Communication Node Tagging and Filtering Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication nodes in data networks face inefficiencies in reducing unnecessary interrupts and processing time due to inadequate filtering granularity, leading to slower message processing.
Innovation Solution
A communication node with a tagging and filtering unit that offloads software-based filtering and routing tasks into hardware, using configurable tags to prepare message objects for direct software processing or routing to other hardware components, thereby reducing software-based filtering and mapping requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If software-based filtering and routing is used for all incoming messages, then the communication node can handle diverse message types, but the processing time increases and processor interrupts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware filtering unit performs preliminary filtering of incoming messages before they reach the software processing layer. By pre-processing messages in hardware and only passing filtered relevant messages to software, the system reduces the processing burden and time required for software-based filtering while maintaining comprehensive message handling capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces software-based filtering mechanisms with a hardware-based filtering unit. This substitution moves the filtering function from the software domain to hardware domain, enabling parallel processing and reducing the time critical path while maintaining adaptability through configurable filter criteria
2Productivity
If hardware-based filtering with tags is implemented, then processing time is reduced and interrupts are minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication node is segmented into distinct functional units: a hardware filtering unit, a tagging unit, and a software processing layer. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks, with the hardware unit handling filtering and tagging operations while software handles higher-level processing, thereby improving productivity without overwhelming complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware filtering unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle various message types and filtering criteria through configurable parameters. The tagging mechanism provides a universal interface that can route different message classes to appropriate handlers, achieving high productivity through a single versatile hardware component rather than multiple specialized units
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a communication node for a data networks for receiving messages from a physical interface having transmitting and receiving means, by way of which physical interface the communication node is connectable to a communication line of a data network, comprising:a communication module for receiving a message and for creating a corresponding message object referencing message data of the received message and metadata, the communication module being configured to store the message object in a memory and to create a message event upon creating the message object, the message event containing or being associated with a reference to the message object;a tagging and filtering unit configured to retrieve the message object referenced by its message event upon receiving the message event and, if a predefined filter criteria applied to the message object is met, configured to derive a tag and to update the message object in the memory with the determined tag to be a tagged message object; anda processing unit being configured to retrieve the tagged message object from the memory and to process the tagged message object based on the tag.