Hardware ORB Interface for JTRS SCA Latency Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional CORBA implementations are inefficient for performance-sensitive applications, particularly in power-constrained environments like tactical radios, due to high latency and heat generation, making it difficult to comply with JTRS SCA requirements.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a hardware-based object request broker and pluggable protocol interface that marshals data directly through a memory pool, reducing reliance on the operating system and middleware, and using more efficient processors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional CORBA middleware and operating system are used, then platform-independent programming and distributed computing are achieved, but latency and power consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplatform-independent programmingVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a hardware-based ORB interface that acts as an intermediary between the waveform application and the CORBA middleware. This hardware interface directly marshals and unmarshals data without requiring software-based ORB processing, thereby reducing latency while maintaining CORBA compatibility and platform-independent programming capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the software-based ORB and operating system middleware with a hardware-implemented ORB interface. This substitution of mechanical/software systems with hardware reduces processing latency and power consumption while preserving the functional capabilities of CORBA middleware for distributed computing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional CORBA middleware and operating system are used, then distributed computing capabilities are provided, but power consumption and heat generation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistributed computing capabilitiesVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces power-intensive software-based ORB and operating system middleware with a hardware-implemented ORB interface. This hardware implementation consumes significantly less power while maintaining distributed computing capabilities through CORBA protocol support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential ORB functionality from the power-consuming software stack and implements it in hardware. By taking out only the critical data marshaling and unmarshaling functions and implementing them in hardware, the system maintains distributed computing capabilities with reduced power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Speed

If processing power is increased to overcome middleware latency, then communication speed improves, but heat dissipation and battery life worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication speedVSAvoidheat dissipation

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces software-based processing with hardware-based ORB interface that directly marshals and unmarshals data. This hardware implementation achieves high communication speed without requiring excessive processing power, thereby reducing heat dissipation and improving battery life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS7530074B1Joint tactical radio system (JTRS) software computer architecture (SCA) co-processor

Publication Date: 2009.05.05 ROCKWELL COLLINS INC

AI summary

A joint tactical radio system (JTRS) software computer architecture (SCA) apparatus that implements services for a waveform application by reducing latency in middleware and the operating system such that more power efficient processors can be used. The apparatus includes an object request broker that marshals data from the waveform application for communication and an object request broker interface that communicates the marshaled data using a memory pool and select functions of an Operating System. At least a portion of the object request broker is implemented in hardware and at least a portion of the object request broker interface is implemented in hardware and at least a portion of the Operating System is implemented in hardware.