Packet Conversion Metadata Pipeline for Flexible High-Speed Traffic

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing format conversion techniques are inflexible and unable to process large amounts of network traffic at high speed, as they cannot adapt processing based on the attributes of different business operators and require uniform processing for encapsulated packets.

Innovation Solution

A conversion device that utilizes hardware to analyze packet information, determine processing requirements, and generate metadata for flexible processing, offloading some tasks to hardware to reduce software processing load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If uniform processing according to encapsulation format is used, then processing simplicity is maintained, but flexibility to vary processing according to business operator attributes is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility of processingVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adding metadata including identification information indicating a group of packets to the packet in advance using hardware before software processing. This preliminary tagging enables the software to subsequently perform flexible processing differentiated by business operator attributes without having to analyze packet contents extensively, thus achieving adaptability while managing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the processing into two distinct parts: hardware performs preliminary analysis and metadata addition, while software performs the flexible processing based on business operator attributes. This segmentation allows each component to specialize, with hardware handling high-speed uniform processing and software handling flexible attribute-based processing, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If software is used for format conversion, then processing flexibility is achieved, but processing speed decreases when handling large traffic volumes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidsoftware processing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges hardware and software processing capabilities into a hybrid system. Hardware is used for high-speed preliminary processing including packet analysis and metadata addition, while software handles the flexible format conversion and analysis packet generation. This combination leverages the speed of hardware and the flexibility of software, achieving both high productivity and ease of operation for complex processing tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes mechanical system by replacing pure software processing with a hardware-assisted system. The hardware component performs initial packet analysis and metadata addition that would otherwise require software processing, thereby increasing processing speed for large traffic volumes while the software retains control over flexible processing logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If hardware is used for packet analysis, then processing speed increases, but ability to perform flexible processing according to packet attributes is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidprocessing flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces metadata as an intermediary between hardware and software processing. The hardware analyzes packets at high speed and adds metadata including identification information and group indicators. This metadata serves as an intermediary that carries essential attribute information from the fast hardware processing to the flexible software processing, enabling the software to perform attribute-based processing without being bottlenecked by hardware speed limitations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12634220B2Conversion device, conversion method, and conversion program

Publication Date: 2026.05.19 NT T INC

AI summary

A conversion device analyzes information of an input packet using hardware and determines whether to perform predetermined previous stage processing using the hardware. Furthermore, when it is determined to perform the previous stage processing, the conversion device uses the hardware to provide metadata including identification information indicating a group of packets to the packets on the basis of the fixed-length header information of the packets. In addition, the conversion device uses software to generate analysis packets corresponding to the group of packets using the provided metadata.