Onboarding Legacy Edge Devices via Extended Processing Intermediaries

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies lack effective methods for managing legacy edge devices within edge infrastructure management platforms, as these devices often require extensive upgrading, reconfiguration, or replacement to be compatible.

Innovation Solution

The integration of extended processing devices (XPUs) with legacy edge devices allows for their onboarding and integration into edge infrastructure management platforms, avoiding the need for replacement or extensive reconfiguration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If legacy edge devices are integrated into edge infrastructure management platforms, then compatibility and management efficiency are improved, but device complexity and integration difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoidintegration difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an edge device manager as an intermediary component that mediates between legacy edge devices and the edge infrastructure management platform. This manager handles device onboarding, profile creation, and coordination, thereby improving compatibility without directly increasing the complexity of the legacy devices themselves. The intermediary abstracts the integration complexity away from the legacy devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the integration process into distinct components: legacy edge devices, edge device managers (one per device), and the central edge infrastructure management platform. This segmentation allows each component to remain relatively simple while the overall system achieves high compatibility. The complexity is distributed across multiple manageable segments rather than concentrated in one complex integration layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If extended processing devices are added as components of legacy devices, then management capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanagement capabilityVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The extended processing functionality is segmented into a separate edge device manager component rather than being integrated into the legacy device's core architecture. This allows the legacy device to maintain its original simple structure while the manager component provides enhanced management capabilities independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The edge device manager acts as an intermediary processing component that extends the functionality of legacy devices without modifying their core structure. It handles management operations, communication with the platform, and coordination tasks, thereby improving productivity while keeping the legacy device structure intact and simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If legacy edge devices are upgraded or reconfigured for platform compatibility, then system reliability is improved, but cost and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of upgrading or reconfiguring legacy devices, the system creates virtual copies or profiles of these devices within the management platform. The edge device manager maintains a digital representation of the legacy device that enables platform integration without physical or firmware modifications to the original device, thereby maintaining reliability while avoiding time-consuming upgrade processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The edge device manager serves as an intermediary that translates between the legacy device's original interface and the management platform's requirements. This translation layer enables reliable system operation without requiring time-consuming upgrades or reconfigurations of the legacy devices themselves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If extensive upgrading and reconfiguration is performed on legacy devices, then compatibility is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates virtual profiles and digital representations of legacy devices instead of performing expensive physical upgrades. This copying approach achieves compatibility through software-based abstraction rather than costly hardware or firmware modifications, significantly reducing the loss of substance in terms of financial cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The edge device manager acts as a cost-effective intermediary that provides compatibility through software translation and coordination rather than expensive physical upgrades. This approach maintains adaptability while avoiding the high costs associated with extensive upgrading and reconfiguration of legacy devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250131080A1Management of edge computing network deployments with legacy edge devices

Publication Date: 2025.04.24 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

An apparatus comprises at least one processing device configured to identify an extended processing device and onboard the extended processing device to an edge infrastructure management platform, wherein the extended processing device is added as a component of a legacy device, and integrate the legacy device into the edge infrastructure management platform through one or more operations performed by the extended processing device.