Serial Wrap-Around Redundancy for Network Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional redundant network architectures are costly due to duplicated cabling and endpoint interfaces, and prone to installation errors that can disrupt network communications.
Innovation Solution
A serial wrap-around system that uses communication logic within the data source device and wrap-around connections to provide redundancy without additional cabling or endpoint interfaces, utilizing a single endpoint device interface to eliminate installation errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional redundant network architecture with duplicated cabling and endpoint interfaces is used, then network redundancy is provided, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the primary and secondary communication paths into a single physical cable infrastructure. The wrap-around configuration allows a single cable to serve both primary and redundant functions by establishing communication paths that loop back through both data source devices, eliminating the need for separate duplicated cabling while maintaining network redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The single cable infrastructure is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the primary communication path and the redundant backup path. The wrap-around topology enables the same physical medium to carry traffic for both data source devices 62 and 64, making the cable system universal and multi-functional rather than requiring dedicated separate cables for each function.
2Reliability
If duplicated endpoint interfaces are implemented for each endpoint device, then redundancy is achieved, but the number of components and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple interface functions into a single endpoint interface 68. Instead of requiring separate primary and secondary interfaces at each endpoint device, the single interface can communicate with both data source devices 62 and 64 through the wrap-around cable topology, reducing the number of components while maintaining redundancy capabilities.
3Reliability
If multiple endpoint interfaces per endpoint device are used, then redundancy is provided, but installation errors can occur
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the redundant interface function into the single existing endpoint interface 68, the patent eliminates the confusion and error-prone nature of installing and configuring multiple similar interfaces. The single interface simplifies the installation process while the wrap-around cable topology ensures redundancy is automatically established without requiring precise matching of multiple interface pairs.
Data Source
AI summary
A network system includes a first data source device with a primary interface and one or more second data source devices with a secondary interface disposed in electrical communication with the first data source device. A common data source device communicates with the first data source device and the second data source device(s). A serial string with a backbone is electrically connected to the primary interface and to the secondary interface. At least one endpoint device is electrically connected to the backbone via an endpoint interface. The primary interface is constructed and arranged initially as a master communication source for the serial string. The secondary interface is constructed and arranged to monitor messages transmitted by the primary interface and to take over as the master communication source if the secondary interface does not detect messages from the primary interface after a predetermined amount of time.