Radio Transmitter Web Server SNMP Agent Fault Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for monitoring and controlling unmanned radio transmitters require maintaining two independent protocol interfaces (HTTP and SNMP) on both the radio transmitter and control center sides, leading to high development and testing efforts, and fail to react to faults in remote control devices in a timely manner due to slow SNMP trap querying in polling processes.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system where remote control devices have a single SNMP interface and communicate with a control center using both HTTP and SNMP protocols, with an SNMP agent in the remote control device and an SNMP manager in the web server for data preprocessing and event triggering, allowing for immediate fault detection and response through SNMP traps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two independent protocol interfaces (HTTP and SNMP) are maintained on both radio transmitter and control center sides, then both HTTP platform-independence and SNMP rapid fault detection capabilities are achieved, but development and testing effort increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault detection capabilityVSAvoidprotocol interface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

An SNMP agent is introduced as an intermediary component within the radio transmitter that bridges HTTP and SNMP protocols. The agent receives HTTP requests from the web server, processes them, and generates appropriate SNMP traps or responses, allowing the control center to monitor faults via SNMP while the transmitter maintains its HTTP-based web interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The remote control device is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it operates as both an HTTP server for web-based configuration and monitoring, and an SNMP agent for rapid fault detection. This multi-functionality allows a single device to support both protocols without requiring separate independent interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If SNMP trap querying is performed through polling process in HTTP connection, then platform-independent interface is maintained, but fault reaction time becomes slow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplatform independenceVSAvoidfault reaction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements active feedback through SNMP traps. When the radio transmitter detects a fault condition, the SNMP agent immediately generates and sends an SNMP trap to the control center without waiting for the next polling cycle. This feedback mechanism ensures rapid fault notification while the control center maintains platform independence through its web-based interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The SNMP agent is pre-configured with fault detection thresholds and trap generation rules. When predefined fault conditions are met, the agent automatically triggers SNMP trap generation without requiring real-time processing delays, enabling preliminary preparation for rapid fault response.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If a single SNMP interface is used on remote control devices, then device complexity is reduced, but platform-independent user interface and web browser integration are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterface quantityVSAvoidplatform independence
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The HTTP server and SNMP agent functionalities are merged within the same radio transmitter hardware and operating system. This consolidation allows the device to offer both web-based platform-independent access and SNMP-based rapid fault detection through a unified architecture, reducing the need for separate independent interfaces while maintaining both capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The SNMP agent acts as an intermediary that translates between the transmitter's internal operations and SNMP protocol messages. This intermediary layer enables SNMP functionality to be added without compromising the existing HTTP web interface, allowing platform independence to be maintained while enhancing fault detection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2308201B1System for communicating operating data between a central office and at least one unmanned radio transmitter
Publication Date: 2014.11.19 ROHDE & SCHWARZ GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2308201B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2308201B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A system for communicating operating data between a central office (1) and at least one unmanned radio transmitter (31, 32,..., 3N, 3N+1, 3N+2,..., 3Z) via a public or private network (2) comprises a web client (4) located in the central office (1) having an implemented web browser, a web server (71, 72,..., 7N) communicating with the web client (4) according to the hypertext transfer protocol and located in one or more radio transmitters (31, 32,..., 3N, 3N+1, 3N+2,..., 3Z), and a remote control device (91, 92,..., 9N, 9N+1, 9N+2,..., 9Z) located in each radio transmitter (31, 32,..., 3N, 3N+1, 3N+2,..., 3Z) for monitoring, remotely controlling and/or remotely configuring operating data of the respective radio transmitter (31, 32,..., 3N, 3N+1, 3N+2,..., 3Z). The communication between the web server (71, 72,..., 7N) located in one or more radio transmitters (31, 32,..., 3N, 3N+1, 3N+2,..., 32) and the remote control device (91, 92,..., 9N, 9N+1, 9N+2,..., 9Z) located in each radio transmitter (31, 32,..., 3N, 3N+1, 3N+2,..., 3Z) is carried out according to the simple network management protocol.