Override Hardware Logic for Remote Router Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computer networking environments, routers and switches often experience downtime due to component failures, especially in remote areas lacking on-site personnel or spare hardware, leading to prolonged maintenance times.
Innovation Solution
A system with override hardware logic that detects failures and activates compensatory measures, such as diverting communication signals, to maintain network functionality until a technician can repair the issue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a router or switch is deployed in a remote area without on-site personnel, then the network can cover larger areas with fewer staff, but the downtime increases when a component fails due to delayed technician response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-loads replacement critical hardware components (line cards, interface cards, or circuit boards) into a replacement hardware component storage device at the remote router or switch location before any failure occurs. This preliminary action ensures that when a component fails, the replacement is immediately available without waiting for technician arrival or external shipping, thus resolving the contradiction between remote deployment efficiency and downtime reduction.
2Ease of manufacture
If replacement hardware is shipped from a remote location to a failed device, then centralized inventory management is achieved, but the repair time increases due to shipping delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-positioning replacement critical hardware components in local storage devices at remote router or switch locations. This eliminates the need for shipping replacements when failures occur, reducing repair time from days (shipping time) to minutes (swapping time), while maintaining centralized inventory control through the parent device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a parent device that acts as an intermediary, managing a pool of replacement critical hardware components that can be rapidly deployed to child devices (remote routers or switches) when failures occur. This intermediary structure enables both centralized inventory management and rapid local replacement, resolving the contradiction between centralized control and fast repair.
3Reliability
If a critical hardware component fails in a remote router or switch, then the network segment becomes inoperative, but traditional repair processes require technician travel and external hardware shipping, significantly extending downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-loading replacement critical hardware components into local storage devices at remote device locations before failures occur. When a component fails, the system can immediately swap in the pre-positioned replacement, reducing maintenance time from hours or days (technician travel and shipping) to minutes (local swapping), thereby significantly improving network availability while reducing downtime.
4Loss of time
If spare hardware is kept on-site at remote locations, then repair time is reduced, but the cost and complexity of maintaining distributed inventory increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a parent device as an intermediary that manages a centralized pool of replacement critical hardware components. This parent device can rapidly deploy replacements to multiple child devices (remote routers or switches) as needed. This intermediary structure reduces repair time by making replacements locally available while avoiding the complexity of fully distributed inventory, as the parent device handles inventory management centrally.
Solution Approach 2:
The parent device serves multiple functions: it acts as a centralized inventory repository, a rapid deployment platform for replacement components, and a management controller for multiple child devices. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain spare hardware efficiently without requiring each remote location to independently manage its own inventory, thus reducing overall system complexity while improving repair time.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the invention includes a system for overriding an operation of an electronic device. The system includes an override hardware logic that is communicatively coupled with a monitoring system. The monitoring system can output an electronic command signal in response to a detected point of failure associated with the system. In response to receiving the electronic command signal, the override hardware logic can override the operation performed by the electronic device in order to compensate for the detected point of failure.