Data bridge

• US 8,750,319 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yousefi, Nariman, Kim, Yongbum, Walley, John, Chen, Sherman (Xuemin), Diab, Wael W., Ilyadis, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Beharry, Noel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Combs, Joe
• Application Number:
  US13/171,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20120106565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/402
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/00 Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle with power supply from force of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/03 characterised by material, e.g. composite B60R19/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/76 Arrangements for rearranging, permuting or selecting data according to predetermined rules, independently of the content of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6275 : based on priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/76 : using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation requested by the user or requested by the network in response to changing network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/821 : Prioritising resource allocation or reservation requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 : Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 : Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/102 : characterised by the element, parameter or selection affected or controlled by the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/08 : Load balancing or load distribution transferring a connection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 : for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 : for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 : Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 : based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 : Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A data bridge controls the transfer of packets between different priority network fabrics of a closed network, e.g. high and low priority network fabrics a vehicular network. Processing circuitry determines first priority routing of a first packet from the first network fabric to the second network fabric based on packet content type of the first packet and priority conditions of the second network fabric. A determination is also made regarding whether a second packet is to be delivered from the second network fabric to the first network fabric. If the second packet is to be delivered, second priority routing of the second packet is made based on packet content type of the second packet and priority conditions of the first network fabric.

Claims

1. A data bridge to control packet transfers between network fabrics of a closed vehicular network carrying data having different priorities, the data bridge comprising:

packet ingress circuitry coupled to a first network fabric and a second network fabric, a majority of data carried by the first network having a first priority and a majority of data carried by the second network having a second priority that differs from the first priority;

packet egress circuitry coupled to the first network fabric and the second network fabric;

processing circuitry coupled to the packet ingress circuitry and the packet egress circuitry;

the processing circuitry operable to;

determine a status of a vehicle associated with the vehicular network;

determine, based on the status of the vehicle, that resource sharing between the first network fabric and the second network fabric is allowed;

determine first priority routing of a first packet from the first network fabric to the second network fabric based on packet content type of the first packet and priority conditions of the second network fabric;

receive a second packet from the second network fabric that includes a request for a resource of the first network fabric and that is to be delivered from the second network fabric to the first network fabric;

determine that the requested resource is available;

determine second priority routing of the second packet, based on packet content type of the second packet and priority conditions of the first network fabric; and

forward the second packet to the first network fabric.

2. The data bridge of claim 1, wherein the first network fabric carries data having a high priority and the second network fabric carries data having a low priority, the data bridge further comprising:

a first interface module coupled to receive packets from, and transmit packets to, the first network fabric;

a second interface module coupled to receive packets from, and transmit packets to, the second network fabric; and

a top-priority bypass module to transfer top-priority packets from the first interface module to the second interface module, bypassing at least a portion of the packet ingress circuitry and the packet egress circuitry.

3. The data bridge of claim 2, further comprising:

the packet egress circuitry comprising;

an output multiplexer coupled to an output port of the packet egress circuitry;

at least one packet egress queue;

the top-priority bypass module delivering non top-priority packets to the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry further to;

determine a priority of the non top-priority packets; and

in response to determining that a packet has an high priority, deliver the packet to the output multiplexer of the egress circuitry, bypassing the at least one packet egress queue.

4. The data bridge of claim 1, further comprising:

the packet ingress circuitry comprising;

an ingress buffer coupled to an input of the ingress circuitry;

an ingress queue coupled to an output of the ingress circuitry;

a packet filter coupled to an output of the ingress buffer and an input of an egress queue, the packet filter to prevent transmission of restricted packets from the ingress buffer to the egress queue.

5. The data bridge of claim 1, further comprising:

packet ingress circuitry coupled to a third network fabric carrying primarily data having a third priority different from the first priority and the second priority;

packet egress circuitry coupled to a third network fabric; and

the processing circuitry further to;

determine whether packets received from one of the first network fabric, the second network fabric, and the third network fabric are to be delivered to another of the first network fabric, the second network fabric, and the third network fabric.

