Communications Agent Mediating Intermittent Data Transfers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data transfer processes in networks with intermittently connected devices require significant data traffic and often rely on undirected broadcasting, which increases the risk of unauthorized data manipulation and malicious software transmission, and necessitate maintaining up-to-date tables of connected devices, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A communications agent mediates data transfers by using a unique network address to facilitate request and registration messages between providers and consumers, reducing data traffic by limiting messages to only those necessary for establishing connections, and eliminating the need for continuous updates of device connection tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If undirected broadcasting is used to establish data transfer, then data transmission can be achieved between intermittently connected devices, but data traffic increases significantly and security risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communications agent as an intermediary component that mediates between consumers and providers. The agent receives requests from consumers, determines provider addresses, and establishes direct connections without requiring broad broadcasting. This intermediary approach reduces unnecessary data traffic while maintaining the ability to connect intermittently connected devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If undirected broadcasting is used to establish data transfer, then data transmission can be achieved between intermittently connected devices, but security risks from unauthorized data manipulation and malicious software increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communications agent acts as a security intermediary that controls and monitors connection establishment. By requiring consumers to send requests to the agent and having the agent determine provider addresses, the system prevents unauthorized broadcasting and reduces exposure to malicious software and data manipulation risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control where the communications agent receives consumer requests, determines appropriate providers, and manages connection establishment. This controlled feedback loop replaces uncontrolled broadcasting, allowing the system to maintain security while achieving data transmission between intermittently connected devices.
3Ease of operation
If tables of connected devices are maintained to enable data transfer, then data transmission can be established, but continuous updates are required leading to increased data traffic and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The communications agent centralizes the function of maintaining connection information. Instead of each device needing to maintain and update tables of connected devices, the agent holds this information and provides it on demand. This eliminates the complexity of distributed table maintenance while enabling easy data transfer establishment.
Solution Approach 2:
Providers send unsolicited registration messages to the communications agent, allowing the agent to automatically update its knowledge of available providers without requiring active maintenance or broadcasting. This self-service approach reduces the complexity of connection table maintenance while keeping the system operational.
Data Source
AI summary
A process and a computer establish a data transfer from a provider (1, 2) that provides data to a consumer (9) that uses the data. A consumer (9) transmits a request message (probe) for requested data to a communications agent (5). In response, the communications agent (5) adds an entry for the request message (probe) to a requests list (AL). Subsequently, a provider (1, 2) transmits a registration message (Hello) to the communications agent (5). The communications agent (5) searches the requests list (AL) for an entry for a request message (probe) that matches the received registration message (Hello). If a matching entry is found in the requests list (AL), the communications agent (5) initiates a data transfer from the provider (1, 2) to the consumer (9).