ACK Offload Engine Reducing CPU Load for QUIC STREAM Frames

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network systems face inefficiencies due to host processors expending resources on packetization, header manipulation, and error control, especially at higher transmit and receive rates, which can limit bandwidth utilization and processor throughput.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an ACK Offload Engine (AOE) in a network device offloads the acknowledgement of receipt for QUIC packets to the network interface, specifically for packets containing only STREAM frames, thereby reducing CPU usage and improving power efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If host software handles network and transport layer tasks, then communication reliability is maintained, but processor throughput is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidprocessor throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the ACK generation function from the host processor software stack and relocates it to the network adapter hardware. The network adapter now independently generates acknowledgments for received packets, removing this processing burden from the host CPU while maintaining reliable communication through proper ACK transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network adapter acts as an intermediary between the physical network layer and the host processor. It handles low-level communication tasks including ACK generation, packetization, and error control, allowing the host processor to focus on higher-level application tasks without sacrificing communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If host processor handles packetization and error control, then communication accuracy is ensured, but bandwidth utilization is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication accuracyVSAvoidbandwidth utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts packetization and error control functions from the host processor and implements them in the network adapter hardware. This allows these critical reliability functions to be performed at line rate without consuming host processor cycles, thereby maximizing bandwidth utilization while maintaining communication accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network adapter performs packetization and error control autonomously without requiring host processor intervention. The adapter manages its own communication tasks including generating acknowledgments, formatting packets, and handling error detection, enabling full bandwidth utilization while ensuring communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If host processor handles acknowledgement generation, then protocol compliance is maintained, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol complianceVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the energy-intensive ACK generation task from the host processor and relocates it to the network adapter. This hardware-based implementation consumes significantly less power than software-based processing while maintaining full TCP/QUIC protocol compliance through proper acknowledgment transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network adapter independently generates and transmits acknowledgments without requiring host processor involvement. This self-service approach maintains protocol compliance while dramatically reducing energy consumption by eliminating the need for CPU intervention in every ACK transmission cycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If host software manages link layer tasks, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts link layer management functions from host software and implements them in the network adapter hardware. This hardware encapsulation maintains communication reliability through proper error control and acknowledgment mechanisms while reducing system complexity by eliminating the need for complex software stacks in the host.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12218843B2Offload of acknowledgements to a network device

Publication Date: 2025.02.04 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Examples described herein relate to a network device apparatus that includes a network interface card to process a received packet. In some examples, based on the received packet only including one or more frames for which acknowledgement of receipt is offloaded to the network interface card, generate an acknowledgement (ACK) message to acknowledge receipt of the received packet. In some examples, a frame for which acknowledgement of receipt is offloaded to the network interface card comprises a STREAM frame compatible with quick User Datagram Protocol (UDP) Internet Connections (QUIC). In some examples, a computing platform is coupled to the network interface card. In some examples, based on the received packet only including any frame for which acknowledgement of receipt is not offloaded to the network interface, the computing platform is to generate an ACK message for the received packet.