Digital Crosspoint Switch Low-Latency Data Routing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current computing systems face challenges in processing large volumes of real-time data from digital market feeds, leading to significant and unpredictable delays, which can result in trading losses for high-frequency trading clients due to high electronic switching latencies.

Innovation Solution

A network switching system comprising a digital crosspoint switch, a data processing card with a programmable logic device, and a host controller, which configures the crosspoint switch and data processing card to replicate and process data efficiently, minimizing delays by selectively routing and processing only relevant data to clients.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If data processing is performed using conventional computing systems, then data can be processed and filtered for client needs, but significant and unpredictable delays are introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata processing delayVSAvoiddata processing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional software-based data processing with hardware-based processing using FPGAs and crosspoint switches. This substitution of mechanical/computational systems with dedicated hardware circuitry enables deterministic, low-latency processing that eliminates the unpredictable delays inherent in software execution while maintaining full data processing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the data processing function into dedicated hardware components: crosspoint switches for rapid data routing and FPGAs for processing. This segmentation allows simultaneous operation of multiple processing functions in parallel hardware pipelines, eliminating sequential processing delays while providing deterministic throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If all data from digital market feeds is transmitted to clients, then clients receive complete information, but network bandwidth and processing resources are wasted on unnecessary data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata completenessVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary filtering and processing of market data before transmission to clients. Crosspoint switches and FPGAs pre-process data streams to identify and extract only the information relevant to each client's needs, eliminating unnecessary data transmission and reducing network bandwidth consumption while ensuring clients receive complete information for their specific requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by customizing data processing for each client's specific needs. Different clients receive different subsets of processed data based on their individual requirements, with each client's data stream optimized locally rather than transmitting identical complete data sets to all clients, thereby reducing overall network bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Speed

If electronic switching latency is reduced through hardware-based processing, then data transmission speed improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs universal hardware components that perform multiple functions: FPGAs that can be reconfigured for different processing algorithms, and crosspoint switches that handle various data routing patterns. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to dedicated hardware for each function, while maintaining high-speed data transmission capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11575595B2System and method for low-latency network data switching

Publication Date: 2023.02.07 ARISTA NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A digital crosspoint switch of a network switching system (NSS) replicates input data received via a first network interface to a first data processing port of a data processing card. The input data includes a digital market data feed comprising market-data packets. The crosspoint switch has internal crosspoint ports and external crosspoint ports. The data processing card includes a programmable logic device and a plurality of data processing ports connected to the internal crosspoint ports. The NSS includes a plurality of network interfaces connected to the external crosspoint ports. The data processing card processes the input data and generates processed data on the second data processing port at least in part by only including market-data packets that meet a first predetermined filtering criterion in the processed data. The crosspoint switch replicates the processed data from the second data processing port to the second network interface.