Storage System LED Control for Uniform Multi-Vendor Device Status
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of uniformity in LED operation across different manufacturers' storage systems causes confusion when multiple vendors' multiport charging systems are deployed, as each manufacturer uses different LED actions and colors to indicate the same device states.
Innovation Solution
The system allows users to customize LED illumination by defining correlations between device events, LED actions, colors, and brightness, enabling user-defined LED operational rules to be applied based on device state changes, thereby decoupling user control from manufacturer-specific settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each manufacturer specifies their own LED operation conventions, then each manufacturer can optimize their storage system according to their own design preferences, but this causes lack of uniformity and confusion when multiple vendors' systems are deployed together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (software/firmware) between the hardware LED indicators and the device states they represent. This intermediary allows manufacturers to customize LED behavior patterns while providing a standardized interface for controlling LED behavior, enabling uniformity across different vendors without sacrificing customization capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal LED control framework that can accommodate multiple manufacturers' conventions within a single standardized system. The framework allows different LED operation patterns (blinking, solid, color changes) to be mapped to common device states through a unified configuration mechanism, making the system work consistently across different vendors
2Productivity
If LED operation is pre-programmed by the manufacturer, then the storage system can provide immediate LED feedback upon device connection, but the user cannot customize the LED behavior to match their preferences or organizational standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the LED operation configuration dynamic rather than static. The system allows LED behavior patterns to be changed at runtime through software configuration, enabling users to customize LED responses to different device states while maintaining the ability to provide immediate feedback when devices are connected
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides both pre-configured LED operation patterns for immediate use upon device connection and the capability for users to define custom patterns beforehand. This allows the system to function immediately with manufacturer defaults while also enabling users to prepare and apply customized LED configurations when needed
Data Source
AI summary
LED operation rules correlating device event, LED action, LED color, and optionally LED brightness are specified in software. As devices connect to a host computer, a correlation between device ID and USB port is detected. A port map for the storage system is used to correlate the location of a USB port where the electronic device connected to a set of LEDs on the storage system. As the states of the electronic devices connected to the storage system change, the custom-defined LED operational rules are applied on the LEDs of the storage system to cause the LEDs identified by the LED operational rules to be illuminated. Since the LED operational rules are customizable, a user can cause any combination of LED action, color, and brightness to be associated with any electronic device state.