Intermediate Router Switching Without IoT Device Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart home devices often require individual configuration and reconfiguration when switching or replacing routers, posing challenges for users due to technical complexity and time consumption.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate router that maintains network connections for multiple devices by seamlessly transitioning from a failing router to a new one without requiring reconnection, reactivation, or reconfiguration, using a separate network managed by the intermediate router.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each device is individually configured and connected to a router during initial installation, then network connectivity is established, but the process requires additional time and technical knowledge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate router as a mediator between the devices and the main router. The intermediate router maintains persistent connections to all devices and automatically forwards traffic to the main router, eliminating the need for individual device configuration while ensuring reliable network connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate router autonomously manages network connections by automatically detecting when the main router is unavailable, switching to backup routers, and maintaining device connections without requiring user intervention or technical knowledge, thus saving time while ensuring connectivity.
2Reliability
If each device is individually reconfigured when migrating to a new router, then connectivity is maintained, but the process requires additional time and technical knowledge
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate router serves as a mediator that absorbs the complexity of router migration. It automatically detects main router failures, contacts backup routers, and maintains device connections throughout the transition, making the process simple for users while ensuring continuous connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate router continuously monitors the status of the main router and automatically responds to failures by switching to backup routers. This feedback mechanism ensures connectivity is maintained without requiring user awareness or action, simplifying the migration process.
3Reliability
If devices are reconnected to a new router, then connectivity is established, but the process requires technical knowledge
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate router simplifies the complex reconnection process by acting as a buffer between devices and the router network. It automatically handles all connection switching and routing decisions, reducing the reconnection process to a simple device restart without requiring technical knowledge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network into device-to-intermediate-router connections and intermediate-router-to-router connections. This segmentation isolates the complexity of router reconfiguration from the devices, allowing simple device reconnections while handling routing complexity at the intermediate router level.
Data Source
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AI summary
A network router provides Internet connectivity to an intermediate router (e.g., implemented on a computer, smartphone or other device), which in turn provides Internet connectivity to a plurality of devices (e.g., IoT devices). During migration to a new router, the intermediate router may receive an indication that the first wireless router is out of service or no longer exists. Despite that the first wireless router is out of service or no longer exists, the intermediate router keeps each network connection from a plurality of devices to the intermediate router in a manner that is unaffected by the first wireless router being down or no longer existing (other than the plurality of devices experiencing a temporary Internet service interruption). The intermediate router then connects to a second wireless router to replace the first wireless router that is out of service or no longer exists. The intermediate router provides, via the connection to the new second wireless router, Internet connectivity to the plurality of devices connected to the intermediate router without reconnection, reactivation or reconfiguration of the plurality of devices to obtain the Internet connectivity.