Network Equipment Path Switching via Heartbeat Response Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network equipment fails to automatically switch to a redundant communication path in real-time when primary paths experience abnormal termination or failure due to issues like congestion, packet loss, or time delay, leading to increased packet loss and reduced transmission quality.
Innovation Solution
The network equipment employs a timing module to send heartbeat packets on both primary and secondary paths, calculates response times and capacities, and uses a switching module to automatically switch between paths based on performance comparisons, ensuring reliable and in-sequence data transport with congestion control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network equipment uses a single primary communication path, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because automatic switching to standby paths fails in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes multiple communication paths (primary and standby) before failure occurs. The timing module continuously sends heartbeat packets through both paths to detect failures proactively, enabling seamless switching without complex real-time decision-making when failure occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The timing module continuously monitors communication path status by sending heartbeat packets and measuring response times. This feedback mechanism provides real-time path quality information to the switching module, enabling intelligent path selection without increasing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If the network equipment implements real-time path monitoring and switching, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the communication functionality into separate modules: a timing module for sending heartbeat packets and measuring response times, a switching module for path selection, and a calculating module for capacity assessment. This segmentation allows each module to perform its function simply without requiring complex integrated logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The timing module autonomously sends heartbeat packets and measures response times without external intervention. The switching module automatically selects paths based on calculated metrics, eliminating the need for complex external control systems while maintaining high reliability.
3Measurement precision
If the network equipment sends frequent heartbeat packets to monitor path status, then the measurement precision improves, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system sends a limited number of heartbeat packets (e.g., 2 packets per path) rather than continuous monitoring. This partial action provides sufficient measurement precision to detect path failures while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous heartbeat transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A network equipment communicates with customer premises equipment (CPE) through a primary path and a secondary path. The network equipment provides heartbeat packets for the CPE to obtain response times corresponding to the primary and secondary paths; then calculates time differences and capacity of the primary path or the secondary path; and at last switches a path to another path according to the time differences and the capacity of the primary path or the secondary path.