Triggered-Actions Network Processor for Low-Latency Regulatory Compliance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Message gateways face challenges in processing high volumes of messages with stringent latency and regulatory constraints, such as stock trades, where delays can result in missed trades and compliance issues.
Innovation Solution
A network processor with an input network stack, format decoder, application logic, and data handler that extracts fields, determines context and trigger values, and takes actions based on message type and payload information, allowing for parallel processing and low latency while bounding message rates and amounts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a message gateway processes a large number of messages per second with regulatory constraints (bounding stock rates and trade amounts), then compliance with regulatory requirements is achieved, but processing latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The message gateway is segmented into multiple specialized processing components: a format decoder that extracts message fields, application logic that evaluates trigger expressions, and a data handler that executes actions. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different message aspects, reducing overall latency while maintaining regulatory compliance through systematic checking of bounded rates and amounts across thousands of stocks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining trigger expressions and regulatory bounds before message processing. The format decoder pre-extracts relevant fields from incoming messages, and the application logic pre-evaluates trigger conditions based on bounded rates and amounts. This preliminary processing prepares data structures and compliance checks in advance, enabling rapid decision-making and reducing processing latency while ensuring regulatory requirements are met.
2Speed
If the message gateway processes messages at very high speed (microsecond latency), then trade execution timeliness is improved, but the ability to bound message rates and trade amounts for thousands of stocks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional sequential mechanical processing with a parallel evaluation architecture. Multiple trigger expressions are evaluated simultaneously through the application logic component, which processes bounded rates and amounts for thousands of stocks in parallel rather than sequentially. This substitution enables microsecond-latency processing while maintaining comprehensive regulatory compliance checking across all message types and stock categories.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes processing parameters by using pre-configured trigger expressions with defined thresholds for bounded rates and amounts. These parameters are established beforehand and stored in the application logic, allowing the system to quickly compare incoming message parameters against predefined regulatory bounds without complex real-time calculations. This parameter-based approach enables high-speed processing while ensuring message rates and trade amounts remain within regulatory limits.
3Reliability
If the network processor evaluates multiple trigger expressions with checks on payload information, then regulatory compliance is ensured, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The application logic component is designed as a universal processor that handles multiple trigger expressions and regulatory constraints through a single unified evaluation framework. Rather than implementing separate processing paths for different message types or compliance rules, the system uses a multi-functional application logic that can evaluate any trigger expression against any message payload, reducing overall system complexity while ensuring comprehensive regulatory compliance.
Data Source
AI summary
A network processor is described. This network processor determines a context for a message based on information in one or more fields in a payload of the message. For example, the context may be based on a message type and an identifier of the network connection on which the message was received. Then, the network processor calculates one or more trigger values based on one or more trigger expressions that perform checks on the information in the one or more fields. Moreover, the network processor determines one or more actions to be taken for the message based on the context and the one or more trigger values. In particular, the network processor determines whether the message is forwarded and one or more forwarding destinations.