is pressed, the backup task corresponding to the backup mode is executed.

[0010] As a further optimization of this solution, the color-changing LED indicator displays different colors and flashing states to indicate whether the task is ready, running, or has failed.

[0011] This invention also discloses a backup method for a NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction, comprising:

[0012] Step 1: The main control chip continuously monitors the rotation position signal of the function area selection knob. The user rotates the function area selection knob according to the backup needs.

[0013] Step 2: The main control chip detects the rotation angle of the function area selection knob, determines that the pointer is in function area A, B, C, or D, and controls the color-changing LED indicator to display a solid green light, indicating that it is ready.

[0014] Step 3: The main control chip monitors the status of the pressed button. When a valid pressing action by the user is detected, the current function area gear code is read.

[0015] Step 4: Determine the backup mode based on the function area file code: If it is the standard mode, the backup task between local paths will be automatically built; if it is a custom rule file, the corresponding backup strategy pre-configured by the user will be loaded.

[0016] Step 5: Start the backup engine to perform data synchronization and control the color-changing LED indicator to switch to a flashing yellow state;

[0017] Step 6: After the backup is complete, switch the color-changing LED indicator to solid green to indicate a successful backup, or switch it to solid red to indicate a failed backup, and record the operation log.

[0018] As a further optimization of this solution, if the custom rule settings in step four involve remote targets, the main control chip will perform network connectivity testing and identity authentication verification before starting the backup.

[0019] As a further optimization of this solution, the pointer of the function area selection knob initially points to the area directly above, that is, when the rotation angle is 0°, the main control chip ignores the operation of pressing the button, and the color-changing LED indicator is off.

[0020] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0021] 1. Extremely simple operation. Non-technical users such as the elderly and children can complete the backup by "turning and pressing". No network or mobile phone is required. Specifically, the backup direction can be selected through the function area selection knob. One-click triggering: press down the button to start the backup task immediately.

[0022] 2. Flexible direction, supporting two-way backup, internal mutual backup and remote policy call, such as internal to USB, internal to internal, USB to internal, internal to cloud disk, USB to cloud disk and other multiple flow directions, covering more than 90% of daily scenarios;

[0023] 3. Intuitive status: The three-color LED provides status feedback with zero learning cost, which can intuitively reflect the ready, running, backup success and failure status, improving the user experience;

[0024] 4. Safe and reliable, physical buttons prevent accidental software touches, custom rules can be pre-configured, and it supports calling custom backup rules pre-configured by users through the web or client, such as backing up to cloud storage, remote NAS, etc., to achieve synergy between physical interaction and software policies and prevent unauthorized operations;

[0025] 5. It adopts pure GPIO signal interaction, without the need for an additional MCU or power consumption overhead, resulting in low power consumption and low cost. It only adds a small number of electronic components and does not require an additional high-performance processor, making it suitable for mass production of embedded NAS.

[0026] 6. It has strong emergency response capabilities and can still perform local backups during network outages to ensure data security. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front panel structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the front panel labeled with information in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a hardware connection block diagram of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the backup method of the present invention;

[0031] In the diagram: 1. Function Area A; 2. Function Area Selection Knob; 3. Press-down Button; 4. Color-changing LED Indicator; 5. USB Interface; 11. Function Area B; 12. Function Area C; 13. Function Area D. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the specific implementation of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The drawings only show components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape, and size of components in implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity, and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout may be more complex. For example, the thickness of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0033] like Figure 1As shown, this application includes a front panel. The upper surface of the front panel is divided into functional areas A1, B11, C12 and D13 by two intersecting horizontal and vertical dividing strips. A functional area selection knob 2 is connected to the center of the upper surface of the front panel. A push button 3 is embedded in the middle area of ​​the upper surface of the functional area selection knob 2. A pointer is fixed on the inner edge of the functional area selection knob 2 above the push button 3. A color-changing LED indicator 4 is embedded in the pointer. A main control chip is fixed inside the front panel. The main control chip is connected to the functional area selection knob 2, the push button 3 and the color-changing LED indicator 4 through the GPIO interface. A USB interface 5 is also provided on the upper surface of the front panel.

