Router Operating Characteristics via Secondary Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Broadband routers often encounter issues in home or office environments, which are rarely monitored or serviced, leading to inconvenience and cost for users when trying to resolve problems with their internet service providers.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows a router to transmit its operating characteristics to a mobile device using a different communication protocol, such as Bluetooth or BLE, enabling the mobile device to detect performance degradation and send this information to a server for further action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the router uses the primary internet communication protocol to transmit operating characteristics, then the mobile device can receive router status information, but the system cannot detect performance degradation when the internet connection is unavailable or degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a secondary communication protocol (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, or cellular) as an intermediary channel between the router and mobile device. This intermediary allows the mobile device to receive router operating characteristics independently of the primary internet connection, enabling performance detection even when the main communication channel is degraded or unavailable.
2Reliability
If the system implements proactive monitoring using a secondary communication protocol, then router issues can be detected before they affect users, but the device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring actions by continuously collecting router operating characteristics through the secondary communication protocol before problems manifest to users. The mobile device proactively queries the router for status information and detects performance degradation early, allowing preventive actions to be taken before service disruption occurs.
3Loss of time
If the mobile device continuously monitors router operating characteristics, then performance degradation can be detected early, but power consumption and data transmission overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system implements periodic polling where the mobile device queries the router for operating characteristics at predetermined time intervals. This periodic approach balances timely detection of performance degradation with reduced power consumption and minimized data transmission overhead compared to continuous real-time monitoring.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method and system for managing a router configured to provide internet communications over a first communication protocol, comprising determining operating characteristics of the router. Detecting a degradation of router performance. Transmitting data indicating the determined operating characteristics from the router to a mobile device using a second wireless communication protocol.