Communication Terminal PAN-ID Conflict Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional communication systems face challenges in maintaining continuous communication with devices after a coordinator restarts, as they often set different PAN-IDs, leading to re-pairing requirements and prolonged communication disruptions due to the lack of consideration for network identification and nearby network interference.

Innovation Solution

A communication terminal with a nonvolatile storage system that stores network and device information, allowing it to determine if device information is present at startup, and if not, acquires and sets a different PAN-ID from nearby coordinators to avoid network identification conflicts, ensuring continuous communication by using the stored PAN-ID when device information is available.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the coordinator sets a new PAN-ID at every startup, then the coordinator can avoid conflicts with nearby networks, but continuous communication with existing devices is interrupted requiring re-pairing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork identification uniquenessVSAvoidcommunication continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The coordinator performs an active scan before finalizing PAN-ID assignment to identify nearby networks and select a unique PAN-ID in advance, preventing conflicts while maintaining communication continuity with existing devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coordinator uses feedback from the active scan results (detected nearby PAN-IDs) to adjust and select an appropriate PAN-ID that avoids conflicts, ensuring both uniqueness and communication continuity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the coordinator stores the PAN-ID in nonvolatile memory, then communication continuity is maintained, but conflicts with nearby networks may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication continuityVSAvoidnetwork identification uniqueness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The coordinator performs an active scan before using the stored PAN-ID to check for conflicts with nearby networks, and only uses the stored PAN-ID if no conflicts are detected, otherwise selects a new unique PAN-ID

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coordinator uses feedback from the active scan to determine whether to use the stored PAN-ID or select a new one, balancing communication continuity with network identification uniqueness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the coordinator performs an active scan to acquire nearby PAN-IDs, then unique PAN-ID assignment is achieved, but communication disruption occurs during the scan process

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePAN-ID uniquenessVSAvoidcommunication disruption time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The coordinator performs the active scan and PAN-ID selection process during the startup phase before normal communication begins, so that once the PAN-ID is set, communication can resume immediately without further disruptions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3018969B1Communication terminal, communication method, and program

Publication Date: 2020.01.01 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

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AI summary

In a coordinator, the communication controller is configured to, at startup of the communication terminal, in a case where the device information is not stored in the storage, broadcast a beacon request, receive a PAN-ID of a different coordinator that is sent back from the different coordinator that has received the beacon request, and write a PAN-ID that is different from the received PAN-ID of the different coordinator into the storage, and establish wireless communication based on the PAN-ID written into the storage, and in a case where the device information is stored in the storage, establish wireless communication based on the PAN-ID stored in the storage.