6. The data bridge of claim 1, further comprising:

the packet egress circuitry comprising a plurality of packet egress queues;

the processing circuitry to;

determine a priority of processed packets; and

control placement of processed packets into the plurality of packet egress queues.

7. The data bridge of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.

8. A method for use in a closed vehicular network comprising:

determining a status of a vehicle associated with the closed vehicular network;

determining, based on the status of the vehicle, that resource sharing between a first network fabric and a second network fabric is allowed, a majority of data carried by the first network having a first priority and a majority of data carried by the second network having a second priority that differs from the first priority;

receiving a first packet from the first network fabric;

determining first priority routing of the first packet from the first network fabric to the second network fabric, based on packet content type of the first packet and priority conditions of the second network fabric;

receiving a second packet from the second network fabric that includes a request for a resource of the first network fabric;

determining that the requested resource is available;

determining second priority routing of the second packet, based on packet content type of the second packet and priority conditions of the first network fabric; and

forwarding the second packet to the first network fabric.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a third packet from the first network fabric;

identifying the third packet as a top priority packet; and

transferring the third packet to the second network fabric using a dedicated top-priority transfer path.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying the first packet as a high priority packet, wherein a high priority packet has a priority greater than non-high priority packets, but less than top-priority packets; and

transferring the first packet from the first network fabric to the second network fabric via a transfer path that bypasses at least one queue.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a source type of a device from which the second packet originated;

determining a destination type of a device to which the second packet is being sent;

correlating at least one of the source type and the destination type with filter criteria; and

transferring the packet based on a result of the correlating.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the first packet includes a resource request;

determining an availability of resources in the second network fabric, wherein the resources are capable of being used to fulfill the resource request;

forwarding the resource request to the second network fabric in accordance with the availability of the resources.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to determining that a resource in the second network fabric is unavailable;

determining whether the resource request has priority over another request being handled by the resource; and

forwarding the resource request to the second network fabric in response to the determination that the resource request has priority.

14. A data bridge servicing a closed vehicular network comprising:

a processing module operable to;

determine a status of a vehicle associated with the closed vehicular network;

determine, based on the status of the vehicle, that resource sharing between a first network fabric and a second network fabric is allowed, a majority of data carried by the first network having a first priority and a majority of data carried by the second network having a second priority that differs from the first priority;

receive a first packet from the first network fabric;

determine first priority routing of the first packet from the first network fabric to the second network fabric, based on packet content type of the first packet and priority conditions of the second network fabric;

receive a second packet from the second network fabric that includes a request for a resource of the first network fabric;

determine that the requested resource is available;

determine second priority routing of the second packet, based on packet content type of the second packet and priority conditions of the first network fabric; and

forward the second packet to the first network fabric.

15. The data bridge of claim 14, further comprising:

a first interface module coupled to receive packets from, and transmit packets to, the first network fabric;

a second interface module coupled to receive packets from, and transmit packets to, the second network fabric; and

a top-priority bypass module to transfer top-priority packets from the first interface module to the second interface module.

16. The data bridge of claim 14, the processing module further to:

identify the first packet as a high priority packet, wherein a high priority packet has a priority greater than non-high priority packets, but less than top-priority packets; and

transfer the first packet from the first network fabric to the second network fabric via a transfer path that bypasses at least one queue.

17. The data bridge of claim 14, the processing module further to:

determine a source type of a device from which the second packet originated;

determine a destination type of a device to which the second packet is being sent;

correlate at least one of the source type and the destination type with filter criteria; and

transfer the packet based on a result of the correlating.

18. The data bridge of claim 14, the processing module further to:

determine that the first packet includes a resource request;

determine an availability of resources in the second network fabric, wherein the resources are capable of being used to fulfill the resource request; and

forward the resource request to the second network fabric in accordance with the availability of the resources.

19. The data bridge of claim 18, further comprising:

in response to a resource in the second network fabric being unavailable;

determine whether the resource request has priority over another request being handled by the resource; and

forward the resource request to the second network fabric in response to the determination that the resource request has priority.

20. The data bridge of claim 14, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.