CoAP Multicast Repair for IoT Firmware Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for transmitting large firmware updates over CoAP in IoT networks are inefficient and prone to errors, particularly due to the lack of standardized retransmission methods and the flooding of acknowledgments in multicast transmissions.
Innovation Solution
A network device is configured to assist an application server in CoAP communications by informing client devices of multicast repair functionality, receiving indications of missing data blocks, and deciding to transmit these blocks via unicast, multicast, or both, based on network conditions and transmission windows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multicast transmission is used to update multiple devices simultaneously, then transmission efficiency is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to error-prone transmissions and lack of standardized retransmission methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multicast transmission coordinator as an intermediary component that manages the transmission process. This coordinator handles retransmission logic and coordinates between the application server and client devices, enabling reliable delivery over multicast while maintaining transmission efficiency. The coordinator acts as a mediator that implements standardized retransmission methods without requiring changes to the core multicast protocol.
2Reliability
If retransmission of missing blocks is implemented, then transmission reliability is improved, but the number of transmissions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by having the application server send forward error correction (FEC) codes along with the data blocks in the initial transmission. This preliminary encoding allows client devices to reconstruct missing blocks without requiring retransmissions, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the number of additional transmissions needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes transmission parameters based on network conditions and reception status. When blocks are successfully received, no retransmission occurs. When blocks are missing, the system adjusts by requesting only the specific missing blocks rather than retransmitting the entire data set, thereby improving reliability while limiting the increase in total transmission count.
3Adaptability or versatility
If CoAP block-wise protocol is used to break down large data objects, then transmission adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to block management overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the block management complexity from the client devices and concentrates it in the application server and multicast transmission coordinator. The server handles block segmentation, ordering, and reassembly logic, while client devices only need to receive blocks and reassemble them using provided metadata. This extraction reduces device complexity while maintaining the adaptability benefits of block-wise transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
Method, network device and a computer program in a communication network (100) for the assisting of an application server (130) using the Constrained Application Protocol, CoAP, in the communication of a data object (600) to client devices (110), whereby the data object comprises data blocks (601-609). The network device is operative to inform of a multicast repair functionality. The network device is operative to receive at least one indication of at least one missing data block from a client device that did not successfully receive a data block within a transmission window. The network device is operative to decide to transmit and initiate transmission of the one or missing data block via unicast, multicast or both unicast and multicast. A computer program product is also disclosed.