Communication Terminal Heartbeat Consolidation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face increased network load due to multiple communication applications sending heart-beat packets, which can lead to inefficiencies in managing communication status and notifying disconnected terminals.

Innovation Solution

A communication system that employs a pub/sub model with a management system and authentication server, where a single heart-beat packet is sent by each terminal, and the management system notifies other terminals of disconnections, reducing network load by eliminating the need for individual heart-beat packets from each application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If each communication application sends individual heart-beat packets to notify communication status, then the communication status can be accurately tracked, but the network load increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication status trackingVSAvoidnetwork load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple heart-beat packet transmissions from different communication applications into a single unified notification mechanism. The terminal device consolidates communication status information from multiple applications and sends one integrated notification to the management system, thereby maintaining accurate status tracking while significantly reducing network load and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple applications operate simultaneously in the communication terminal, then the functionality and versatility are improved, but the network load and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoidnetwork load
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal notification mechanism that handles communication status from multiple different applications through a single unified interface. The management system receives consolidated status information that encompasses multiple applications, allowing the system to support diverse functionalities while maintaining efficient resource utilization and low network overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If individual heart-beat packets are sent by each application, then the communication status notification is comprehensive, but the device complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestatus information completenessVSAvoidnotification management
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary consolidation mechanism within the terminal device that collects communication status information from multiple applications and formats it into a unified notification. This intermediary layer ensures that all necessary status information is captured and transmitted comprehensively, while simplifying the management overhead by handling aggregation and formatting centrally rather than requiring each application to manage individual notifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3217596B1Communication terminal, communication system, and data transmission method
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP3217596B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3217596B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3217596B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) and a method of transmitting data. The communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) and the method includes transmitting (S103), at a prescribed timing, first information from a communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) to a management system (50) that manages communication between the communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) and a counterpart communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c), and transmitting (S101) from the communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) to the management system (50) second information to be sent from the management system (50) to the counterpart communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) connected to the management system (50) through a network (2), when the management system (50) does not receive the first information transmitted from the communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) for a prescribed length of time. The second information includes status information of each of a plurality of communication applications (A, B) that operate in the communication terminal (10, 10a, 10b, 10c).