Gateway Tunnel Backup Link for CPE
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customer premises equipment (CPE) requires a dedicated wireless module for wireless link backup, incurring additional hardware and development costs, which is not efficiently addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a gateway with a processor to detect disruptions in the internet connection and establish a tunnel between the gateway and user devices, using existing wireless interfaces like WiFi, to provide a communication backup link, thereby eliminating the need for a dedicated wireless module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated wireless module (USB dongle) is used for wireless link backup on CPE, then wireless backup functionality is achieved, but hardware cost and development cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway's existing wireless interface (designed for primary internet access) is made to serve dual purposes: both as the primary internet connection and as a backup communication link. The system enables the same wireless hardware to function in both primary and backup roles, eliminating the need for a dedicated backup wireless module.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the primary internet access function and the backup communication function into a single wireless interface. By merging these two previously separate functions into one hardware component, the system reduces hardware complexity and cost while maintaining both functionalities through software-controlled tunnel establishment.
2Reliability
If a dedicated wireless module is added to CPE for backup link, then backup communication capability is provided, but development cost on CPE increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway's existing wireless interface is configured to perform multiple functions including primary internet access and backup communication. This multi-functionality approach eliminates the need for separate development and integration of a dedicated backup wireless module, thereby reducing development costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the gateway's own existing wireless interface and internet connection capability to provide the backup communication function. Rather than requiring external or additional dedicated hardware, the gateway leverages its own resources (wireless interface, processing capability) to create the backup link through software-based tunneling.
3Device complexity
If existing wireless interface is used for both primary and backup connection, then hardware cost is reduced, but connection reliability may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network connection into two distinct logical paths: the primary internet connection and the backup communication link. Even though they share the same physical wireless interface, the system creates separate network routes and uses tunneling protocols to distinguish and manage traffic for each function, ensuring that backup communication remains reliable and isolated from primary connection issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a tunnel protocol as an intermediary layer between the shared wireless interface and the backup communication function. This tunnel acts as a mediator that encapsulates and protects the backup communication traffic, ensuring its reliability even when sharing the physical interface with the primary connection. The tunneling mechanism provides logical separation and reliability guarantees.
Data Source
AI summary
It is provided a method for providing a communication backup link, wherein a user device has a first connection to a gateway and a second connection to Internet, and the gateway has a connection to Internet, wherein at gateway comprising detecting disruption of the connection to Internet (301); and establishing a tunnel between the gateway and the user device as the communication backup link to Internet (306).