Multi-Tenant Edge Cloud Process Control with Resource Guarantees

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional systems fail to provide real-time guarantees for edge cloud environments without interfering with non-real-time processes, as they lack mechanisms to schedule real-time processes without violating resource controls in multi-tenant scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A process control node allocates resources for real-time processes within a multi-tenant environment, ensuring that real-time processes do not preempt resources reserved for other tenants by enforcing resource quotas and priorities through an admission control mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If real-time processes are launched in conventional multi-tenant systems, then real-time computing capacity is improved, but resource interference with non real-time processes occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time computing capacityVSAvoidresource guarantee for non real-time processes

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the multi-tenant platform into isolated resource partitions, where real-time processes and non-real-time processes are separated into different execution environments. This segmentation prevents resource interference while allowing both process types to coexist on the same physical infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary mechanism (admission control component) is introduced to manage resource allocation between real-time and non-real-time processes. This intermediary evaluates scheduling tests and makes admission decisions that prevent resource starvation of non-real-time processes while enabling real-time process execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If resource allocation is extended to support real-time processes, then computational capacity for real-time applications is improved, but resource control mechanisms become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputational capacity for real-time applicationsVSAvoidresource control mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary scheduling tests and admission control evaluations before allocating resources to real-time processes. This preliminary action ensures that resource allocation decisions are made in advance based on predefined criteria, avoiding complex runtime resource management while maintaining real-time guarantees.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes key parameters such as resource quotas, priorities, and scheduling constraints to accommodate real-time processes. By adjusting these parameters through admission control, the system achieves adaptability for real-time applications without fundamentally redesigning the entire resource control mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If shared resources are allocated to real-time processes, then real-time process execution is enabled, but resource preemption of non real-time processes may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time process execution speedVSAvoidresource preemption of non real-time processes

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by evaluating scheduling tests that predict and prevent resource preemption before it occurs. The admission control mechanism checks whether allocating resources to real-time processes would cause harm to non-real-time processes, and blocks allocation if negative effects are predicted.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potential harm of resource preemption into a benefit by using the scheduling test evaluation to make informed admission decisions. What could be harmful (resource contention) is transformed into a useful mechanism for ensuring fair resource distribution and maintaining system-wide reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS12423151B2Multi-tenant real-time process controller for edge cloud environments

Publication Date: 2025.09.23 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a process control node (210) configured to allocate resources shared by a plurality of tenant applications, wherein each tenant application comprises a selection of non real-time processes and real-time processes, the method comprising receiving a first resource request, from a tenant application, indicative of resources requested to be allocated, by the process control node, for one or more real-time processes of the tenant application, evaluating a scheduling test to determine if the set of processing resources can be allocated from the shared resources by determining if resources requested by the first resource request can be allocated, and if it is determined that the requested resources can be allocated from the shared resources, the method further comprises performing the steps starting the one or more real-time processes of the tenant application within a resource partition of the tenant application, calculating updated resource quotas and priorities for non real-time processes comprised by the tenant application, transmitting a first resource response to the tenant application.