Cross-device Segmentation Offload for IoT Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing networking solutions, particularly for mobile and IoT clients, face challenges in efficiently managing the increasing demand for video and streaming data, leading to high CPU utilization and power consumption due to processing-intensive tasks like segmentation and checksum calculations, which are not adequately addressed by current offloading techniques such as TSO.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves offloading processing-intensive tasks, including segmentation and error control, from client devices to network nodes like gateways or nodes within the service provider's WAN, utilizing virtual network functions and tunneling protocols to shift the computational burden, thereby reducing the need for transport layer protocols on client devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If segmentation is performed by the client device's protocol stack, then data delivery reliability is maintained, but CPU load and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the segmentation function from the client device's protocol stack and relocates it to the network node. The client device sends entire packets to the network node, which then performs segmentation into smaller segments for transmission over the network. This extraction removes the computationally intensive segmentation task from the client device, reducing its CPU load and power consumption while maintaining reliable data delivery through the network node's protocol stack.
2Reliability
If segmentation is performed by the client device's protocol stack, then data delivery reliability is maintained, but CPU load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation function is extracted from the client device's protocol stack and performed by the network node instead. The client device's protocol stack is relieved of the computationally intensive segmentation task, reducing CPU load and allowing the device to handle other tasks more efficiently. The network node performs segmentation using its own protocol stack, ensuring reliable data delivery is maintained.
3Reliability
If transport layer protocols are implemented on client devices, then reliable data delivery is ensured, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transport layer protocol implementation from the client device and relocates it to the network node. The client device can operate with simplified protocol stack, sending entire packets to the network node which handles segmentation and transport layer functions. This reduces device complexity on the client side while maintaining reliable data delivery through the network node's full protocol stack implementation.
4Productivity
If networking access solutions support network offloading techniques, then transmission performance improves, but benefits are limited to single network node
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal offloading mechanism where any network node along the path from client to destination can perform segmentation functions. The client device can offload to the first available network node with offloading capability, and the solution works across different network topologies and configurations. This multi-functional approach enhances both transmission performance and adaptability to various network scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to offloading processing intensive tasks in communication protocol specific operations off the device, e.g. to another network node connected to the device via a network. Such tasks may for example include flow control, segmentation/desegmentation, and/or error control. As part of error control, protocols of the transport protocol layer of the OSI protocol stack may include checksum calculation to ensure reliability of the (payload) data. The calculation of checksums may be processing intensive. For this reason, example client nodes that realize the offloading of processing intensive tasks in communication protocol specific operations to another network node may not utilize any transport layer protocol at all, but rely on flow control and error control implemented in most modern data link layer protocols (Layer 2 of the OSI protocol stack). Accordingly, the processing intensive tasks can be “shifted” from the client device to another device.