Switch Chip Port Management for Energy Saving

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Solution Overview

Problem

In distributed communications systems, the continuous detection of link status by switch chip ports on both the main control board and switch board leads to energy waste when service boards are not in position, as these ports remain active even if not in use.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where the main control board detects the position of service boards and sends an in-position message to the switch board, enabling or disabling corresponding ports on both the main control board and switch board based on the service board's position, thereby conserving energy by deactivating unused ports.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If switch chip ports on the main control board and switch board are always kept in the working state to ensure communication capability, then system reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic port management by transitioning ports between working state and disabled state based on service board presence. The main control board detects service board insertion/removal and dynamically adjusts the state of corresponding ports on both the main control board and switch board, making the system adaptive rather than static.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the main control board continuously monitors service board status and sends control messages to the switch board. When a service board is detected as absent, the main control board notifies the switch board to disable corresponding ports, creating a closed-loop control system that responds to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If all switch chip ports are enabled to facilitate data communication with any service board, then adaptability is improved, but energy waste occurs when service boards are not in position

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata communication capabilityVSAvoidenergy waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by enabling only the specific ports that are currently needed for communication. Instead of uniformly enabling all ports, the system selectively activates ports corresponding to present service boards while keeping other ports disabled, making the energy consumption pattern match the actual communication requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary detection of service board presence before enabling communication ports. The main control board detects whether service boards are inserted and proactively configures the appropriate port states on both boards, preparing the system in advance to avoid unnecessary energy consumption from ports that would remain unused.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2663038B1Switch chip port management method, main control board, switch board, and system
Publication Date: 2015.12.09 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2663038B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2663038B1 patent drawingFigure 3A
  • EP2663038B1 patent drawingFigure 3B

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for managing a switch chip port, a main control board, a switch board, and a system. The method is applied in a distributed communications system and includes: detecting whether each of multiple service boards is in position; when it is detected that a service board is not in position, controlling disabling of a port corresponding to the detected not-in-position service board on a first switch chip of the main control board; and/or sending an in-position message including information about the not-in-position service board to the switch board, so that the switch board controls, according to the information about the not-in-position service board, disabling of a port corresponding to the not-in-position service board on a second switch chip of the switch board. Energy saving of a switch chip port can be efficiently implemented by adopting the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, thereby efficiently reducing power consumption of the system.