English:
[0001] The present invention relates in general to the field of network devices. More particularly, the present invention discloses a method carried out at a network device for restarting one or more components of the network device.
[0002] Electronic devices comprising both hardware and software elements may sometimes not respond ideally to changes in network conditions, or changes in software or hardware configuration. This may happen due to a malfunction or bugs. Connections established at electronic devices with networking capabilities may become slow or may stop working due to various reasons. One of the reasons why connections may be broken is that Internet service providers (ISP) may change IP addresses often. This may cause the electronic device to attempt to connect to a wrong IP address or an expired IP address for establishing a connection. In such cases, restarting the electronic device is likely to fix the problem. However, in state of the art systems, restarting may require a user or administrator to be physically present in the vicinity of the electronic device if the device is not connected to any network. Therefore, methods and systems are required for automatically restarting devices when required.
[0003] The present invention is a method carried out at a network device for restarting one or more components of the network device, comprising the steps of monitoring whether at least one condition has been satisfied at any component of the network device. If at least one condition satisfied, one or more components are restarted of the network device, based, at least in part, on the at least one condition. When the network device has been restarted a management server is informed that one or more components of the network device have been restarted. According to the present invention, whether a configuration has been received for the network device is determined from a user or administrator at the management server. When a configuration has been received the configuration is retrieved from the management server. The network device is then configured with the configuration retrieved.
[0004] According to an embodiment of the present invention a user is informed of the network device that the network device will be restarted before performing restarting one or more components of the network device, based, at least in part, on the at least one condition when satisfied.
[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, power is supplied to one or more electronic devices, wherein the one or more electronic devices are connected to the network device.
[0006] For the present embodiment, power is supplied to the one or more electronic devices using Power over Ethernet (PoE) via corresponding Ethernet interfaces.
[0007] For the present embodiment, the network device comprise one or more alternating current (AC) power outlet wherein power is supplied to the one or more electronic devices via the AC power outlet.
[0008] For the present embodiment, the network device receives power from a power controller, wherein the power controller stops supplying power to one or more components of the network device when a condition is satisfied.
[0010] According to the present invention, a condition is selected from a group consisting of: connectivity, time, location, bandwidth, a policy, memory status, usage price, and processing unit load.
[0011] According to the present invention, after monitoring whether a condition has been satisfied at any component of the network device, whether the network device has been restarted within a predefined time is determined. Furthermore, restart of one or more components of the network device, based, at least in part, on a condition is executed when the network device has not been restarted within the predefined time.
[0012] According to the present invention, a short message service (SMS) message is sent to a user of the network device after restarting one or more components of the network device, based, at least in part, on a condition when satisfied. The SMS message comprises information that the network device has been restarted.

中文:
[0001]本发明总体上涉及网络装置的领域。更确切地说,本发明公开了在网络装置处实施以用于重新启动所述网络装置的一个或多个组件的方法。
[0002]包括硬件和软件元件的电子装置有时可能不会理想地响应于网络条件的改变或者软件或硬件配置的改变。这可能由于故障或程序错误而发生。由于各种原因,在具有联网能力的电子装置处建立的连接可能变得缓慢或可能停止工作。连接可能被打破的原因之一是因特网服务提供商(ISP)可能常常改变IP地址。这会致使电子装置尝试连接到错误的IP地址或到期的IP地址来建立连接。在这些情况下,重新启动电子装置可能解决问题。然而,在现有技术水平系统中,如果装置未连接到任何网络,那么重新启动可能要求用户或管理员实际上位于电子装置的附近。因此,需要可在需要时自动重新启动装置的方法和系统。
[0003]本发明是一种在网络装置处实施以用于重新启动所述网络装置的一个或多个组件的方法,包括监测在所述网络装置的任何组件处是否已满足至少一个条件的步骤。如果满足至少一个条件,那么至少部分地基于所述至少一个条件重新启动所述网络装置的一个或多个组件。当所述网络装置已重新启动时,向管理服务器告知所述网络装置的一个或多个组件已经重新启动。根据本发明,确定是否已从所述管理服务器处的用户或管理员接收到用于所述网络装置的配置。当已接收到配置时,从所述管理服务器检索所述配置。随后用检索到的所述配置来配置所述网络装置。
[0004]根据本发明的实施例,在至少部分地基于当满足所述至少一个条件时执行重新启动所述网络装置的一个或多个组件之前,向所述网络装置的用户告知将重新启动所述网络装置。
[0005]根据本发明的实施例,对一个或多个电子装置供应电力,其中所述一个或多个电子装置连接到所述网络装置。
[0006]对于本发明的实施例,通过相应的以太网接口使用以太网供电(PoE)将电力供应到所述一个或多个电子装置。
[0007]对于本发明的实施例,所述网络装置包括一个或多个交流电(AC)电力插座,其中,电力通过所述AC电力插座供应到所述一个或多个电子装置。
[0008]对于本发明的实施例,所述网络装置从电力控制器接收电力,其中,当满足条件时所述电力控制器停止对所述网络装置的一个或多个组件供应电力。
[0010]根据本发明,条件选自由以下各项组成的群组:连接性、时间、位置、带宽、策略、存储器状态、使用价格,和处理单元负载。
[0011]根据本发明,在监测在所述网络装置的任何组件处是否已满足条件之后,确定所述网络装置是否在预定义时间内已重新启动。进一步地,当所述网络装置在所述预定义时间内尚未重新启动时,执行至少部分地基于条件而重新启动所述网络装置的一个或多个组件。
[0012]根据本发明,在至少部分地基于当满足条件时重新启动所述网络装置的一个或多个组件之后,发送短消息服务(SMS)消息到所述网络装置的用户。所述SMS消息包括所述网络装置已重新启动的信息。