Redundant Timer System with Cascading Time Increments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing timing systems in applications such as prepaid telephone systems and authentication systems are prone to failures, leading to issues like unauthorized access, lost profits, and user dissatisfaction due to the lack of redundancy in timing mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
Implementing multiple timers where each timer counts a time increment larger than the previous one, with the first successful timer triggering events and notifying others to stop counting, ensuring reliable timing and preventing timer failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single timer is used in timing systems, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of timing fails due to lack of redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The timing system is segmented into multiple independent timer components (primary timer and backup timers) that operate in parallel. Each timer is configured with the same time value and can independently trigger the prescribed event, providing redundancy while maintaining modular architecture that simplifies individual timer design and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different timers are assigned different roles within the timing system - one primary timer handles normal operation while backup timers remain in standby. This local differentiation of function allows the system to maintain simplicity in the primary path while adding redundancy only where necessary, optimizing the balance between reliability and complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple backup timers are implemented, then the failure resistance is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple timer components
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple backup timers are merged into a unified timing system architecture where they share common control logic, configuration management, and event triggering mechanisms. This consolidation allows the system to achieve high failure resistance through redundancy while avoiding the complexity of completely independent timer systems, as the timers work together as an integrated unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The timer components are designed with universal functionality where any timer in the system (primary or backup) can perform the same timing function and trigger the prescribed event. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain simplicity by using identical timer modules for different purposes, reducing the need for specialized components and simplifying maintenance and replacement.
3Reliability
If redundant timers are used, then the security and profit protection are improved, but the use of energy increases due to multiple active timers
Solution Approach 1:
Backup timers are pre-configured with the same time value as the primary timer but remain in a standby state during normal operation. This preliminary preparation ensures that if the primary timer fails, the backup timers can immediately take over without requiring additional configuration or activation time, providing security and profit protection while minimizing energy consumption by keeping backups dormant until needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The timer system incorporates automatic failure detection and failover mechanisms where the system itself monitors timer status and automatically switches to backup timers when failures occur. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external intervention or continuous monitoring of each timer's operational status, reducing energy consumption while maintaining high reliability and security through automatic redundancy activation.
Data Source
AI summary
A scalable system and method for redundant timing. A clock CT0 is set to count a time T0. One more time increments ei are defined for other clocks CTi, each to count a times Ti=Ti-1+ej. After the earliest time that a timer CTj completes counting its time, an event E is caused to occur and an event F is caused to occur with regard to at least one of the timers CTk, k being an integer from j+1 to N.