Relay Server Load Balancing for Image Forming Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming systems face inefficiencies in data transmission between application servers and image forming devices due to relay server overload, leading to reduced data transmission rates and user-friendliness, as existing solutions fail to efficiently handle heavy loads without internet communication.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system with a relay server that determines its operating conditions and selects an alternative relay server to handle communication when busy, allowing for seamless handover of the relay process without internet communication, ensuring efficient data transmission by prioritizing available relay servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the relay server manages multiple image forming devices and relays communication between them and the application server, then the system can handle multiple devices through a single relay server, but the relay server may become overloaded when busy, causing reduced process performance and data transmission rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the relay server functionality into multiple relay servers (120 and 121) that can independently manage different sets of image forming devices. When one relay server becomes overloaded, the connection mediation server can identify and switch to another relay server, segmenting the load across multiple servers to maintain data transmission rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic relay server selection where the connection mediation server monitors the busy state of relay servers and dynamically switches connections based on current load conditions. This allows the system to adapt to changing traffic patterns and maintain optimal performance by routing connections to available relay servers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the relay server starts new communication relay processes when already busy, then the relay server can accept all incoming connections, but the process performance on the relay server extremely lowers and it becomes a bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the connection mediation server receives status information from relay servers about their busy state and uses this feedback to make intelligent routing decisions. When a relay server reports being busy, the mediation server can redirect new connections to less loaded relay servers, preventing performance degradation while maintaining connection acceptance capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes preliminary connections between the connection mediation server and multiple relay servers before actual data transmission needs occur. This allows the mediation server to proactively identify available relay servers and prepare routing paths, enabling quick switching when load conditions change without impacting real-time performance.
3Productivity
If the connection mediation server monitors load on multiple relay servers and determines relay server selection based on load information, then the relay server selection can be optimized, but the load information is stored on a regular basis rather than in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic load monitoring where relay servers report their status at regular intervals to the connection mediation server. This periodic action provides a balance between real-time responsiveness and system overhead, allowing the mediation server to make informed routing decisions based on recent load information without requiring continuous real-time monitoring that would consume excessive resources.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An image forming system (1) comprises: an application server (5) installed on an internet (2); multiple image forming devices (7a to 7i) installed on a local network (3); multiple relay servers (8a, 8b and 8c), installed on the local network (3), relaying communication between at least one of the multiple image forming devices (7a to 7i) and the application server (5); and a connection mediation server (6), installed on the internet (2), sending an access request to one of the multiple relay servers (8a, 8b and 8c), and connecting the relay server (8a) to the application server (5). The connection mediation server (6) includes: a relay server identifying part (15) configured to identify the relay server (8a) which relays the communication between one of the multiple image forming devices (7a to 7i) and the application server (5) from among the multiple relay servers (8a, 8b and 8c); and an access request sending part (16) configured to send the access request to the relay server (8a) identified by the relay server identifying part (15), and establish the communication between the image forming device (7a) and the application server (5).