Super Speed USB Hub Traffic Management via Packet Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional USB hubs lack effective traffic management systems, leading to inefficiencies in data transmission and packet handling, particularly in high-speed USB environments where the broadcast system fails to manage traffic effectively, resulting in blocked packets and delayed new packet issuance from the USB host.
Innovation Solution
A super speed USB hub with a transaction dispatching unit, hub local packet parser, traffic control unit, and forwarding unit that utilizes a routing mechanism to manage downstream and upstream packets through a buffer system, allowing for selective packet forwarding and control based on traffic management commands, enabling enhanced traffic management and multiple transactions without waiting for transaction responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a broadcast system is used to forward packets in conventional USB hubs, then packet transmission is simple, but traffic management capability is lost and packets are blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet forwarding function by introducing a routing mechanism that divides packets into different types (downstream packets and hub command packets) and handles them through separate paths. The downstream buffer and traffic control unit further segment the handling of downstream packets, allowing selective forwarding based on traffic management commands while maintaining simple broadcast for hub commands.
2Reliability
If the USB host waits for transaction response from a USB device, then packet blocking is prevented, but new packet issuance is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by allowing the USB host to issue new packets before receiving transaction responses. The traffic control unit and downstream buffer are configured to manage packet flow proactively, enabling the host to prepare and send new packets while previous transactions are still in progress, thus eliminating the waiting delay without compromising reliability.
3Device complexity
If no traffic management system is implemented in USB hubs, then device complexity is reduced, but bandwidth control and data transfer efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary traffic control unit between the USB host and downstream packets. This intermediary receives traffic management commands, processes them, and selectively forwards downstream packets through the downstream buffer. The forwarding unit acts as another intermediary that routes packets to appropriate device ports, enabling efficient bandwidth control and data transfer efficiency without requiring complex centralized management.
Data Source
AI summary
A super speed USB hub includes an upstream port, a plurality of device ports, a transaction dispatching unit, a downstream buffer, a hub local packet parser, a traffic control unit, and a forwarding unit. The transaction dispatching unit is used for receiving a plurality of packets from a USB host, wherein the plurality of packets comprise a plurality of downstream packets and a hub command packet. If the hub command packet contains a traffic management command, the hub local packet parser generates a selected target and a control mode according to the traffic management command. The traffic control unit is used for managing a downstream packet corresponding to the selected target among the plurality of downstream packets in the downstream buffer according to the selected target and the control mode.