Information Processor Master-Slave Relationship Determination

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Solution Overview

Problem

In information processor systems, especially in wireless communication environments, it is difficult for higher-level processors to grasp the entire system configuration due to the lack of effective management of identification information among lower-level processors, leading to challenges in monitoring and controlling complex systems.

Innovation Solution

Each information processor is equipped with identification information containing parameters for determining a master-slave relationship and an algorithm to establish this relationship, allowing processors to exchange information and determine their roles, thereby enabling the classification and management of processors into groups.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If identification information is simply assigned to each information processor, then individual identification is achieved, but the higher-level processor cannot grasp the whole system constitution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem configuration informationVSAvoididentification information structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The identification information is structured hierarchically where each ID contains nested information about the processor's position in the system. The ID includes base information and additional information that indicates the processor's level and relationship to other processors, allowing the monitor to reconstruct the entire system constitution by collecting individual IDs without requiring separate communication about system structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The identification information is pre-configured with parameters that enable automatic determination of master-slave relationships and system hierarchy. This preliminary encoding of structural information in each processor's ID allows the system constitution to be grasped automatically when processors communicate, without requiring post-deployment configuration or complex monitoring protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If wireless communication is used to connect information processors, then system flexibility and ease of installation are improved, but it becomes considerably inconvenient to grasp the whole constitution of the system

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem installation flexibilityVSAvoidsystem constitution information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Each information processor automatically determines its own master-slave relationship and system position by comparing its identification information with received identification information from other processors. This self-determination mechanism eliminates the need for centralized configuration or complex monitoring of wireless connections, allowing the system to automatically grasp its own constitution even in flexible wireless configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The identification information exchange process provides feedback to each processor about its relationship to other processors in the system. By analyzing the received ID information against its own ID, each processor receives feedback about its position in the hierarchy, enabling automatic construction of the system constitution map without requiring external monitoring infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7617008B2Managing method for determining master-slave relationship in information processor system
Publication Date: 2009.11.10 KK TOSHIBA
  • US7617008B2 patent drawing
  • US7617008B2 patent drawing
  • US7617008B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A managing method is provided for an information processor system consisting of a plurality of information processors. In the system, each of the information processors has identification information containing a parameter for determining a master-slave relationship among the information processors and an algorithm for determining the master-slave relationship. When the information processors communicate with each other, an information processor exchanges its own identification information with the identification information of the other information processor and further makes a response of information processing on the basis of the identification information brought from the other information processor.