Packet Tracing in Data Transmission Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
In data transmission apparatuses, tracing the processing result of specific packets is difficult due to independently stored statistical information across processing blocks, making it challenging to determine where packet discarding occurs, and existing solutions require large-capacity multi-port memories, increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A small-capacity processing result memory is added to the data transmission apparatus, with a flag appended to specific packet results for tracing, allowing output via a designated port or separate output port, enabling packet capture and analysis without interfering with normal operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a large-capacity multi-port memory is used to store processing results from each processing block, then complete packet processing information can be stored, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential processing result information (whether packet was discarded or transmitted) from each processing block, rather than storing complete packet data. This selective extraction stores minimal necessary information in each block's memory, avoiding the need for large-capacity multi-port memory while still enabling packet flow tracing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of packet processing status (discarded/transmitted flags) in each processing block's memory, rather than storing complete packet information. These lightweight copies enable tracing without requiring substantial memory resources.
2Productivity
If statistical information is independently stored in each processing block, then each block can track its own processing, but tracing specific packet processing results becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a packet identifier (such as sequence number or address information) as an intermediary that links processing results across different processing blocks. This identifier is carried through the packet data and used to correlate processing status in each block, enabling traceability without compromising processing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the packet processing information into discrete, traceable units by associating each processing block's result with specific packet identifiers. This segmentation allows independent tracking of each packet's journey through different processing blocks while maintaining overall traceability.
3Reliability
If packet processing results are stored in each processing block, then processing status can be recorded, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing memory storage only where specifically needed in each processing block to record its processing result, rather than implementing a unified large-scale memory system. Each block has minimal local storage capacity tailored to its specific processing function, reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In a data transmission apparatus, provisions are made to be able to trace the result of processing or discarding of a specific packet from outside the apparatus. More specifically, in a data transmission apparatus that receives data having a header and, based on information carried in the header, performs processing such as destination determination, discard processing, and priority transmission processing on the received data by using a plurality of processing blocks, a memory for storing the processing results supplied from the respective processing blocks in the data transmission apparatus is provided, wherein a flag is appended only to the data that needs tracing and only the processing result of the thus flagged data is stored in the memory, and wherein, after completing the processing, only the processing result of the flagged data is forcefully output outside the apparatus thus enabling the processing result to be retrieved.