Multiport Ethernet Interface Port Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-end switches or routers connected to low-end Ethernet switches experience bandwidth waste due to mismatched port speeds, and existing multi-port Ethernet interface devices cannot accurately identify the source ports of services, hindering efficient bandwidth utilization.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that modify messages to enable switch chips or Network Processors to identify ports by using a mapping table to correlate in-port information with switch chip or NP information, allowing for accurate port identification and service transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a high-end switch or router is connected with a low-end Ethernet switch, then the connection is established, but bandwidth is wasted due to mismatched port speeds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth utilizationVSAvoidbandwidth waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the port identification function by extracting port information from VLAN tags and using separate mapping tables to correlate in-port information with switch chip or NP information. This segmentation enables precise identification of which physical port a service originates from, allowing the system to optimize bandwidth allocation and prevent waste when connecting high-end switches with low-end Ethernet switches having mismatched port speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If a multi-port Ethernet interface device is used to address bandwidth waste, then bandwidth utilization improves, but the switch chip or NP cannot identify the source ports of services

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth utilizationVSAvoidport identification information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing mapping tables that correlate in-port information with switch chip or NP information before services are transmitted. The multi-port Ethernet interface device extracts port information from VLAN tags and performs port identification in advance, so that when services arrive at the switch chip or NP, the source port information is already available. This preliminary port identification enables both improved bandwidth utilization and accurate source port tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If port information is not accurately identified, then message routing is simplified, but the network device cannot determine from which port a service is transmitted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage processing complexityVSAvoidport identification precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the mapping table - that bridges the multi-port Ethernet interface device and the switch chip or NP. The mapping table correlates in-port information with switch chip or NP information, acting as an intermediary data structure that enables accurate port identification without complicating the message processing flow. This intermediary approach allows precise port tracking while maintaining relatively simple message handling procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2709313B1Multiport ethernet interface device and method for identifying ports thereof
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 ZTE CORP
  • EP2709313B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2709313B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2709313B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The disclosure discloses a method for identifying ports of a multi-port Ethernet interface device, comprising: receiving, by the multi-port Ethernet interface device, a message transmitted by a port module of a network device; acquiring information of a switch chip or network processor (NP) of a corresponding network device according to in-port information of the message transmitted by the port module and a preset mapping table, the mapping table containing the correspondence relationship between the in-port information and the information of the switch chip or NP; writing the information of the switch chip or NP into the message transmitted by the port module, and transmitting the message to a corresponding switch chip or NP so that the switch chip or the NP can acquire the in-port information according to the information of the switch chip or NP. The disclosure also discloses a corresponding device. The method for identifying ports of a multi-port Ethernet interface device and the multi-port Ethernet interface device disclosed herein truly realize a multi-port Ethernet interface device.