Opportunistic Service Device Discovery for IoT Network Resilience

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Solution Overview

Problem

IoT networks often lack pre-provisioned backup service devices, leading to potential failures that can cause harm to end users and bystanders, especially in critical applications like location beacon systems for drones or self-driving vehicles, due to limited computing resources and low predicted failure rates.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a discovery offloading module within a dedicated execution environment that dynamically identifies and utilizes opportunistic service devices capable of processing service requests when a primary service device fails, by monitoring for offloading conditions such as failure, load-balancing, and roaming, and transmitting alert messages to candidate devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pre-provisioned backup service devices are deployed in IoT networks, then network reliability is improved, but device complexity and operating costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by having candidate devices pre-register their service capabilities with the network before any failure occurs. When a service device fails, the network controller can immediately identify and activate a suitable backup from the pre-registered candidates, eliminating the need for complex real-time discovery while maintaining high reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing any device in the network to potentially serve as a backup for multiple different service roles. Instead of dedicating specific backup devices to specific services, any capable device can be dynamically assigned to replace a failed service device, reducing the number of specialized backup components needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If pre-provisioned backup service devices are deployed in IoT networks, then network reliability is improved, but operating costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork reliabilityVSAvoidoperating costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universality by designing a backup system where candidate devices can serve multiple potential service roles rather than being dedicated to a single function. A single device can register multiple service capabilities and be dynamically assigned to replace different types of failed service devices, maximizing resource utilization and reducing the total number of backup devices required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If dynamic identification of opportunistic service devices is implemented, then network resilience is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resilienceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary network controller that manages the complexity of dynamic backup identification. The controller maintains a centralized registry of candidate devices and their capabilities, and handles the matching logic between failed services and suitable backups. This centralizes the computational complexity in a single entity rather than distributing it across all network devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If backup service devices are not pre-provisioned, then device complexity and operating costs are reduced, but network reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidnetwork reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11153150B2Survivable networks that use opportunistic devices to offload services

Publication Date: 2021.10.19 MCAFEE LLC

AI summary

Dynamically identifying and utilizing an opportunistic device by performing at least the following within a discovery offloading module: receive an offloading alert message from a service device, wherein the offloading alert message indicates the service device is unable to provide one or more services to the client device, receive a discovery message from a candidate device, wherein the discovery message indicates the candidate device is capable of performing the services provided to the client device, select, using the dedicated execution environment, an opportunistic service device based on the discovery message from the candidate device; and trigger the restart of host execution instruction within the client device by obtaining the one or more services from the opportunistic service device, wherein the discovery offloading module operates independently from the host execution instructions within the client device.