Information Processing Apparatus Communication Failure Data Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Information processing apparatuses face challenges in accurately recording and presenting utilization data during periods of communication failure with management apparatuses, leading to incomplete storage and lack of visibility into usage patterns.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that records failure and restoration times when communication with a management apparatus fails, and transmits these times along with utilization data to an external storage device, enabling the presentation of utilization information between these times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If utilization information is stored in the storage unit during communication failure, then the information can be retained locally, but the storage unit may become full and prevent accurate recording of utilization data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments utilization information into two categories: detailed utilization data (stored externally when communication is available) and essential summary data (stored locally in the storage unit). This segmentation allows the storage unit to maintain accuracy for critical period information without being overwhelmed by complete utilization details, resolving the contradiction between recording accuracy and storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes detailed utilization information from the storage unit, keeping only essential summary data (such as total utilization during communication failure periods). By taking out the bulk of utilization data and storing it externally, the storage unit maintains sufficient capacity to accurately record essential information during communication failures.
2Device complexity
If the storage unit has limited capacity, then the device can maintain compactness and lower cost, but utilization information during communication failures may fail to be stored completely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing a communication status determination mechanism that proactively identifies communication failures before they cause data loss. When communication failure is detected, the system immediately switches to local storage mode, ensuring utilization information is captured in the storage unit even though capacity is limited. This preliminary detection and response prevents information loss despite constrained storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an external storage device as an intermediary between the storage unit and the utilization information. During communication failures, the storage unit serves as a temporary holding area, and upon restoration of communication, the system transfers detailed utilization data to the external storage device. This intermediary approach allows the limited-capacity storage unit to maintain completeness of information by offloading data to external storage.
3Loss of information
If all utilization data is transmitted to external storage when communication is restored, then complete information can be recovered, but transmission time and network bandwidth are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential summary utilization information from the storage unit for transmission when communication is restored, rather than transmitting all detailed data. This extraction approach recovers the most critical information (utilization during failure periods) quickly, minimizing transmission time and network bandwidth usage while still achieving the goal of information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by transmitting a subset of utilization information (essential summaries from the storage unit) rather than complete detailed data. This partial transmission is sufficient to recover critical information about communication failure periods, achieving information completeness for the most important data while significantly reducing transmission time and network resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to: if communication with a management apparatus managing the information processing apparatus failed, record a failure time and a restoration time in a storage unit of the information processing apparatus, the failure time being a time of the failure of the communication with the management apparatus, the restoration time being a time of restoration of the communication; receive a presentation instruction to present information about utilization of the information processing apparatus; if communication with the management apparatus failed before reception of the presentation instruction, transmit the failure time and the restoration time to an external storage device; and present the information about utilization of the information processing apparatus between the failure time and the restoration time, the presented information about utilization being received from the storage device.