Network Utilization Control via Protocol Translation Gateway
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Remote monitoring and management of third-party devices in local area networks are challenging due to difficulties in establishing communications across diverse protocols and interfaces, making it hard for remote managing entities to access and manage devices, determine configurations, and collect network utilization information.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that separates software applications generating control instructions from protocol endpoints, using device-specific information to match capabilities with appropriate software applications and protocol endpoints, and creating an association mapping to facilitate communication and control of network utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a remote managing entity attempts to communicate with third-party devices in local area networks, then network management capability is improved, but communication establishment difficulty increases due to diverse protocols and interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between the remote managing entity and third-party devices. The gateway collects device information and network utilization data from diverse devices using their native protocols, then translates and transmits this information to the remote managing entity using standardized protocols. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by absorbing protocol diversity at the gateway level while presenting a uniform interface to the remote management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network management function into multiple components: a remote managing entity for high-level management decisions, gateway devices for protocol translation and data collection, and managed devices for actual network operations. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific protocols or functions, reducing the complexity burden on the remote managing entity while maintaining comprehensive network management capability.
2Loss of information
If discovery tools are used to find devices in a network, then device visibility is improved, but the ability to access configuration information and collect utilization data remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as an intermediary that not only discovers devices but also actively collects configuration information and network utilization data from them. The gateway receives device information and utilization data from managed devices, aggregates this information, and transmits it to the remote managing entity, thereby bridging the gap between device visibility and data accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the remote managing entity receives continuous updates about device configurations and network utilization status from gateway devices. This feedback loop enables the remote managing entity to monitor network conditions in real-time and make informed management decisions, transforming passive device discovery into active data collection and analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by processors, cause the processors to perform: at a management computer, receiving, from a gateway located in a managed network, device information about devices in the managed network; for a particular device: determining a match between the device capabilities of the particular device and features of a particular network software application configured to control the particular device, and determining a particular protocol endpoint configured to communicate control instructions from the particular network software application to the particular device; receiving, from the gateway, aggregated data that reflects network utilization by the devices located in the managed network; for the particular device: based at least in part on the aggregated data, using the particular network software application, determining control instructions for the particular device; causing the particular protocol endpoint to transmit the control instructions for the particular device to the device.