Packet Buffer Data Structure for High-Speed Media Access Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving efficient high-speed media access control, particularly in supporting multimedia applications that require high throughput and robust Quality of Service (QoS) in wireless networks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data structure within a packet buffer that includes a length field, sequence number field, and a pointer field, allowing for efficient storage and management of packets in a linked list configuration, enabling efficient high-speed media access control and supporting multiple communication flows with varying QoS requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional data structures are used for packet management, then implementation is simpler, but high-speed operability and QoS support are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments packet data into fixed-size chunks (e.g., 512-byte units) stored in a packet buffer, with separate control structures managing the segmented data. This segmentation enables efficient memory access patterns and parallel processing, achieving high-speed operability while maintaining manageable complexity through structured organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a two-dimensional data structure: a packet buffer organized as an array of fixed-size chunks, with control structures containing pointers to specific chunk locations. This dimensional organization (array index + offset pointers) enables efficient random access and high-speed packet retrieval without complex linked lists or dynamic memory management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If legacy 802.11 standards are supported, then backward compatibility is maintained, but high throughput for multimedia applications is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal packet buffer structure that can handle both legacy 802.11 packet formats and new high-throughput multimedia packets. The fixed-size chunk array and pointer-based control structures provide a unified interface that accommodates variable packet sizes and types, enabling simultaneous support for legacy compatibility and high-performance multimedia applications.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic memory allocation is used for packets, then flexibility is improved, but processing speed and determinism are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-allocates a fixed-size packet buffer with predetermined chunk slots before packet arrival. Control structures contain pre-computed pointers to specific chunk locations within this pre-allocated buffer. This preliminary setup eliminates runtime memory allocation overhead, enabling deterministic high-speed packet processing while maintaining flexibility through pointer-based addressing.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects disclosed herein address the need in the art for memory management for high speed media access control. A packet buffer may store packets with a first data structure, comprising the packet length, sequence number, and a pointer to a second data structure. Packet data may be stored in a linked list of one or more second data structures. Transmit and receive queues may be formed using linked lists or arrays of the first data structures. Memory locations for storing first and second data structures may be kept in lists indicating free locations for the respective data structure types. A flexible memory architecture is disclosed in which two configurations may be selected. In a first configuration, a first memory comprises per-flow parameters for multiple flows, and a second memory comprises a packet buffer. In a second configuration, the first memory comprises per-flow pointers to per-flow parameters in the second memory. The packet buffer resides in a third memory. Various other aspects are also presented.