Compact Router Redundancy via Cold Standby Crosspoint Switch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital video routers lack a balanced approach to redundancy, with high-end routers providing excessive redundancy for 24/7 availability and less complex routers lacking necessary redundancy for non-mission critical applications, leading to inefficiencies in power consumption and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A compact router design incorporating an optional redundant and replaceable crosspoint switching device, power supply redundancy, and a configurable user interface, which maintains a standby crosspoint switch in a thermally cold state to reduce power consumption and extend electronics lifetime, allowing seamless failover with minimal service interruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-end routers provide full redundancy with hot-swappable components for 24/7 availability, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial redundancy by implementing only a backup crosspoint switch without full hot-swappable modular redundancy. The backup switch remains in a cold standby state with reduced power consumption, providing reliability improvement without the full complexity and power cost of complete modular redundancy systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by implementing redundancy selectively at the crosspoint switch level rather than throughout the entire router system. The backup crosspoint switch is integrated into the existing router architecture without requiring full modularization of all components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability
2Device complexity
If compact routers dispense with redundancy to reduce complexity and cost, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces partial redundancy by adding a backup crosspoint switch to the compact router architecture. This provides the necessary reliability improvement for non-mission critical applications without implementing full modular redundancy, maintaining relatively simple device complexity
3Speed
If a standby crosspoint switch is maintained in full operating power state, then failover speed is improved, but power consumption and electronics lifetime are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the power state parameter of the backup crosspoint switch from full operating power to a reduced power state. The backup switch consumes less than full operating power but remains sufficiently powered to enable failover, optimizing the balance between failover speed and power consumption/electronics lifetime
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic power management where the backup crosspoint switch operates in a flexible power state between full operation and complete standby. The power consumption is adjusted dynamically based on failover requirements, allowing the system to adapt between speed and energy efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A compact router with redundancy includes embodiments having main and backup crosspoint switching devices wherein one of the switching devices is removable from a main circuit board via a quick disconnect means such as an electrical connector.