Asynchronous Middleware for Wireless Handheld Data Sync

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless solutions for mobile hand-held computers are not scalable and efficient in handling large numbers of devices, as they assume a perfect and always-available wireless link, leading to high processing loads and frequent failures when servicing hundreds or thousands of devices.

Innovation Solution

An asynchronous middleware system that anticipates the needs of wireless mobile hand-held computers by pre-processing information when they are offline, reducing communication overhead, and allowing devices to initiate connections only when necessary, using a distribution engine and triage module to manage and prioritize data transfers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional wireless solutions assume a perfect and always-available wireless link, then simple communication protocols can be used, but the system fails to scale and becomes unreliable when servicing hundreds or thousands of devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication protocol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing communication links in advance before they are needed. The articulation engine proactively connects to mobile hand-held computers, pushes information to them, and maintains these links even when not actively transmitting data. This allows the system to handle intermittent wireless connections reliably without requiring complex real-time negotiation protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an articulation engine as an intermediary component between the back-end computer system and mobile hand-held computers. This intermediary manages the complexity of wireless communications, handles link establishment and maintenance, and abstracts these complexities away from both the end devices and the core system, enabling scalable deployment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If the system services a large number of wireless mobile hand-held computers, then network coverage and data availability improve, but processing loads increase and system performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of devices servicedVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing communication links in advance before they are needed. The articulation engine proactively connects to mobile hand-held computers, pushes information to them, and maintains these links even when not actively transmitting data. This allows the system to handle intermittent wireless connections reliably without requiring complex real-time negotiation protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic action through scheduled information pushes and link maintenance activities. The articulation engine periodically checks for devices that need information, pushes data at optimal intervals, and maintains communication links through periodic heartbeats or status checks, rather than attempting continuous real-time communication with all devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of information

If communication links are established frequently to ensure data synchronization, then data freshness improves, but communication time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata synchronizationVSAvoidcommunication time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing communication links in advance before they are needed. The articulation engine proactively connects to mobile hand-held computers, pushes information to them, and maintains these links even when not actively transmitting data. This allows the system to handle intermittent wireless connections reliably without requiring complex real-time negotiation protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses copying by creating local copies of information on mobile hand-held computers rather than maintaining continuous real-time synchronization. The articulation engine pushes information to devices in advance, and devices operate with these local copies until the next synchronization opportunity, reducing the need for frequent communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS8028039B1System and method for communicating data between wireless mobile hand-held computer and a back-end computer system

Publication Date: 2011.09.27 ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORP

AI summary

An asynchronous, middleware system positioned between a larger computer system and a wireless mobile hand-held computer anticipates the needs of a wireless mobile hand-held computer that is served by the middleware system. The middleware system can anticipate and process needs for a mobile hand-held computer when the hand-held computer is not “synchronized” with a larger computer network. The middleware system can be designed to prepare information for downloading from a larger computer system to a wireless mobile hand-held computer well in advance of a communication link while the hand-held computer is not “synchronized” with the larger computer network. The middleware system can provide a network architecture that is very durable, scaleable, and flexible to serve hundreds and thousands of wireless mobile hand-held computers.