Distributed Navigation Data Sharing via Switchable Mother-Child Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation data sharing systems in ships are vulnerable to failures, particularly when the server device fails, and suffer from time lags in data transmission due to separate communication networks for sensors and server devices, leading to instability in navigation data sharing.
Innovation Solution
A navigation data sharing system with multiple navigation instruments and sensors connected via a network, where each instrument can function as either a mother or child unit, allowing for seamless data sharing and automatic switching in case of failures, using a switch control module, delivery module, and representative sensor selection module to ensure continuous data availability and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a server device is used to share sensor detection values among multiple display units, then data sharing capability is improved, but system reliability deteriorates because a single server failure makes data sharing impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized server function into distributed functions across multiple navigation instruments. Each instrument can independently select sensors and share detection values with others, eliminating the single point of failure. The system segments the data sharing responsibility so that no single device controls the entire data flow, thereby improving reliability while maintaining data sharing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each navigation instrument is equipped with the capability to independently select representative sensors and share their detection values with other instruments. This self-service approach allows instruments to autonomously participate in data sharing without relying on a central server, enabling the system to maintain functionality even when individual instruments fail.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate communication networks are used for server devices and sensors, then network functionality is improved, but data transmission speed deteriorates due to time lags through network instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the communication networks by allowing navigation instruments to directly exchange sensor detection values without passing through intermediate network instruments that connect separate networks. This consolidation of communication paths eliminates unnecessary transmission hops and reduces time lags, thereby improving data transmission speed while maintaining network functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate communication networks connect servers and sensors through network instruments, then network architecture is improved, but system reliability deteriorates because failures in network instruments disable connected sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication architecture so that each navigation instrument can directly access and share sensor data without relying on a single network instrument to bridge separate networks. This segmentation creates multiple independent communication paths, ensuring that a failure in one network instrument does not disable the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential network instrument failures by establishing direct communication capabilities between navigation instruments beforehand. Each instrument is equipped with the ability to independently select and share sensor data, creating a backup communication path that cushions against the failure of any single network instrument.
Data Source
AI summary
A navigation system includes two or more navigation instruments connected with a network, and two or more sensors connected with the network and for detecting information to be used by the navigation instruments. The navigation instrument includes a switch control module for switching between a state in which the navigation instrument functions as a mother unit and as a child unit, a delivery module for transmitting through the network, when one of the navigation instruments functions as the mother unit, representative sensor selection related information to another navigation instrument that functions, the representative sensor selection related information being information about which sensor is to be used among the two or more sensors, and a representative sensor selecting module for selecting the sensor to be used based on the representative sensor selection related information received from the navigation instrument that functions as the mother unit.