Self-forming, self-healing configuration permitting substitution of agents to effect a live repair

• US 20060242225A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Army Corps of Engineers Humphreys Engineer Center
• Original Assignee: US Army Corps of Engineers Humphreys Engineer Center
• Inventors: McCleave, Laura E., White, Barry C., McCleave, Barry W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,549,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0079 involving restoration of networks, e.g. disaster recovery, self-healing networks

Abstract

In select embodiments of the present invention, a configuration incorporates a suite of agents in a “flat” hardware architecture and superimposes thereon a self-forming, self-healing, hierarchical architecture implemented in software. Embodiments may be employed in various applications, such as maintaining network integrity. In one embodiment, a building security monitoring network provides for network agents to each be capable of communication with any other agents on a network at network startup. Shortly after network initialization, the software architecture is superimposed on (rides on) the flat hardware architecture, re-arranging communication links to provide an efficient hierarchy of control and substituting working agents for compromised agents as necessary in the network. All of this is done in a “live” network, not requiring shutdown, or even reduced operation to accomplish. This “dual” architecture (hierarchical software and flat hardware) provides excellent reliability in those “layered” network applications requiring near total reliability, such as security surveillance.

Claims

1. A self-healing configuration, comprising:

uniquely identifiable elements that cooperate to accomplish at least one task, each said element having at least one function, each said element able to communicate with any other of said elements via at least one link; and

at least one architecture implemented in software to specify which said links are employed in a particular scenario,

wherein at least a specified one of said elements assumes at least one function of any said element that is compromised during operation of said configuration.

2. The configuration of claim 1 in which at least parts of said elements are implemented in hardware and at least one of said functions is a control function.

3. The configuration of claim 2 in which said configuration is a network and said elements are agents, each said agent maintaining an IP address and at least one database with one entry in at least one of said databases being the class of said agent.

4. The configuration of claim 3 in which at least one of said architectures is a hierarchical architecture incorporating at least two levels.

5. The configuration of claim 4 in which said agents may be added or subtracted to at least one of said levels via at least one self-forming attribute provided in said software.

6. A self-healing network, comprising:

uniquely identifiable agents that cooperate to accomplish at least one task, each said agent having at least one function, each said agent able to communicate with any other of said agents via at least one link,

wherein each said agent maintains an IP address and at least one database with one entry in at least one of said databases being the class of said agent; and

at least one architecture implemented in software to specify which said links are employed in a particular scenario,

wherein at least a specified one of said agents assumes at least one function of any said agent that is compromised during operation of said network.

7. The self-healing network of claim 6 in which at least parts of said agents are implemented in hardware and at least one of said functions is a control function.

8. The self-healing network of claim 6 in which said architecture is a hierarchical architecture incorporating at least two levels.

9. The self-healing network of claim 8 in which said agents may be added or subtracted to at least one of said levels via at least one self-forming attribute provided in said software.

10. A method for establishing a self-healing configuration, comprising:

arranging uniquely identifiable elements in at least one array to facilitate accomplishing at least one task, each said element having at least one function, each said element able to communicate with any other of said elements via at least one link; and

superimposing at least one architecture upon said arrays, said architecture implemented in software to specify which said links are employed in a particular scenario; and

specifying at least one of said elements to assume at least one said function of said elements compromised during operation of said configuration.

11. The method of claim 10 implementing at least parts of said elements in hardware and establishing at least one of said functions as a control function.

12. The method of claim 11 implementing said configuration as a network and said elements as agents, each said agent maintaining an IP address and at least one database with one entry in at least one of said databases being the class of said agent.

13. The method of claim 12 implementing at least one of said architectures as a hierarchical architecture.

14. A method for establishing a self-healing network, comprising:

arranging uniquely identifiable agents in at least one first network, each said agent having at least one function, each said agent able to communicate with any other of said agents via at least one link

wherein each said agent maintains an IP address and at least one database with one entry in at least one of said databases being the class of said agent; and

superimposing at least one architecture upon said first networks, said architecture implemented in software to specify which said links are employed in a particular scenario; and

specifying at least one of said agents to assume at least one said function of said agents compromised during operation of said self-healing network.

15. The method of claim 14 implementing at least parts of said agents in hardware and establishing at least one of said functions as a control function.

16. The method of claim 15 implementing at least one of said architectures as a hierarchical architecture.

17. The method of claim 16 in which said agents may be added or subtracted to at least one of said levels via at least one self-forming attribute provided in said software.

18. A self-forming and self-healing network, comprising:

uniquely identifiable agents that cooperate to accomplish at least one task, each said agent having at least one function, each said agent able to communicate with any other of said agents via at least one link,

wherein each said agent maintains an IP address and at least one database with one entry in at least one of said databases being the class of said agent; and

at least one hierarchical architecture implemented in software to specify which said links are employed in a particular scenario,

wherein said agents may be added or subtracted to at least one of said levels via at least one self-forming attribute provided in said software, and

wherein at least a specified one of said agents assumes at least one function of any said agent that is compromised during operation of said network.

19. The self-forming and self-healing network of claim 18 in which at least parts of said agents are implemented in hardware and at least one of said functions is a control function.