Serial Network Packet Superposition for Lower-Power Forwarding

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network structures experience high power consumption due to the need for multiple message receiving and sending in a serial network, particularly in battery-powered devices, as they require multiple message sending and receiving messages, leading to increased power consumption in a serial network.

Innovation Solution

A method for sending and receiving packets in a serial network where intermediate network elements superimpose packets based on message type and length to reduce power consumption by combining packets before forwarding, and the last node decapsulates combined packets to retrieve message data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple messages are sent and received separately in a serial network, then message delivery reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage delivery reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple messages into a single aggregated message for transmission. When the network element has both a message to forward from a previous node and a message to send to a next node, it superimposes these messages together into one aggregated message, reducing the number of separate transmit/receive operations and thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining delivery reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The network element performs preliminary determination to check whether it has both a message to forward and a message to send before aggregation. This preliminary check enables the system to proactively combine messages when conditions are favorable, avoiding subsequent separate transmissions and reducing overall power consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If messages are forwarded and sent separately, then message routing accuracy is improved, but the number of receiving operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage routing accuracyVSAvoidnumber of receiving operations
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the forwarding message and the original message into a single aggregated message that contains both payloads. This allows the network element to receive only one message instead of two separate messages, reducing the number of receiving operations while preserving routing accuracy through embedded routing information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The aggregated message acts as an intermediary structure that carries both the forwarded message content and the original message content together. This intermediary format enables the network element to handle multiple messages in a single receive operation while maintaining the ability to route them appropriately

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4044558B1Network structure, method for sending packet between network elements in network, and receiving method
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4044558B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4044558B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4044558B1 patent drawingFigure 4A

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a network structure and a method for sending/receiving a packet between network elements in a network. The packet sending method includes: when a network element in a serial network receives a to-be-forwarded packet at a previous node that is sent by a previous network element, if the network element needs to send a to-be-sent packet at a current node, determining whether the to-be-sent packet at the current node and the to-be-forwarded packet at the previous node can be superimposed, where the network element is an intermediate network element in the serial network; if the to-be-sent packet at the current node and the to-be-forwarded packet at the previous node can be superimposed, superimposing the to-be-sent packet at the current node and the to-be-forwarded packet at the previous node, to obtain a to-be-forwarded packet at the current node; and sending the to-be-forwarded packet at the current node to a next network element of the network element. In the technical solutions, the intermediate network element in the serial network needs to receive only one to-be-forwarded packet (namely, the to-be-forwarded packet at the previous node that is sent by the previous network element), and sends one to-be-forwarded packet (namely, the to-be-forwarded packet at the current node). Therefore, power consumption of each intermediate network element in a packet sending/receiving process can be reduced.