Mobile Computing Platform Inter-Network Messaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for tracking and managing portable assets, such as vehicles, rely on backend servers for communication between mobile computing platforms (MCPs), which can lead to inefficiencies and limitations in direct peer-to-peer communication.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where MCPs can initiate communication by sending 'awake' and 'ready' messages to a network management center, allowing the center to maintain a list of active MCPs for direct peer-to-peer communication without relying on the server for subsequent messages, enabling MCPs to communicate directly with each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If MCPs communicate only via bidirectional links with the NMC, then centralized control and management is improved, but communication efficiency and data exchange speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized communication architecture into two parts: (1) NMC maintains centralized control for registration, list distribution, and initial connection setup; (2) MCPs establish direct peer-to-peer communication channels for actual data exchange. This segmentation allows centralized management functions to be preserved while enabling efficient direct communication between MCPs without routing all traffic through the NMC.
Solution Approach 2:
The NMC acts as an intermediary that facilitates P2P communication by maintaining a list of active MCPs and distributing this list to requesting MCPs. The intermediary enables direct communication between MCPs while the NMC retains oversight and control capabilities, resolving the contradiction between centralized control and communication efficiency.
2Reliability
If all communications are routed through the backend server, then system management and monitoring is improved, but network bandwidth consumption and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data exchange function from the backend server routing path and establishes direct P2P communication channels between MCPs. The NMC remains involved in system management (maintaining active MCP lists, distributing connection information) but actual data communications occur directly between MCPs, removing the server from the critical data transmission path and reducing latency.
3Productivity
If MCPs establish direct peer-to-peer communication, then communication efficiency is improved, but device complexity for managing connections increases
Solution Approach 1:
The NMC performs preliminary actions by maintaining an updated list of active MCPs and their communication capabilities before direct P2P communication occurs. When an MCP needs to communicate with another, it queries the NMC for the target MCP's information from the pre-maintained list, enabling direct connection without complex discovery or negotiation protocols between MCPs.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to one or more methods for organizing a plurality of remote units or mobile computing platform (MCPs) associated with vehicles such that the remote units or MCPs may communicate with each other, for example, without routing messages via the backend server. In some aspects, the remote units or MCPs may initiate the process by transmitting an awake and/or ready message to the server. The message may indicate the state of the remote unit or MCP and provide communication establishment information of the remote unit or MCP. Accordingly, the server may maintain a list of remote units or MCPs that are awake and configured for inter-network communication. In some aspects, the server may periodically distribute the compiled list of active MCPs, such that one remote unit or MCP may establish direct peer-to-peer (P2P) communication with one or more other remote units or MCPs in a fleet.