[0034] Specifically, the function selection knob 2 uses an coded rotary switch, such as ALPS SRGKAAE010, which outputs a 4-bit binary code and supports 16 levels; the push button 3 uses a metal spring micro switch with a lifespan of ≥100,000 cycles; the color-changing LED indicator 4 uses a common cathode RGB surface-mount LED, driven by the main control chip's PWM, and supports brightness adjustment; all signal lines are connected to the main control SoC, such as the GPIO group of Realtek RTD1619, Marvell Armada, etc., through PCB traces. A GPIO driver module is written in the Linux kernel layer to register interrupt or polling mechanisms. The NAS system daemon process captures and listens to GPIO signals. The web management interface provides a "custom backup rule" configuration entry, which supports setting: target type, such as Alibaba Cloud, Baidu Cloud, remote NAS; encryption options, such as AES-256; bandwidth limit; number of retained versions; notification method, etc.

[0035] The security mechanism verifies whether the target device is mounted before a key press is triggered; verifies network connectivity and authentication credentials before executing custom rules; and records all backup operations to the system log, such as / var / log / backup.log, for auditing purposes.

[0036] The actual structure of the manufactured front panel can be as follows: Figure 2 As shown, function areas A1, B11, C12, and D13 are labeled "DISK TO USB," "USB TO DISK," "Custom Button 1," and "Custom Button 2," respectively. The surface of the press button 3 is labeled "Press Conf irm." Hardware connections are as follows... Figure 3As shown, each position of the function selection knob 2 is connected to the GPIO pin of the NAS main control chip through independent pull-up / pull-down resistors. The push button 3 is connected to another GPIO pin. Each position outputs a unique binary level combination. The main control chip reads this combination to decode the current backup direction. The push button 3 supports long press operation. When the press duration exceeds the preset threshold, the main control chip terminates the currently running backup task and restores the LED to a solid green or solid red to indicate the interruption status.

[0037] The function definitions for each gear position are shown in Table 1 below.

[0038]

[0039] Table 1

[0040] Custom combination rule 1 and custom combination rule 2 can achieve multiple backup method combinations, such as simultaneous backup from USB to NAS local hard drive and USB to cloud disk, to achieve disaster recovery backup in two locations and three centers.

[0041] The backup method flowchart of this application is as follows: Figure 4 As shown, system initialization is required first. After the NAS device is powered on, the main control chip initializes the GPIO pins, configures the function selection knob pin 2 as the input mode, and enables the falling edge interrupt on the start button pin. The main control chip reads the current gear signal of the turntable. If the gear is in the valid backup mode, the color-changing LED indicator 4 will be driven to display a solid green light, indicating that the system is in the "ready" state. If the gear is in the disabled mode or a GPIO abnormality is detected, such as a short circuit or floating, the LED will remain off and will not respond to subsequent button operations.

[0042] Next, the user rotates the function area selection knob 2 on the front panel to the target backup direction according to the needs. For example, the 91° to 180° position corresponds to "USB device to internal storage volume". After the turntable is in place, the corresponding GPIO combination outputs a stable level. The user presses the center down button 3, which triggers the GPIO_KEY pin to generate a falling edge interrupt. The main control chip captures this event and enters the backup scheduling process.

[0043] The main control chip reads the current turntable gear code, such as the binary value composed of four GPIO lines D0 to D3, and determines the backup mode according to the gear mapping table. If it is a standard local mode, such as internal to USB, it automatically identifies the path of the mounted USB device and the internal volume path. If it is a custom rule gear, such as 181°–269°, it loads the corresponding preset strategy from the system configuration database, including target type, address, authentication credentials, etc., and lights up the LED to flash yellow at a frequency of 1Hz. It starts the background backup process and calls the adapted toolchain. Specifically, local backup: rsync or dd, remote backup: rclone, supporting S3 / WebDAV / FTP, or rsync over SSH. The main control chip continuously monitors the exit code, transfer rate and error log of the backup process.

[0044] Status feedback: If the backup is successful, the backup process will exit normally and the verification will pass. The yellow LED will turn off and switch to solid green, and a success log will be recorded. If the backup fails, and any of the following occurs, such as the target device is not connected, insufficient storage space, file verification error, network timeout, or permission denial, the yellow LED will turn off and switch to solid red. Alternatively, a 1Hz red flashing can be selected to enhance the warning.

[0045] In addition, during backup operation, if the user presses and holds the button for 3 seconds, the main control chip sends a termination signal SIGTERM to the backup process. After it safely exits, the LED returns to a solid green, indicating that it has returned to the ready state.

