Control Loop Conflict Prevention via Mediator Coordination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communications networks, control loop actions and configurations across different management domains can lead to inefficient or conflicting changes in managed entities, resulting in ineffective attribute modifications.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for disabling or enabling control loop actions and configurations, which involves receiving requests from consumers to modify actions or attributes, determining their applicability, and enabling or disabling these changes within control loops to prevent conflicts and ensure efficient management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If multiple control loops operate independently across different management domains, then each control loop can autonomously manage its own entities, but conflicting or inefficient actions may be taken on the same managed entities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism that mediates between multiple control loops operating in different management domains. This intermediary coordinates actions across domains, preventing conflicting operations on the same managed entities while preserving the autonomy of individual control loops. The intermediary acts as a central authority that receives, validates, and approves actions before they are executed, ensuring consistency across the distributed control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where control loops report their intended actions and receive approval or rejection from coordinating entities. This feedback loop ensures that actions taken by one control loop are visible to and can be coordinated with other control loops, preventing conflicts while maintaining autonomous operation. The feedback system allows control loops to adjust their behavior based on the state and actions of other loops in the system.
2Productivity
If control loops can freely modify configurable attributes of managed entities, then rapid adaptation and response to changing conditions is achieved, but conflicting attribute changes may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by requiring control loops to declare their intended attribute changes in advance before actually executing them. This declaration phase allows the system to validate, approve, or reject proposed changes before they take effect, preventing conflicting attribute modifications. The preliminary declaration maintains rapid response capability while ensuring attribute consistency through pre-execution coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by preventing conflicting attribute changes before they occur. The coordinating mechanism identifies potential conflicts in proposed attribute modifications and blocks them in advance, rather than attempting to resolve conflicts after they have been applied. This approach maintains attribute consistency while allowing rapid execution of approved changes.
3Reliability
If centralized coordination is implemented to prevent conflicts between control loops, then action consistency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coordination function into discrete, modular components that operate independently. Rather than implementing a monolithic centralized coordinator, the system divides coordination tasks into separate functions such as action declaration, validation, approval, and execution monitoring. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity while maintaining effective coordination, as each segment can be developed, deployed, and managed independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universal coordination mechanisms that can handle multiple types of control loop actions and managed entities through a single framework. The coordination system is designed to be multi-functional, supporting various management domains and entity types without requiring separate coordination mechanisms for each. This universality reduces complexity by providing a unified approach to coordination across the entire system.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for disabling/enabling control loop actions and/or configurations is disclosed includes, in various examples, receiving a request from a consumer to disable or enable actions and/or configurable attribute changes for managed entities from being implemented by control loops or entities therein; determining whether the request is performable by the control loops or entities therein; and disabling or enabling an ability to execute the actions and/or configurable attribute changes on the managed entities by the control loops or entities therein in response to determining that the request is currently applicable and performable. A system may perform the method. In some examples, the method disables one or more second control loops/entities from performing actions/configurations that conflict with actions/configurations of a first control loop.