Edge Server Managed Rollback for Low-End Device Software Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Low-end devices, such as smart meters, face challenges in securing sufficient memory or storage for rollback software due to limited resources, making it difficult to implement a rollback technique to revert software in case of abnormalities post-update.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system comprising edge servers and low-end devices, where the edge servers manage software updates and rollbacks by storing version information and rollback software, allowing the low-end devices to revert to previous software versions when abnormalities occur, utilizing a processing circuit to detect abnormalities and initiate rollback requests.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If rollback software is stored in low-end devices to enable rollback capability, then system reliability is improved, but device memory/storage capacity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverollback capabilityVSAvoidmemory/storage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the rollback software storage function from the low-end device to the edge server. The low-end device no longer needs to store rollback software locally, instead it retrieves rollback versions from the edge server when needed. This resolves the contradiction by removing the storage burden from the constrained device while maintaining rollback capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The edge server acts as an intermediary between the low-end device and the rollback software repository. The edge server stores multiple software versions and provides them to the low-end device on demand, enabling rollback without requiring the device to maintain local storage of backup versions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If software update is performed rapidly to correct vulnerabilities, then security risk is reduced, but system stability is worsened due to insufficient testing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevulnerability correctionVSAvoidsystem stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining multiple pre-tested software versions on the edge server. When a vulnerability is discovered, the system can rapidly switch to a previously validated version rather than waiting for new updates to be tested and deployed, thus maintaining both security and stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by keeping backup software versions readily available on the edge server. This creates a safety buffer that allows the system to absorb update-related disruptions by reverting to known-good versions if abnormalities occur, cushioning against the instability risk of rapid updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If rollback technique is implemented in low-end devices, then abnormality recovery is improved, but device complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormality recoveryVSAvoidrollback mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex rollback management functionality from the low-end device to the edge server. The device only needs simple client-side functionality to request and receive rollback software, while the complex version management, storage, and distribution logic resides on the server side, thus improving recovery capability without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12260206B2Information processing device, information processing system and non-transitory computer readable medium

Publication Date: 2025.03.25 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

An information processing system includes an edge server and a low-end device. The edge server has a storage and a processor. The low-end device has a storage and a processor, connected to the edge server. The processor of the low-end device transmits abnormality information for detecting its own abnormality to the edge server, the storage of the edge server stores information on the software. The low-end device information includes the version of the software. The processor of the edge server detects an abnormality in the low-end device based on the abnormality information, acquires version information of the software, acquires information on rollback software which is a version of software older than a version in the version information of the software running in the low-end device from the storage, and requests the low-end device to roll back the software based on the information on the rollback software.