Communication Device Link-Up Control Using Pre-Stored Master Slave Information

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Solution Overview

Problem

In industrial settings, frequent device replacements lead to repeated link-up and link-down scenarios, making Auto-Negotiation processes time-consuming and unreliable for establishing Ethernet connections between devices.

Innovation Solution

A communication device with a master/slave information storage unit and a learning signal transmission/reception unit that allows for fast link-up by omitting the Auto-Negotiation process, using learning signals to establish connections quickly and reliably, with a link-up control unit that reinitiates the learning process if link-up is not established within a certain time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Auto-Negotiation is performed each time link down occurs, then reliable connection establishment is achieved, but link-up time becomes excessively long

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidlink-up time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing master/slave information in a storage unit before link establishment is needed. When link down occurs, the stored information is immediately retrieved and used to skip the Auto-Negotiation process, enabling fast re-establishment of the link. This pre-stored information serves as preliminary preparation that eliminates time-consuming negotiation procedures during subsequent link recovery operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If Auto-Negotiation is performed frequently, then compatible device pairing is ensured, but productivity decreases due to repeated negotiation overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice compatibilityVSAvoidlink establishment speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the Auto-Negotiation process from the link establishment procedure when stored master/slave information is available. By taking out the unnecessary negotiation step and directly using pre-stored information for port role assignment, the system eliminates redundant operations while maintaining device compatibility, thereby significantly improving link establishment speed in frequent replacement scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If learning process is continuously reinitiated without time limits, then link-up reliability is improved, but system resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelink-up establishmentVSAvoidprocessing resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by implementing a link-up control unit that manages the learning process with periodic time-based control. The unit counts the number of learning attempts and compares it against a predetermined threshold, allowing the learning process to be reinitiated only a limited number of times. This periodic control mechanism ensures reliable link-up establishment while preventing excessive resource consumption by stopping further learning attempts when the threshold is exceeded.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10797932B2Communication device, link-up method, and communication system

Publication Date: 2020.10.06 RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORP

AI summary

In order to quickly and reliably establish link up, when a communication device detects power on or link down, an idle signal generation circuit generates an idle signal. Then, an I/F circuit transmits the idle signal to a communication device which is a communication partner through a selection circuit. Further, the I/F circuit transmits and receives learning signals to and from the communication device which is a communication partner. A Step 1 learning circuit, a Step 2 learning circuit, and a Step 3 learning circuit establish link up by using the learning signals. When not receiving a signal from a link detection circuit indicating that link up is established, a reset mask circuit transmits a reset signal generated by a reset signal generation circuit, to the Step 1 learning circuit, the Step 2 learning circuit, and the Step 3 learning circuit to allow them to learn again.