Methods and systems for prioritizing data transferred on a local area network

• US 20040156360A1
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hershey, John Erik, Hartman, Michael James, Sexton, Daniel White
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/50 Queue scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/205 Quality of Service based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches

Abstract

A method of prioritizing messages on a Local Area Network comprises receiving a digitized incoming message, comparing a message signature of the incoming message with a stored priority message signature, passing non-priority messages to a standard Ethernet protocol stack for processing, storing priority messages temporarily, preventing priority messages from being processed in the standard Ethernet protocol stack, and handling priority messages using a simplified protocol stack designed to process a specific data packet type. This method may be performed by an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) inserted between an Ethernet PHY layer and Ethernet MAC layer on a Network Interface Card of a host device. In particular, automated machinery control systems using the Ethernet protocol for networking are intended to benefit from the prioritizing method and implementation.

Claims

1. A method of prioritizing data transfer in a network, comprising:

receiving and storing different types of data;

distinguishing the priority of the different types of data using priority data signatures; and

forwarding higher priority data to a destination address in the network; and

then forwarding data of a lower priority to a destination address in the network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the lower priority data while the higher priority data is forwarded.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said priority data signature comprises a destination address, a source address, a source and destination port, a data packet type, a protocol type, or an ethernet global data exchange identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said higher priority data contains a data packet type comprising ethernet global data packets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said priority data signature is located on the network between an ethernet PHY layer and ethernet MAC layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the forwarding of data based on priority is performed using a forwarding priority switch.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the forwarding priority switch is placed between a PHY layer and MAC layer of a switching device.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising separating the lower priority data into a first, higher priority and a second, lower priority.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising forwarding the first, higher priority data and then forwarding the second, lower priority data.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising separating the lower priority data using priority data signatures.

11. A method of prioritizing data in a network, comprising:

receiving incoming data to a network containing an ethernet protocol stack;

comparing a signature of the incoming data with a priority data signature;

preventing priority data from being processed in the ethernet protocol stack;

temporarily storing the priority data; and

processing the priority data using a simplified protocol stack designed to process a specific data packet type.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said data packet type comprises ethernet global data packets.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said priority data signature uses a destination address, a source address, a source and destination port, a data packet type, a protocol type, and an ethernet global data exchange identifier.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the incoming data comprises receiving data from an ethernet PHY layer.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said priority data signature is located on the network between an ethernet PHY layer and ethernet MAC layer.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein preventing the priority data from being processed comprises corrupting the priority data.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein preventing the priority data from being processed comprises blocking the priority data.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein preventing the priority data from being processed is performed using a processing priority switch.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said processing priority switch is placed between a PHY layer and MAC layer of a network interface card.

20. A device for prioritizing data within a network using an ethernet protocol stack, comprising:

means for comparing a signature of incoming data with a stored priority data signature;

means for preventing priority data from being processed by an ethernet protocol stack; and

means for temporarily storing the priority data.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said means for comparing a signature comprises hardware and software implemented on an application specific integrated circuit.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein said means for comparing a signature comprises hardware and software implemented using a field programmable gate array.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein said means for preventing priority data from being processed comprises hardware capable of corrupting the data of said priority data.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein said means for preventing priority data from being processed comprises software capable of corrupting the data of said priority data.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein said incoming data contains ethernet global data packets.

26. The device of claim 20, further comprising troubleshooting means containing a counter which increments whenever an incoming message matches the priority message signature.

27. A system containing one or more devices for prioritizing data within a network using an ethernet protocol stack, the devices comprising:

means for comparing a signature of incoming data with a stored priority data signature;

means for controlling the forwarding of priority and non-priority data within the network'"'"'s infrastructure;

means for preventing priority data from being processed by an ethernet protocol stack; and

means for temporarily storing the priority data.

28. A system for prioritizing data in a network containing an ethernet protocol stack, the system comprising:

means for comparing a signature of incoming data with a stored priority data signature;

means for preventing priority data from being processed by an ethernet protocol stack;

means for temporarily storing the priority data;

means for processing the data content in the priority data;

means for transmitting said data content to a memory unit of a host device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the system is located in one or more locations between an ethernet PHY layer and ethernet MAC layer of the network.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein said means for comparing a signature comprises hardware and software implemented on an application specific integrated circuit or field programmable gate array.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein said means for preventing priority data from being processed comprises hardware and software capable of corrupting the data of said priority data.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein said means for preventing priority data from being processed comprises hardware and software capable of corrupting the data of said priority data.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein said host device is a programmable logic controller.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein said host device is an input/output device.

35. A system for handling priority data in a network, the system comprising:

means for comparing a signature of incoming data with a stored priority data signature;

means for controlling the forwarding of priority and non-priority data within the networks infrastructure;

means for preventing non-priority data from being forwarded until no priority data is present; and

means for forwarding both priority and non-priority data to an ethernet MAC layer.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the system is implemented between one or more ethernet PHY layers and ethernet MAC layers.

37. A device for forwarding priority data within a network, comprising:

a medium for receiving incoming data from a switch PHY layer;

hardware and software for comparing the signature of said incoming data with a stored priority data signature;

hardware and software for preventing non-priority data from being processed until all priority data has been processed; and

a medium for transmitting both priority and non-priority data to a switch MAC layer.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the incoming data is received at a switch of the network.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein said device is implemented at each port of a switch.

40. A device for processing priority data in a network, comprising:

a medium for receiving incoming data from an ethernet PHY layer;

hardware and software for comparing the signature of said incoming data with a stored priority data signature;

hardware and software for preventing priority data from being processed; and

a medium for transmitting both priority and non-priority data to an ethernet MAC layer.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the incoming data is received at a node of the network.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the node comprises a programmable logic controller device.

43. The device of claim 41, wherein the node comprises an input/output device.

44. The device of claim 40, further comprising:

a local memory unit for storing the priority data;

a processing unit for extracting information from said priority data; and

a medium for transmitting said information to a memory location of a host device.