Router Power Monitoring for Freeze Detection and Selective Reboot

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing router restart methods, such as regular intervals or frequent resets, lead to either prolonged internet outages or unnecessary interruptions, and existing monitoring solutions pose security vulnerabilities by requiring data interface connections.

Innovation Solution

A monitoring device that detects power consumption patterns of data routers to automatically restart them when they freeze, using energy consumption fluctuations as an indicator, without needing a data connection, and optionally employing a neural network for precise adaptation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the router is restarted at regular predetermined intervals, then the router is ensured to be operational, but unnecessary data connection interruptions occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouter operational statusVSAvoiddata connection interruption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring device continuously measures the router's power consumption and uses this feedback to determine whether a restart is necessary. The evaluation unit compares measured power consumption values against threshold values to intelligently trigger restarts only when the router is actually frozen, avoiding unnecessary interruptions while ensuring operational reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables the router to monitor its own operational health through power consumption patterns. The monitoring device detects when the router enters a frozen state by identifying characteristic power consumption signatures, allowing the system to self-diagnose and self-correct without external intervention or manual checking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the router is restarted frequently, then operational issues are addressed quickly, but productivity decreases due to repeated interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverouter operational statusVSAvoiddata transmission continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses continuous power consumption monitoring with feedback loops to determine the optimal restart timing. The evaluation unit analyzes power consumption patterns over time and only triggers restarts when freezing is detected, balancing quick response to operational issues with minimal disruption to data transmission and overall productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Extent of automation

If existing monitoring solutions are used that connect as Wi-Fi clients, then router restart can be forced, but security vulnerabilities are introduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic router restartVSAvoidsecurity vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the monitoring function from the data plane and places it in the power supply domain. By measuring power consumption through the power supply line rather than establishing data connections, the system achieves automatic router monitoring and restart capability while eliminating security vulnerabilities associated with data interface access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The monitoring device uses power consumption measurements as an intermediary indicator of router health. Instead of directly accessing router data or control interfaces, the system monitors power consumption patterns that correlate with operational state, using this indirect measurement to trigger restarts without exposing security vulnerabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If power consumption monitoring is used to detect router freezing, then security risks are reduced, but measurement precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity riskVSAvoidpower consumption detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary characterization of the router's normal power consumption patterns during installation and operation. Threshold values are pre-determined based on expected power consumption ranges, enabling the evaluation unit to quickly and accurately detect deviations indicating freezing without requiring complex real-time analysis, thus reducing measurement precision requirements while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4338393B1Monitoring device for a data router, and method for monitoring a data router
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 KEECONN GMBH
  • EP4338393B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4338393B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4338393B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a system (10) comprising a data router (12) and a monitoring device (14) connected to or integrated into said data router. The monitoring device is configured to monitor a power input of the data router (12) and to trigger a reboot or a reset of the data router (12) depending on its power input.