Cooperation Node Selection for IoT Data Backup

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing IoT networks with large spans of space face unstable communication due to unattended devices and complex environments, leading to challenges in data backup and recovery when a node fails, particularly in smart grids where centralized structures delay failure detection and data loss occurs.

Innovation Solution

A method for determining a cooperation node by acquiring location information and selecting a node that does not share a common parent node or has a lowest-level common parent node closest to the root node, ensuring data backup and recovery redundancy by encoding information and comparing encoded bits to identify optimal backup nodes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional hop count or physical distance is used to select cooperation nodes, then node selection is simple, but data backup and recovery fail when multiple nodes experience the same failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata backup and recovery reliabilityVSAvoidnode selection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the selection parameter from hop count or physical distance to parent node relationship information. By encoding node locations and comparing encoded bits, the system selects cooperation nodes with different parent nodes, ensuring that backup nodes are not affected by the same failure causes as primary nodes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the network into hierarchical levels based on parent node relationships. By analyzing the encoded location information at different bit positions, the system identifies nodes at different hierarchical levels, ensuring diversity in failure modes and improving backup reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If centralized structure is used for data collection, then management is simplified, but failure detection is delayed and data loss occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanagement simplicityVSAvoidfailure detection timeliness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes preliminary cooperation node relationships before failures occur. By pre-selecting backup nodes with different parent node relationships, the system ensures that when a failure occurs, the backup node is already in place and can immediately take over, eliminating the delay in failure detection and response.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cooperation nodes as intermediaries between primary nodes and the management center. These intermediary nodes provide redundant data transmission paths, ensuring that if the primary path fails, data can still reach the management center through the backup path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If nodes with same parent node are selected as cooperation nodes, then node selection is straightforward, but both nodes may be isolated by the same failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenode selection easeVSAvoidcommunication guarantee
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces asymmetry in node selection by requiring that cooperation nodes have different parent nodes or different encoded bit patterns. This asymmetric selection criterion ensures that backup nodes are structurally different from primary nodes, reducing the probability that they will be affected by the same failure causes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3496367B1Method and apparatus for determining cooperating node
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 ZTE CORP
  • EP3496367B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3496367B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3496367B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining a cooperation node. The method includes: acquiring first location information of a target node when it is required to allocate a cooperation node to the target node; and selecting, from a plurality of nodes, the cooperation node satisfying a preset location requirement for the target node based on the first location information, where the plurality of nodes and the target node are located in a same network, and the preset location requirement refers to that the target node and the cooperation node do not have a common parent node or have a lowest-level common parent node closest to a root node. The present invention solves the technical problem in the related art of the failure in data backup and data recovery when a node fails.