Hardware Protocol Stack for User-Defined Frame Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hardware protocol stacks require additional hardware resources and are inflexible when processing user-defined protocols, leading to increased development time and degraded performance compared to software protocol stacks.

Innovation Solution

A hardware protocol stack with enhanced frame interpretation functions, including a comparison unit, register unit, interface logic unit, logic process unit, frame receiving unit, and frame production unit, allows for automatic processing of user-defined protocols, maintaining rapid processing speeds by comparing and processing frame headers and data according to user-defined rules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a hardware protocol stack is used for processing user-defined protocols, then processing speed is improved, but device complexity and additional hardware resources are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidhardware resource
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hardware protocol stack is designed with a universal architecture that can process both standard protocols and user-defined protocols through the same hardware infrastructure. The comparison unit can be configured to match different protocol types, and the logic process unit can execute different frame processing operations, making the hardware stack multi-functional without requiring separate hardware for each protocol type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The hardware protocol stack incorporates dynamic configurability where the comparison patterns and logic processes can be modified to accommodate user-defined protocols. This dynamic nature allows the fixed hardware structure to adapt to different protocol requirements through reconfigurable parameters and logic, maintaining hardware efficiency while handling diverse protocol types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a software protocol stack is used for processing user-defined protocols, then adaptability is improved, but processing time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotocol adaptabilityVSAvoidprocess time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces software-based protocol interpretation with hardware-based implementation. The comparison unit performs protocol matching and the logic process unit executes frame processing operations in hardware, substituting the software execution model with a hardware execution model that operates at much higher speeds while maintaining the necessary adaptability through configurable parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of manufacture

If standard hardware protocol stack functions are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to user-defined protocols is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidprotocol flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The hardware protocol stack is segmented into distinct functional units: a comparison unit for protocol matching, a logic process unit for frame processing, and a frame storage unit. This segmentation allows each unit to be independently configured and optimized, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enabling adaptability to user-defined protocols through modular configuration of the comparison and logic processing segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3240255B1Hardware protocol stack for proprietary protocols
Publication Date: 2019.08.07 LSIS CO LTD
  • EP3240255B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3240255B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3240255B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a hardware protocol stack, and more particularly, to a hardware protocol stack to which a user-defined protocol is applicable. The present disclosure compares header information stored in a register unit (120) with header information of a received frame, and determines a processing of the received frame on the basis of a comparison result from a comparison unit (110). Also, according to a determined frame process method, data of the received frame is processed in a logic process unit (140) based on a logic according to the header information. As a result, the present disclosure may expand a frame interpretation function applied to only a protocol provided from a supplier of a hardware protocol stack to increase flexibility and expendability by providing a function for a frame interpretation not provided by the supplied, a function for interpreting a protocol made by a user, and a calculation function.