Delta Encoding Linked Lists for Network Packet Forwarding

Solution Overview

Problem

Network devices face inefficiencies in packet forwarding operations due to the need to read and process extensive attributes for each forwarding address, which increases computational requirements and memory access.

Innovation Solution

Implementing delta encoding in linked lists to store only differences between elements, allowing the network device to determine forwarding addresses by reading difference indicators instead of all attributes, thereby reducing processing demands and memory access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If all attributes for each forwarding address are stored and processed in traditional linked lists, then complete forwarding information is available, but computational requirements and memory access time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforwarding address determination accuracyVSAvoidmemory access time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential difference information from complete attribute sets. Instead of storing and processing all attributes for each forwarding address, the system stores only the differences between consecutive elements in the linked list. This extraction principle reduces memory access requirements while maintaining the ability to determine forwarding addresses by applying differences to a base element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the representation parameter from complete attribute sets to difference indicators. Each element in the linked list stores difference information rather than full attribute values, fundamentally changing how forwarding information is encoded and accessed. This parameter change reduces the amount of data that must be read from memory while preserving the ability to reconstruct complete forwarding information when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If all attributes for each forwarding address are stored and processed, then complete forwarding information is available, but computational requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforwarding address determination accuracyVSAvoidcomputational energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential difference information from complete attribute sets. Instead of storing and processing all attributes for each forwarding address, the system stores only the differences between consecutive elements in the linked list. This extraction principle reduces memory access requirements while maintaining the ability to determine forwarding addresses by applying differences to a base element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by processing only the necessary difference information rather than complete attribute sets. The system performs minimal computational operations by applying difference indicators to a base element only when needed, avoiding the excessive computation that would result from processing all attributes for every forwarding address in the linked list.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Quantity of substance

If traditional linked list structures are used with complete attributes, then all forwarding information is stored, but memory access efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforwarding information completenessVSAvoidpacket forwarding processing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential difference information from complete attribute sets. Instead of storing and processing all attributes for each forwarding address, the system stores only the differences between consecutive elements in the linked list. This extraction principle reduces memory access requirements while maintaining the ability to determine forwarding addresses by applying differences to a base element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the representation parameter from complete attribute sets to difference indicators. Each element in the linked list stores difference information rather than full attribute values, fundamentally changing how forwarding information is encoded and accessed. This parameter change reduces the amount of data that must be read from memory while preserving the ability to reconstruct complete forwarding information when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10348626B1Efficient processing of linked lists using delta encoding

Publication Date: 2019.07.09 MARVELL ISRAEL (M L S L) LTD

AI summary

A network device configured to store a plurality of network forwarding addresses as an encoded linked list of attributes of network values and forwarding addresses. The network device is configured to encode subsequent elements of the linked list such that a packet processor of the network device, in response to a data packet, processes only a difference between the elements without processing all of the respective attributes. The network device is further configured to forward the data packet as a result of reading the encoded elements of the linked list.