Co-Prime Time Interval Device Partitioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large networks of devices are vulnerable to malware spread due to simultaneous communication, which increases the instantaneous load and rapid propagation of anomalies, necessitating a method to reduce this spread and alleviate load on the system.
Innovation Solution
Partitioning devices into groups with co-prime time intervals for communication, ensuring each group is active only during assigned periods, thereby limiting simultaneous communication and slowing malware propagation, while allowing all devices to communicate periodically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If devices communicate simultaneously without restrictions, then communication efficiency is improved, but malware spread speed increases and system load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by implementing time-based communication windows where devices are assigned specific time periods for communication. During these periodic intervals, devices can communicate efficiently, while outside these periods, communication is restricted to prevent malware spread. This creates a rhythm of allowed and restricted communication that balances productivity and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the device population into different groups with distinct communication time windows. By dividing the overall device set into subsets that communicate at different times, the system maintains communication efficiency for each group while preventing cross-group malware propagation. This segmentation isolates potential malware outbreaks to specific time periods and device groups.
2Power
If devices offset transmit times to reduce instantaneous load, then system load is reduced, but communication between some devices may never occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual time-offset schedules into coordinated communication windows where devices from different groups are allowed to communicate simultaneously during their assigned periods. This combining approach ensures that while individual devices still have staggered transmit times to reduce instantaneous load, the system as a whole provides regular opportunities for inter-group communication, preventing complete communication isolation.
3Productivity
If all devices transmit data at regular intervals simultaneously, then data collection efficiency is improved, but instantaneous system load increases and malware can infect all devices at once
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic data collection where devices transmit data at regular intervals, but different device groups are assigned different periodic schedules. This ensures that data collection remains efficient for each group while the staggered periodic timing across groups reduces the instantaneous load on the system and prevents simultaneous malware propagation across all devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for partitioning a plurality of devices in a communications system. The method includes providing the communications system with a central server that communicates with each of the plurality of devices. The communications system communicates in a plurality of time periods. The plurality of devices is partitioned into two or more groups of devices. Time periods of the plurality of time periods are assigned for communications of the two or more groups of devices. Time intervals between the time periods for the two or more groups are determined to be co-prime time intervals greater than one, and each of the two or more groups is assigned a different time interval of the co-prime time intervals. The two or more groups are active for communications only during the assigned time periods determined by the co-prime time intervals. A device is also provided for operating in the communications system.