Network Forwarding Data-Plane Reconfiguration for Thermal Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network forwarding chips face challenges in controlling operating temperature and power consumption due to advanced lithographic processes that result in high dynamic power consumption and temperature contributions from small feature sizes.

Innovation Solution

A network forwarding data plane circuit is dynamically reconfigured to adjust its data message processing to stay below a maximum operating temperature or power consumption level, using idle-signal injecting circuits to reduce power consumption by maintaining input storage units in an idle state, and temperature sensors to monitor and adjust processing stages accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If advanced lithographic processes are used to produce semiconductor chips with very small feature sizes, then the number of high-speed components that can be defined on the chip increases, but the dynamic power consumption and operating temperature increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of high-speed componentsVSAvoiddynamic power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of the data plane circuit by controlling clock signals to storage units based on real-time temperature feedback. When temperature exceeds thresholds, the system dynamically adjusts which storage units are active, transitioning between different operational states to balance performance and thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters by selectively enabling or disabling clock signals to different storage units based on temperature conditions. This parameter adjustment allows the circuit to operate at reduced power consumption levels when thermal limits are approached, while maintaining full performance when cooling is sufficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If advanced lithographic processes are used to produce semiconductor chips with very small feature sizes, then the number of high-speed components that can be defined on the chip increases, but the operating temperature increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of high-speed componentsVSAvoidoperating temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of the data plane circuit by controlling clock signals to storage units based on real-time temperature feedback. When temperature exceeds thresholds, the system dynamically adjusts which storage units are active, transitioning between different operational states to balance performance and thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters by selectively enabling or disabling clock signals to different storage units based on temperature conditions. This parameter adjustment allows the circuit to operate at reduced power consumption levels when thermal limits are approached, while maintaining full performance when cooling is sufficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the data plane increases its data message processing throughput, then congestion in message storing queues is alleviated, but power consumption and operating temperature increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata message processing throughputVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of the data plane circuit by controlling clock signals to storage units based on real-time temperature feedback. When temperature exceeds thresholds, the system dynamically adjusts which storage units are active, transitioning between different operational states to balance performance and thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12463884B2Dynamically reconfiguring data plane of forwarding element to account for power consumption

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 BAREFOOT NETWORKS INC

AI summary

Some embodiments of the invention provide a network forwarding element that can be dynamically reconfigured to adjust its data message processing to stay within a desired operating temperature or power consumption range. In some embodiments, the network forwarding element includes (1) a data-plane forwarding circuit (“data plane”) to process data tuples associated with data messages received by the IC, and (2) a control-plane circuit (“control plane”) for configuring the data plane forwarding circuit. The data plane includes several data processing stages to process the data tuples.