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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
`
`
`Application Number
`
`Title of Invention
`
`Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
`
`
`
`
`
`The application data sheet is part of the provisional or nonprovisional application for which it is being submitted. The following form contains the
`bibliographic data arranged in a format specified by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as outlined in 37 CFR 1.76.
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`Secrecy Order 37 CFR 5.2
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`Inventor Information:
`
`Inventor
`
`Legal Name
`
`Prefi_ Middle Name
`Laurence
`B.
`
`Family Name
`Boucher
`
`Suffix
`
`Residence Information (Select One) @ US Residency 0 Non US Residency 0 Active US Military Service
`
`City
`
`Saratoga
`
`State/Province
`
`CA
`
`Country of Residence I
`
`US
`
`Mailing Address of Inventor:
`
`Address 1
`
`Address 2
`
`20605 Montalvo Heights Drive
`
`Postal Code
`
`95070
`
`us
`
`Inventor
`
`2
`
`Legal Name
`
`Prefi_ Middle Name
`
`Suffix
`
`Family Name
`
`1
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(9 US Residency 0 Non US Residency 0 Active US Military Service
`Residence Information (Select One)
`San JoseCity US State/Province CA Country of Residence i
`
`
`Mailing Address of Inventor:
`
`3733 Arlen Court
`
`Address 2
`
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`
` Address 1
`
`
`
`US
`Postal Code
`
`
`
`Inventor
`3
`
`Legal Name
`
`Prefi_ Middle Name
`
`
`
`Family Name
`
`Suffix
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`Residence Information (Select One) @ US Residency 0 Non US Residency 0 Active US Military Service
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`PTOIAIN14 (03-13)
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76= Application Number
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`Attorney Docket Number
`
`ALA-0028
`
`Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
`Title of Invention
`
`
`City
`
`San Franscisco
`
`StatelProvince
`
`CA
`
`Country of Residence i
`
`US
`
`Mailing Address of Inventor:
`
`Address 1
`Address 2
`
`
`156 Henry Street
`
`CA
`I StatelProvince
`San Francisco
`City
`Postal Code US 94114 Country i
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Inventor 4
`Legal Name
`
`
`
` Mailing Address of Inventor:
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`
`Prefix Given Name Suffix Middle Name Family Name
`David Higgen A.
`
`
`
`
`
`Residence Information (Select One) @ US Residency 0 Non US Residency 0 Active US Military Service
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`
`Address 1
`
`Address 2
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`
`2012 Palm Vista Drive
`
`
`City
`Apopka
`State/Province
`FL
`Postal Code
`Country i
`US
`
`32712
`
`Inventor
`
`5
`
`Legal Name
`
`Suffix
`Family Name
`Prefi_ Middle Name
`Clive
`M.
`Philbrick
`
`
`
`Residence Information (Select One) @ US Residency 0 Non US Residency 0 Active US Military Service
`
`City
`
`San Jose
`
`StatelProvince
`
`CA
`
`Country of Residence i
`
`US
`
`Address 1
`
`Address 2
`
`1170 Roycott Way
`
`Postal Code
`
`95125
`
`us
`
`Inventor
`
`6
`
`Legal Name
`
`Prefi_ Middle Name
`
`Suffix ——I_
`
`Family Name
`
`Residence Information (Select One) @ US Residency 0 Non US Residency 0 Active US Military Service
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`PTOIAIN14 (03-13)
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76 Application Number
`
`Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
`Title of Invention
`
`
`
`
`Mailing Address of Inventor:
`
`Address 1
`
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`446 Folsom Court
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`95035
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`Mark@SiliconEdgeLaw.com
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`Application Information:
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`Title of the Invention
`‘
`Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
`
`ALA-0028
`I Small Entity Status Claimed
`|:|
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`
`Attorney Docket Number
`Nonprovisional
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`PTOIAIN14 (03-13)
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`-
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`Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
`Title of Invention
`
`
`
`Domestic Benefit/National Stage Information:
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`This section allows for the applicant to either claim benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), 120, 121, or 365(0) or indicate
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`Application Number
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`Continuation of
`09692561
`2000-10-18
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`2001—05—01
`09067544
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`Application Number Filing Date (YYYY-MM-DD) Continuity Type Prior Application Number
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`09067544
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`non provisional of
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`60061809
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`1997—10—14
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`Title of Invention Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
`
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`Applications
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`This application (1} claims priority to or the benefit of an application filed before March 16, 2013 and (2) also
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`ALA-002B
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`Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
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`
`
`1
`Applicant
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`Alacritech. Inc.
