Timestamped Message Sequencing in Switch Buffers

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed communication networks, like those used in supercomputers, are not suitable for stock exchange applications due to issues such as message overload, re-synchronization challenges, and lack of high availability, leading to potential system failures and disruptions.

Innovation Solution

An electronic communication network with a server platform and client data processing devices that utilize timestamping for message sequencing, a credit system to manage message flow, and redundant architecture to ensure fair processing and continuous operation, even in the event of component failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If supercomputer networks are used for high-speed communication, then communication speed is improved, but message overload and system reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication speedVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into multiple independent switches with dedicated buffers for different clients. Each switch handles specific client traffic independently, preventing a single point of failure from affecting the entire system. This segmentation maintains high-speed communication while improving reliability through distributed architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Dedicated buffers are provided at each switch before message processing occurs. These buffers cushion against message overload by temporarily storing messages from multiple clients, preventing them from overwhelming the system. This prior cushioning mechanism ensures continuous operation even under high message volumes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Productivity

If common switches with buffers are used for message processing, then message processing capability is improved, but message sequencing fairness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage processing capabilityVSAvoidmessage processing fairness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Each switch is configured with dedicated buffers specific to different clients, creating local quality differentiation. This ensures that each client receives fair treatment according to their specific buffer capacity, preventing arbitrary message reordering while maintaining high processing capability through localized optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The dedicated buffers act as intermediaries between clients and the message processing system. These buffers mediate message flow by providing controlled storage capacity for each client, ensuring fair sequencing while enabling high-volume message processing through the intermediary buffering mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If high-performance systems process large quantities of information, then processing speed is improved, but re-synchronization time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidre-synchronization time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously maintains synchronized state information in dedicated buffers before re-synchronization is needed. This preliminary action ensures that when a client reconnects after interruption, the synchronization process is minimized as the system already possesses the necessary state information, reducing re-synchronization time while maintaining high processing speeds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If client data processing devices send many messages quickly, then communication throughput is improved, but switch hardware capacity limits are exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication throughputVSAvoidswitch hardware capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The switch hardware capacity is segmented into dedicated buffers for different clients. This segmentation allows the system to handle high throughput by distributing the message load across multiple dedicated buffer regions, preventing any single client from overwhelming the switch while maintaining overall high communication throughput capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11966973B2Electronic communication network

Publication Date: 2024.04.23 SWISSTRADINGBOX

AI summary

An electronic communication network comprises a server platform and client data processing devices. Each client data processing device is configured to submit electronic messages to the server platform, provided with a timestamp. The server platform is configured to process incoming electronic messages strictly in a sequence corresponding to the timestamp. The electronic communication network comprising at least one switch, wherein the switch is arranged to receive electronic messages from a plurality of the client data processing devices. the switch comprises a buffer and is configured to store the electronic messages produced by the client data processing devices in the buffer, and to transfer the electronic messages in a manner sorted according to the timestamp provided to each electronic message by the time generator of the client data processing device submitting the electronic message, so that the electronic message with the oldest time is transferred first.