M2M Cellular Backup via Shared Data Plan

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for alarm monitoring and home control lack a reliable backup communication path when the Internet is down, and the cost of using a mobile SIM card for alternative communication can be high, while also limiting data sharing between human users and machines on cellular networks.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a 'Machine and Family' plan that allows M2M SIM cards to share a common voice-data service plan with human users, enabling secure, low-latency remote interaction with home devices and machines through both the Internet and cellular networks, providing a backup communication path and reducing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a cellular network backup path is implemented for alarm reporting, then communication reliability is improved, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines M2M machine communications and human user communications into a single shared cellular data plan. The alarm system's SIM card and the human user's mobile phone share the same data pool, allowing the system to leverage human user data allowances for backup alarm reporting without incurring separate cellular costs. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable cellular backup capability while eliminating the additional cost burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The shared data plan serves multiple functions: it supports both M2M machine-to-machine communications for alarm reporting and human user mobile communications. The same cellular network infrastructure and data pool are universally utilized for different communication purposes, making the backup system cost-effective by sharing resources rather than dedicating separate expensive M2M-only data plans.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate M2M SIM cards are used for machine communications, then device autonomy is improved, but data sharing capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice autonomyVSAvoiddata sharing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the data pools of separate SIM cards into a shared resource. The alarm system's M2M SIM and the human user's mobile SIM both draw from the same cellular data allowance, enabling seamless data sharing between machines and humans. This eliminates the complexity of managing separate data plans while preserving the autonomy of each device to communicate independently through the cellular network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9900726B2Wireless systems with M2M communications via a computer network with a cellular-type back-up network

Publication Date: 2018.02.20 RESIDEO USA LLC

AI summary

A communications network is available to implement at least M2M communications between a transmitting unit and a receiving unit. The units can communicate via the Internet as a primary network. They can also communicate via a cellular-type network. At least some of the units include respective subscriber information to provide access and services via the networks. Groups of units can share a common data plan with other related units. Subscriber information can be included in respective SIM cards. At least one of the SIM cards can provide voice or data service via the common data plan.