Distributed Ledger Control for IoT Device Malfunction Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Delivery companies face inefficiencies and extra costs due to IoT devices like delivery lockers malfunctioning at their locations, requiring delivery personnel to search for and move to alternative functioning devices, leading to wasted time and energy.
Innovation Solution
A control method utilizing a distributed ledger system where IoT devices report malfunctions, allowing servers to verify and record this information, preventing users from accessing malfunctioning devices and ensuring only operational devices are used, thereby reducing unnecessary movement and energy expenditure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If delivery personnel purchase the right to use an IoT device at a location away from the device, then the transaction can be completed in advance, but the device may be malfunctioning when the personnel arrive at the location
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having IoT devices proactively report their operational status to the distributed ledger before delivery personnel arrive. The malfunction detection and reporting mechanism operates in advance, allowing the system to identify and exclude malfunctioning devices from available options before the delivery personnel need to use them.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where IoT devices automatically monitor their own operational status and report changes to the distributed ledger. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures that the availability information in the ledger remains current, allowing delivery personnel to make informed decisions about which devices to use.
2Productivity
If delivery personnel search for and move to alternative functioning devices when a device is malfunctioning, then delivery can still be completed, but unnecessary time and energy are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The distributed ledger maintains pre-updated information about the operational status of all IoT devices in the network. Delivery personnel can query the ledger in advance to identify only functioning devices, eliminating the need to physically search for and move to alternative devices when malfunctions occur.
3Loss of information
If the system uses a distributed ledger to record device status, then information accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distributed ledger serves multiple functions simultaneously: it records device operational status, tracks transaction history, validates device availability, and provides a decentralized verification mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A control method according to the present disclosure is executed by a first server of servers in a system including one or more IoT devices and the servers. The method includes: obtaining first transaction data including malfunction information indicating that one of the IoT devices is malfunctioning, and time information indicating a time when the IoT device has obtained the malfunction information; transferring the obtained first transaction data to second servers different from the first server; executing, together with the second servers, a first consensus algorithm for an agreement on an authenticity of the first transaction data; and recording a block containing the first transaction data in a distributed ledger of the first server, when the authenticity of the first transaction data is verified by the first consensus algorithm.