[0046] The specific implementation scenario is as follows: A user wants to back up family photos from an external USB hard drive to the internal storage of the NAS and synchronize a copy to a third-party cloud, such as Alibaba Cloud OSS or Baidu Cloud. This requires creating a set of custom backup rules in advance through the NAS's web management interface. Rule 1 corresponds to the turntable position 181°–270° and synchronizes the specified internal directory to the NAS and Alibaba Cloud OSS.

[0047] First, the USB hard drive was inserted into the USB port on the front panel of the NAS and was recognized by the system as / mnt / usb1. The internal storage volume / volume1 / photos has been created.

[0048] Then the user rotates the function selection knob 2 to the 181°-270° position, corresponding to "Custom Combination Rule 1";

[0049] Press button 3, and the NAS will automatically back up / mnt / usb1 / FamilyPhotos / to / volume1 / photos / and the specified directory of the third-party cloud storage. At this time, the LED will flash yellow to indicate that the data transfer is in progress.

[0050] Once the backup is complete, the LED will turn solid green, indicating a successful backup.

[0051] It should be noted that the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention. All documents mentioned in this invention are incorporated herein by reference as if each document were individually incorporated by reference. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the above description of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to the present invention, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction, characterized in that: The front panel includes a front panel whose upper surface is divided into functional areas A, B, C, and D by two intersecting horizontal and vertical dividing strips. A function area selection knob is connected to the center of the upper surface of the front panel. A push button is embedded in the middle area of ​​the upper surface of the function area selection knob. A pointer is fixed to the inner edge of the function area selection knob above the push button. A color-changing LED indicator is embedded in the pointer. A main control chip is fixed inside the front panel. The main control chip is connected to the function area selection knob, the push button, and the color-changing LED indicator through a GPIO interface. A USB interface is also provided on the upper surface of the front panel.

2. The NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction according to claim 1, characterized in that: Function area A corresponds to the backup mode from internal storage volume to external USB storage device; function area B corresponds to the backup mode from external USB storage device to internal storage volume; function area C corresponds to the backup mode that calls the first set of user-preset custom backup rules; and function area D corresponds to the backup mode that calls the second set of user-preset custom backup rules. The first set of user-preset custom backup rules and the second set of user-preset custom backup rules are pre-configured and enabled by the user after the NAS system is initialized through the Web management interface or client.

3. The NAS backup control device and method based on front panel physical interaction according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first set of user-preset custom backup rules and the second set of user-preset custom backup rules include target address, transmission protocol, encryption method and retention policy parameters.

4. A NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction according to claim 3, characterized in that: The digital signal output by the function area selection knob is identified as the current backup mode. When the down button is pressed, the backup task corresponding to the backup mode is executed.

5. A NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction according to claim 4, characterized in that: The color-changing LED indicator displays different colors and flashing states to indicate whether the task is ready, running, or has failed.

6. A backup method for a NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction according to claim 1, characterized in that: include: Step 1: The main control chip continuously monitors the rotation position signal of the function area selection knob. The user rotates the function area selection knob according to the backup needs. Step 2: The main control chip detects the rotation angle of the function area selection knob, determines that the pointer is in function area A, B, C, or D, and controls the color-changing LED indicator to display a solid green light, indicating that it is ready. Step 3: The main control chip monitors the status of the pressed button. When a valid pressing action by the user is detected, the current function area gear code is read. Step 4: Determine the backup mode based on the function area file code: If it is the standard mode, the backup task between local paths will be automatically built; if it is a custom rule file, the corresponding backup strategy pre-configured by the user will be loaded. Step 5: Start the backup engine to perform data synchronization and control the color-changing LED indicator to switch to a flashing yellow state; Step 6: After the backup is complete, switch the color-changing LED indicator to solid green to indicate a successful backup, or switch it to solid red to indicate a failed backup, and record the operation log.

7. The backup method for a NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction according to claim 6, characterized in that: If the custom rule settings in step four involve remote targets, the main control chip will perform network connectivity testing and identity authentication verification before starting the backup.

8. The backup method for a NAS backup control device based on front panel physical interaction according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the pointer of the function area selection knob is initially pointing to the area directly above, that is, when the rotation angle is 0°, the main control chip ignores the operation of pressing the button, and the color-changing LED indicator is off.

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