Dynamic DNS Server Selection in Vehicle Telematics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer devices connected to the Internet through vehicles experience delays and poor performance due to invalid or unavailable default DNS servers, which are not effectively resolved by existing systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) to provide a default DNS server address to consumer devices, maintaining a list of DNS servers ranked by performance characteristics, and updating the device with a higher-ranked DNS server if the initial request is not resolved within a time-to-respond limit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a default DNS server is pre-loaded in vehicle hardware, then the consumer device can initially connect to the Internet, but the connection becomes unreliable when the default DNS server is no longer valid or unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic DNS server selection by maintaining multiple DNS server addresses in the vehicle hardware and dynamically switching between them based on responsiveness. The system monitors DNS server performance and automatically updates the consumer device with alternative DNS servers when the current one fails to respond within a threshold time, transforming the static default DNS configuration into a dynamic, adaptive system that maintains reliability.
2Loss of time
If the vehicle hardware maintains a single default DNS server, then the system complexity is low, but the DNS resolution time increases when the default server is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-loading multiple DNS server addresses into the vehicle hardware before operation. When the consumer device connects, the system has already prepared a list of alternative DNS servers ranked by performance characteristics. This eliminates the need for time-consuming DNS server discovery when the default server fails, as the alternatives are already available for immediate switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle hardware acts as an intermediary between the consumer device and multiple DNS servers. It maintains a cached list of DNS server addresses and uses this intermediary role to redirect DNS queries to alternative servers when the default server is unresponsive, thereby reducing DNS resolution time without requiring complex client-side changes.
3Reliability
If the system continuously monitors DNS server responsiveness, then the DNS server availability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic monitoring of DNS server responsiveness rather than continuous monitoring. The system checks whether DNS servers are responding within a threshold time period and switches to alternative servers based on these periodic assessments. This approach maintains reliable DNS connectivity while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding constant monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for providing an address for a Domain Name System (DNS) server to a consumer device, wherein the consumer device connects to the Internet through a vehicle, includes providing an address for a default DNS server to the consumer device; receiving a request from the consumer device to convert a domain name to an Internet Protocol (IP) address using the default DNS server; forwarding the request to the default DNS server; determining if the request has been resolved by the default DNS server within a time-to-respond limit; and updating the consumer device with a different address for a DNS server retrieved from a list stored in vehicle hardware if the request has not been resolved within the time-to-respond limit.