Network Topology with Redundant Edge Routers for Sensor Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional communication network topologies are limited by restrictive market and regulatory requirements, which restrict the number of sensor nodes connected to a single edge router and lead to potential system failures due to single-point connectivity vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A network topology system with multiple edge router nodes and sensors, where each sensor is connected to at least two edge router nodes, allowing for redundant cloud connections and flexible frequency band usage to ensure continuous communication even if one connection is unavailable, with the ability to switch between main and alternate edge routers and use different frequency bands for varying bandwidth needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single edge router is used to connect sensor nodes, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to single-point connectivity vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different roles (main edge router vs. alternate edge router) to different nodes in the network. Each sensor node has a designated main edge router for normal operations and an alternate edge router for failover scenarios. This differentiation in node functionality improves reliability without requiring complete redundancy of the entire network structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring alternate edge routers and establishing backup cloud connections before failures occur. The alternate edge routers are already in place and ready to take over immediately when the main edge router or its cloud connection fails, eliminating service interruption without requiring complex real-time decision-making during failures.
2Reliability
If multiple edge router nodes are used with redundant connections, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into distinct functional components: sensor nodes, main edge routers, alternate edge routers, and cloud servers. Each segment has a specific role and can be managed independently. The segmentation allows redundancy to be introduced in a structured way, where alternate edge routers provide backup capacity without requiring complete duplication of the entire network infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The alternate edge router acts as an intermediary during failover scenarios. When the main edge router or its cloud connection fails, the alternate edge router mediates the connection between sensor nodes and the cloud server, providing a backup communication path without requiring direct sensor-to-cloud connections that would complicate the network architecture.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sensors are restricted to 2 seconds transmit time per hour, then regulatory compliance is achieved, but the productivity deteriorates due to limited data transmission capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The edge routers act as intermediaries that aggregate data from multiple sensor nodes before transmitting to the cloud server. This mediation allows sensors to operate within their 2-second transmit time limitations while the edge routers handle the bulk of data processing and forwarding, effectively bypassing the transmission speed bottleneck at the sensor level and improving overall system productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges data from multiple sensor nodes at the edge router level before cloud transmission. By combining data streams from multiple sensors, the system reduces the total number of individual sensor-to-cloud transmissions required, thereby reducing the impact of the 2-second transmit time restriction while maintaining comprehensive data collection across the network.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If frequency bands with transmit time limitations are used, then regulatory compliance is maintained, but the bandwidth efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by using frequency bands without transmit time limitations for cloud communications while sensors operating in restricted bands use periodic transmission within their 2-second limits. The edge routers and cloud servers communicate using unrestricted frequency bands for data aggregation and processing, achieving high bandwidth efficiency for critical operations while sensors maintain regulatory compliance through periodic transmissions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for network topology includes a first edge router node and a plurality of first sensors operatively connected to the first edge router node. A second edge router node is operatively connected to the first edge router node and to the plurality of first sensors. A plurality of second sensors are operatively connected to the second edge router node and to the first edge router node. The first and second edge router nodes are operatively connected to a cloud server through a respective cloud connection, so that in the event of one of the cloud connections becoming unavailable the plurality of first and second sensors in the system can remain operatively connected to the cloud server through the remaining cloud connection.