Residential Gateway Network Diagnostic Application
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of home networks, comprising diverse devices and both wired and wireless links, makes diagnosis and repair increasingly difficult due to the lack of effective tools for managing and diagnosing network and device issues.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface and network diagnostic application integrated into a residential gateway that automatically discovers and diagnoses devices, provides real-time network information, and allows for detailed troubleshooting, enabling novice users and technicians to quickly identify and isolate problems within the home network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If home networks include many diverse devices and both wired and wireless links, then network functionality and versatility are improved, but diagnosis and repair difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network gateway automatically performs self-diagnosis by executing diagnostic applications that test network connectivity, device status, and link integrity without requiring user intervention. The system autonomously identifies faults in wired and wireless links and provides repair guidance, enabling the network to service itself despite increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The diagnostic application acts as an intermediary between the diverse network devices and the user. It translates complex network status information into simplified visual representations showing the topology, device states, and fault locations, making the heterogeneous network manageable and diagnosable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network complexity increases with diverse devices and configurations, then network capabilities are improved, but troubleshooting time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously performs preliminary diagnostic checks and maintains an updated visual representation of network topology and device status before faults occur. When a problem arises, the diagnostic information is already available, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual troubleshooting steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual representation uses color coding to indicate device status and link health (e.g., green for healthy, yellow for degraded, red for faulty). This allows technicians to quickly identify problems at a glance without analyzing complex technical data, significantly reducing troubleshooting time in complex networks.
3Measurement precision
If manual diagnosis methods are used in complex networks, then detailed analysis is possible, but expertise requirements and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network gateway automatically executes comprehensive diagnostic tests and analyzes results without requiring user expertise. The system performs detailed measurements of network parameters, identifies root causes of faults, and presents simplified recommendations, maintaining high diagnostic accuracy while eliminating the need for specialized knowledge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual diagnostic procedures (mechanical/expert analysis) with automated electronic diagnostic applications. The system uses software-based testing and analysis to substitute for human expertise, providing precise diagnosis through algorithmic analysis rather than manual inspection.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and products simulate a topology of a communications network. Devices communicating via the communications network supply configuration and performance data. A simulated view of a topology of the communications network may then generated.