Gateway Apparatus Dual-CPU Power Cutoff Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gateway apparatuses face challenges in successfully transferring their function to an alternate apparatus when the primary power supply is cut off, particularly due to network failures or power supply issues, which can lead to communication disruptions and data loss during tasks like printing.
Innovation Solution
A gateway apparatus with a main CPU and a sub CPU, where the sub CPU operates at a lower voltage, detects power supply states and generates transfer instruction messages to an alternate apparatus, ensuring seamless function transfer before the secondary power supply drops below operational limits, using a detecting unit, generating unit, acquiring unit, updating unit, and transmitting unit to manage communication control and relay data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the gateway apparatus uses a main CPU with high information processing capacity, then the communication control performance is improved, but the lower limit of the operation-guarantee voltage becomes higher, making it difficult to complete function transfer before power cutoff
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway apparatus is divided into two CPUs: a main CPU for high-performance communication control during normal operation, and a sub CPU with lower voltage requirements for executing function transfer operations during power cutoff events. This segmentation allows each CPU to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between processing capacity and voltage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sub CPU acts as an intermediary that takes over the gateway function when the main CPU can no longer operate due to power cutoff. The sub CPU receives transfer instructions from the main CPU and maintains communication relay functionality, ensuring system reliability during power supply disruptions.
2Reliability
If the gateway apparatus minimizes processing operations during power cutoff, then the function transfer can be completed before voltage drops, but the communication control capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway apparatus is divided into two CPUs: a main CPU for high-performance communication control during normal operation, and a sub CPU with lower voltage requirements for executing function transfer operations during power cutoff events. This segmentation allows each CPU to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between processing capacity and voltage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by switching from the main CPU to the sub CPU during power cutoff events. The sub CPU operates with different voltage parameters that allow it to function reliably when the main CPU can no longer operate, ensuring continuous communication control capability.
3Speed
If the gateway apparatus determines the alternate apparatus state beforehand, then the function transfer speed is improved, but the system cannot cope with network failures or power supply issues at the alternate apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The main CPU performs preliminary actions by determining the state of the alternate apparatus and generating transfer instructions before the power cutoff occurs. This allows the system to be prepared for rapid function transfer while still having the flexibility to adapt if the alternate apparatus becomes unavailable due to network failures or power issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to continuously monitor the state of the alternate apparatus. Based on this feedback, the main CPU can adjust the transfer instructions or select different alternate apparatuses, ensuring adaptability to changing conditions while maintaining efficient function transfer.
4Loss of energy
If the gateway apparatus sends only a transfer instruction to the alternate apparatus, then the data transmission is minimized, but the communication being relayed is discarded causing data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The main CPU performs preliminary actions by determining the state of the alternate apparatus and generating transfer instructions before the power cutoff occurs. This allows the system to be prepared for rapid function transfer while still having the flexibility to adapt if the alternate apparatus becomes unavailable due to network failures or power issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to continuously monitor the state of the alternate apparatus. Based on this feedback, the main CPU can adjust the transfer instructions or select different alternate apparatuses, ensuring adaptability to changing conditions while maintaining efficient function transfer.
Data Source
AI summary
A gateway apparatus connected to an image processing apparatus in a communicable manner and connected to an external apparatus via a network, and performing communication control between the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus, includes: a main CPU; a sub CPU; a first detecting unit configured to detect a state of a primary power supply; a second detecting unit configured to detect a state of a secondary power supply; a generating unit configured to generate a transfer instruction message; an acquiring unit configured to acquire information about a change in a state of the gateway apparatus or an apparatus located in the vicinity of the gateway apparatus; an updating unit configured to repeatedly perform updating of the transfer instruction message; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the last-generated or last-updated transfer instruction message to an external alternate apparatus.