Gateway-Based Device Management Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing device management systems face inconsistencies in implementation across different manufacturers and devices, leading to a burdensome and costly interoperability testing process for server vendors, as each device must be individually tested to ensure accurate communication, and vendors are reluctant to share details due to competitive reasons.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that utilize a gateway to route signals from devices to servers based on device identifiers, with a repository that determines the appropriate server for communication, allowing for flexible routing and delegation of management tasks, reducing the burden of interoperability testing and enabling seamless changes in management authorities without disrupting users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If direct device-to-server communication is implemented without a gateway, then communication simplicity is maintained, but interoperability testing burden increases significantly for server vendors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication path complexityVSAvoidinteroperability testing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

A gateway is introduced as an intermediary component between devices and servers. The gateway receives management signals from devices, determines the appropriate server using repository information, and forwards signals to the correct server. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by adding communication path complexity at the gateway level while eliminating the need for extensive interoperability testing between each device and server combination, as the gateway handles protocol translation and server routing centrally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If device management standards are implemented with strict consistency requirements, then communication reliability is improved, but implementation flexibility across different manufacturers decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidimplementation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway implements local quality adaptation by maintaining a repository with device-specific information and routing rules tailored to different device types and manufacturers. Each device type can have customized routing criteria and server mapping stored in the repository, allowing the gateway to adapt its behavior locally for different device categories while maintaining overall system reliability through standardized gateway interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables parameter changes in the repository to dynamically adjust routing criteria and server assignments based on device characteristics. This allows the gateway to modify communication parameters such as server selection criteria, routing rules, and device identification methods without changing the core system architecture, thereby maintaining reliability while adapting to different manufacturer implementations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If device vendors share detailed device information with server vendors, then interoperability testing accuracy improves, but competitive disadvantages increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteroperability testing accuracyVSAvoidcompetitive disadvantage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Device-specific information and management signal handling responsibilities are extracted from the server and relocated to the gateway. The gateway maintains a repository containing detailed device information obtained from device vendors, while servers interact only with the standardized gateway interface. This extraction allows device vendors to share necessary technical information with gateway providers without exposing their devices to direct competition with server vendors, eliminating the harmful competitive factor while maintaining testing accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple servers manage different device types, then service specialization is improved, but routing complexity at the gateway increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice specializationVSAvoidrouting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the repository with device type information, identification criteria, and corresponding server mappings before actual device communication occurs. Routing rules are established in advance based on device characteristics such as manufacturer, model, or management object type. This preliminary preparation simplifies real-time routing decisions, allowing the gateway to quickly determine the appropriate server without complex runtime analysis, thus reducing routing complexity while maintaining service specialization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2306671B1Device management

Publication Date: 2016.12.21 WIRELESS DATA SERVICES

AI summary

A method for managing communication in a system comprising a device in communication with a server via a communication path is provided. The communication path comprises a gateway. A communication session is initiated by transmitting a request signal from the device to the gateway, the signal is then routed through the gateway and the signal is then transmitted from the gateway to the server.