Fixed Communication Line Malfunction Detection and Recovery

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Fixed communication lines often experience gradual degradation due to software failures or equipment malfunctions, which can go unnoticed until communication is hindered, and automated reboot thresholds can lead to false positives and connectivity interruptions.

Innovation Solution

A method that monitors the states of fixed communication lines, extrapolates future states to predict potential declines below a minimum quality threshold, and initiates recovery actions such as forced renewal of IP addresses, terminal rebooting, or patching before actual failure, timed to occur during low-use periods to minimize disruption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If automated reboot is commanded on identifying a failure state, then communication reliability is improved, but false positive determinations cause excessive reboots and connectivity interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidfalse positive determinations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by monitoring communication line states and identifying gradual degradation trends before actual failure occurs. By detecting deterioration patterns early, the system can initiate recovery procedures proactively rather than reactively, preventing false positives triggered by transient conditions and improving the accuracy of failure detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring communication line states and comparing them against established thresholds and patterns. This feedback loop enables the system to distinguish between temporary fluctuations and genuine degradation, reducing false positive determinations while maintaining high reliability through accurate, context-aware decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If monitoring threshold is lowered to detect gradual degradation earlier, then detection capability is improved, but false positive determinations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoidfalse positive determinations

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system establishes baseline communication line states and degradation patterns as preliminary reference data. By having these pre-defined thresholds and patterns in place, the system can accurately detect gradual degradation when it occurs while maintaining measurement precision, as the detection is based on comparing current states against established norms rather than arbitrary low thresholds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts monitoring parameters based on the specific communication line characteristics and observed degradation patterns. Rather than using a fixed low threshold that causes false positives, the system adapts its detection parameters to match the unique profile of each communication line, improving both detection capability and measurement precision simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If recovery action is initiated early during low use time, then service disruption is minimized, but connectivity interruptions may still occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice disruptionVSAvoidconnectivity interruptions

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system schedules recovery actions during identified low-use periods as a preliminary measure to minimize service disruption. By proactively identifying optimal timing windows and preparing recovery procedures in advance, the system can execute maintenance tasks during periods of minimal impact, reducing both service disruption and connectivity interruptions through careful temporal planning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements beforehand cushioning by maintaining backup communication paths and pre-configuring recovery procedures before failures occur. This preparatory approach ensures that when recovery actions are necessary, they can be executed with minimal disruption to active services, cushioning the impact on connectivity and reducing the risk of interruptions during the recovery process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS11929868B2Method and apparatus for fixed communication line malfunction detection and recovery

Publication Date: 2024.03.12 ELISA OYJ

AI summary

A method, apparatus and computer program are disclosed for fixed communication line malfunction detection and recovery, including: monitoring states of a plurality of fixed communication lines; extrapolating future states of the plurality of fixed communication lines; determining a recovery group having as members any of the plurality of fixed communication lines having future states extrapolated to decline below a predetermined minimum quality threshold; and causing initiation of recovery action for each member of the recovery group before the extrapolated decline below the predetermined minimum quality threshold.