Network Gateway Redundant Communication Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network gateways are susceptible to downtime due to failures in supporting access communication networks, such as severed cables in wireline networks or storm damage to wireless base stations, which can lead to significant inconvenience, revenue loss, and potential safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
Network gateways with redundant communication capability, featuring multiple access communication interfaces that enable operation across different access networks, ensuring continuous functionality even if one access network fails, by utilizing a multi-path protocol to route data packets through alternative communication links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a network gateway uses a single access communication interface, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability is poor due to susceptibility to access network failures
Solution Approach 1:
The network gateway is segmented into multiple independent access communication interfaces (first access communication interface and second access communication interface), each capable of operating on separate access networks. This segmentation allows the gateway to maintain communication functionality even when one interface or access network fails, directly resolving the contradiction by improving reliability through structural division.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by switching between different access networks based on availability. The network gateway dynamically alters its communication path by transitioning from the first access communication interface to the second access communication interface when network failures or congestion are detected, thereby maintaining reliability without permanently increasing structural complexity.
2Reliability
If a network gateway implements redundant communication capability with multiple access networks, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network gateway is pre-configured with multiple access communication interfaces and the capability to operate on different access networks before any failure occurs. This preliminary preparation ensures that when a network failure or congestion is detected, the gateway can immediately switch to an alternative interface without requiring complex real-time decision-making or reconfiguration, thus improving reliability while managing complexity through advance preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The network gateway autonomously monitors the status of its access communication interfaces and automatically switches between the first and second access communication interfaces based on detected network conditions. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external intervention or complex manual configuration management, allowing the system to maintain high reliability while keeping operational complexity manageable through automated self-monitoring and self-switching.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the network gateway switches between different access networks, then the service continuity is maintained, but the detection and measurement difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network gateway implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors the operational status of both the first and second access communication interfaces. When network failures, congestion, or performance degradation are detected through this feedback loop, the gateway automatically triggers a switch to the alternative interface. This feedback-driven approach maintains service continuity by enabling timely detection and response to network issues while managing measurement complexity through systematic status monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for redundant communication at a network gateway includes (1) exchanging data packets with a network application via a first access communication interface, (2) exchanging data packets with customer premises equipment (CPE) via a local communication interface, and (3) in response to occurrence of a first event, exchanging at least some data packets with the network application via a second access communication interface that is different from the first access communication interface.