Intelligent Network Card Offloads Blockchain Data Inquiries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for synchronizing blockchain data are inefficient, as they rely heavily on central processing units (CPUs) for frequent network interactions, leading to reduced throughput and increased delays.

Innovation Solution

A blockchain integrated station equipped with a CPU and an intelligent network card, where the intelligent network card handles data inquiry and pulling operations, offloading these tasks from the CPU to improve efficiency and focus on data synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the CPU handles data inquiry and pulling operations for blockchain synchronization, then the system can maintain simplicity in architecture, but the throughput decreases and feedback delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the blockchain node into two functional segments: the intelligent network card handles data inquiry and pulling operations, while the CPU focuses on data synchronization and transaction processing. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks, improving overall throughput without requiring a complete architectural overhaul.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intelligent network card acts as an intermediary component between the network and the CPU. It handles the time-consuming network interaction tasks (inquiry and pulling), freeing the CPU to focus on higher-level synchronization logic and transaction processing, thereby reducing feedback delay and improving throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If the CPU is used for frequent network interactions during data synchronization, then the system maintains operational simplicity, but the feedback delay in consensus processes increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback delayVSAvoidoperational simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the network interaction functions (inquiry and pulling operations) from the CPU and assigns them to the intelligent network card. This extraction reduces the time the CPU spends on network communications, thereby reducing feedback delay in consensus processes while maintaining operational simplicity through automated card-based operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The intelligent network card performs preliminary actions by completing data inquiry and pulling operations before the CPU needs to process the synchronization logic. This preliminary execution of network tasks reduces the overall feedback delay in the consensus process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the CPU handles all data synchronization tasks, then the system architecture remains simple, but the number of transactions executed per unit time decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransactions per unit timeVSAvoidhardware configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into an intelligent network card for network operations and a CPU for transaction processing. This segmentation enables parallel operation of network communication and transaction execution, increasing the number of transactions that can be processed per unit time despite the added hardware component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intelligent network card provides self-service by autonomously handling data inquiry and pulling operations without requiring continuous CPU intervention. This self-service capability frees the CPU to execute more transactions while the network card manages its own communication tasks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3937052B1Methods and apparatuses for synchronizing data based on blockchain integrated station
Publication Date: 2024.01.17 ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECH CO LTD
  • EP3937052B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3937052B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3937052B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a method and apparatus for synchronizing data based on a blockchain integrated station. The blockchain integrated station includes a CPU and an intelligent network card. The intelligent network card is a network card having a built-in processor or microprocessor to perform data computation and processing. The intelligent network card can replace the CPU to perform data synchronization inquiry and to-be-synchronized block data pulling, and the CPU performs data synchronization based on the to-be-synchronized block data sent by the intelligent network card.