Embedded Virtual Router Architecture for Interoperable Appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of household appliance components and diverse implementation choices hinder the creation of interoperable, reusable, and value-added components, making it difficult to design, develop, test, diagnose, control, and debug appliance systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A network system with a software architecture that includes a hardware abstraction layer, an internal communications network, and an embedded virtual router, allowing collaboration between software architecture implementations across appliances through a collection of application program interfaces (APIs), enabling communication independent of the architecture and facilitating interoperability between various appliance components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If diverse componentry and implementation choices are used in appliances, then appliance functionality and versatility are improved, but system complexity and difficulty of design, development, test, diagnose, control, and debug increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into distinct layers: hardware abstraction layer, internal communications network layer, and application layer. This segmentation allows diverse components to be integrated at the hardware level while maintaining standardized communication protocols at the network layer, thereby managing complexity through structural division.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal communications network acts as an intermediary between diverse appliance components and the control system. It provides a standardized interface that mediates communication between different implementations, allowing versatility without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If diverse componentry and implementation choices are used in appliances, then appliance functionality and versatility are improved, but interoperability and reusability of components deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The internal communications network provides universal communication capabilities across diverse appliance components. By implementing standardized protocols at the network layer, the system achieves multi-functionality and interoperability, allowing components with different implementations to work together reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an additional architectural dimension by adding the internal communications network layer between the hardware and application layers. This dimensional addition allows diversity in hardware implementations while maintaining consistency in communication protocols, thereby ensuring interoperability across diverse components.
3Reliability
If standardized software architecture is implemented across appliances, then interoperability and reusability are improved, but adaptability to diverse componentry deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by allowing hardware-specific customizations at the hardware abstraction layer while maintaining standardized protocols at the internal communications network layer. This enables the system to adapt to diverse componentry locally without compromising overall interoperability through standardized communication.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a network system of at least two appliances, each appliance configured to perform a cycle of operation on an article, and each appliance having its own software architecture. An embedded virtual router enables communication among appliance components independent of the architecture of the software.