Unified Encryption Across Multi-Vendor GPUs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Compute service providers face challenges in maximizing the use of expensive hardware accelerator resources like GPUs across multiple vendors without requiring developers to rewrite acceleration solutions for each GPU type, as existing solutions lack transparency and universality.

Innovation Solution

Implementing unified encryption across multi-vendor graphics processing units through a cryptographic processor that prefetches and decrypts encrypted data in a local cache, enabling timely access for compute processors while managing different encryption techniques used by various GPU manufacturers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If developers implement separate acceleration solutions for each GPU vendor, then encryption compatibility across different GPU types is improved, but device complexity and development effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveencryption compatibilityVSAvoiddevelopment effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal encryption interface layer that works across multiple GPU vendors (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) without requiring vendor-specific implementations. This single unified solution provides multi-vendor compatibility, eliminating the need for separate acceleration solutions for each GPU type while maintaining encryption compatibility across all supported hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary encryption management layer between the application and the GPU hardware. This mediator handles the complexity of different encryption techniques from various vendors through a standardized interface, shielding developers from vendor-specific details while ensuring broad compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If encryption is performed during compute operations, then data security is improved, but processing speed and productivity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs encryption and decryption operations in advance during data transfer between host memory and GPU memory, rather than during compute operations. By prefetching and decrypting data before it reaches the GPU compute units, the system ensures data security while allowing compute operations to proceed at full speed on already-decrypted data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous encryption/decryption operations that occur concurrently with data transfer and compute operations. The encryption layer operates continuously in the background during memory transfers, ensuring security without interrupting the main computational workflow and maintaining processing throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If vendor-specific encryption solutions are used, then encryption technique compatibility is improved, but adaptability across different GPU vendors deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveencryption technique compatibilityVSAvoidmulti-vendor support
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal encryption interface that supports multiple GPU vendors (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) through a single unified implementation. The system automatically adapts to different vendor-specific encryption techniques while presenting a consistent interface to applications, achieving both encryption compatibility and multi-vendor adaptability simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts encryption parameters and techniques based on the detected GPU vendor and hardware capabilities. By changing encryption parameters adaptively according to the specific vendor while maintaining a consistent interface, the system achieves vendor-specific optimization without sacrificing multi-vendor support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240193281A1Unified encryption across multi-vendor graphics processing units
Publication Date: 2024.06.13 INTEL CORP
  • US20240193281A1 patent drawing
  • US20240193281A1 patent drawing
  • US20240193281A1 patent drawing

AI summary

An apparatus comprises a local computer readable memory, a compute processor comprising one or more processing resources to execute a compute process, and a cryptographic processor to prefetch encrypted compute data for the compute processor and decrypt the compute data prior to making the compute data accessible to the compute processor.