Relay Device External Interface Threshold Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional relay devices waste resources by transmitting deleted frames via DMA, leading to resource availability deterioration and increased complexity in circuit configuration due to the need for hardware-based network interface functions, which limits flexibility and increases development costs.
Innovation Solution
A relay device with an external interface that stores received data, sets a threshold, and notifies the main control unit when the data quantity reaches the threshold, allowing for immediate deletion of unnecessary frames before transmission, thereby optimizing resource usage and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If DMA transmission is used to transmit frames to main memory, then frame transmission speed is improved, but resource availability deteriorates due to waste of consumption when deleted frames are transmitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the network interface determine frame disposal decisions before DMA transmission occurs. The control unit checks VLAN tags and broadcast frames at the network interface level, making disposal decisions in advance so that only necessary frames are transmitted via DMA to main memory, preventing waste of transmission resources on frames that will be deleted anyway.
2Speed
If network interface functions are realized by hardware, then processing speed is improved, but device complexity and development costs increase due to circuit configuration changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the network interface with a control unit that can be configured through software to handle different communication protocols and frame processing requirements. This multi-functional control unit replaces the need for dedicated hardware circuits for each protocol, allowing the same hardware to adapt to different network standards and processing needs without physical circuit changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by enabling the control unit to adjust its operating parameters and processing logic through software configuration rather than hardware modification. This allows the network interface to adapt to different protocols and processing requirements by changing control parameters and instructions, maintaining high processing speed while avoiding the complexity of hardware circuit changes.
3Reliability
If all frames are transmitted to main memory for processing, then processing completeness is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to transmission of unnecessary frames
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by having the network interface extract and identify frames that should be disposed of before they enter the main memory transmission path. The control unit selectively extracts frames with VLAN tags that don't match configured VLANs and broadcast frames, removing them from the transmission queue so they never reach main memory, thereby improving resource availability while maintaining processing completeness for necessary frames.
Data Source
AI summary
A data relay device transmitting received unit data has an external interface unit, a main control unit, where the received unit data are received from outside the data relay device and transmitted to the corresponding destination memory not through the main control unit. The external interface unit is equipped with memory in the external interface, the threshold setting unit, and the external control unit. The main control unit receiving the threshold receiving notice reads the information in the corresponding field of the received unit data stored in the memory in the external interface and judges whether the received unit data should be transmitted, or not. The main control unit deletes the received unit data judged to be unnecessary before the transmitting.