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`408.287.6142
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`ALA-0028
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`Intelligent Network Interface System and Method for Protocol Processing
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`INTELLIGENT NETWORK INTERFACE SYSTEM
`
`AND METHOD FOR ACCELERATED PROTOCOL PROCESSING
`
`
`Cross Reference to Related Applications
`
`This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of (is a continuation of)
`
`US. Patent Application Serial No. 09/692,561, filed October 18, 2000, which in turn
`
`claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of (is a continuation of) US. Patent Application
`
`Serial No. 09/067,544, filed April 28, 1998, now US. Patent No. 6,226,680, which
`
`claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of US. Patent Application Serial No.
`
`60/061,809, filed October 14, 1997. The complete disclosure of all of the above
`
`applications is incorporated by reference herein.
`
`Technical Field
`
`The present invention relates generally to computer or other networks, and more
`
`particularly to protocol processing for information communicated between hosts such as
`
`computers connected to a network.
`
`Background
`
`The advantages of network computing are increasingly evident. The convenience
`
`and efficiency of providing information, communication or computational power to
`
`individuals at their personal computer or other end user devices has led to rapid growth of
`
`such network computing, including internet as well as intranet systems and applications.
`
`10
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`15
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`20
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`ALA-002B
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`1
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`As is well known, most network computer communication is accomplished with
`
`the aid of a layered software architecture for moving information between host computers
`
`connected to the network. The layers help to segregate information into manageable
`
`segments,the general functions of each layer often based on an international standard
`
`called Open Systems Interconnection (OSI). OSI sets forth seven processing layers
`
`through which information may pass when received by a host in order to be presentable
`
`to an end user. Similarly, transmission of information from a host to the network may
`
`pass through those seven processing layers in reverse order. Each step of processing and
`
`service by a layer may include copying the processed information. Another reference
`
`10
`
`model that is widely implemented, called TCP/IP (TCP stands for transport control
`
`protocol, while IP denotes internet protocol) essentially employs five of the seven layers
`
`of OSI.
`
`Networks may include, for instance, a high-speed bus such as an Ethernet
`
`connection or an internet connection between disparate local area networks (LAN5), each
`
`15
`
`of which includes multiple hosts, or any of a variety of other known means for data
`
`transfer between hosts. According to the OSI standard, physical layers are connected to
`
`the network at respective hosts, the physical layers providing transmission and receipt of
`
`raw data bits via the network. A data link layer is serviced by the physical layer of each
`
`host, the data link layers providing frame division and error correction to the data
`
`20
`
`received from the physical layers, as well as processing acknowledgment frames sent by
`
`the receiving host. A network layer of each host is serviced by respective data link
`
`layers, the network layers primarily controlling size and coordination of subnets of
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`packets of data.
`
`
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`ALA—002B
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`A transport layer is serviced by each network layer and a session layer is serviced
`
`by each transport layer within each host. Transport layers accept data from their
`
`respective session layers and split the data into smaller units for transmission to the other
`
`host’s transport layer, which concatenates the data for presentation to respective
`
`presentation layers. Session layers allow for enhanced communication control between
`
`the hosts. Presentation layers are serviced by their respective session layers, the
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`presentation layers translating between data semantics and syntax which may be peculiar
`
`to each host and standardized structures of data representation. Compression and/or
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`encryption of data may also be accomplished at the presentation level. Application layers
`
`10
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`are serviced by respective presentation layers, the application layers translating between
`
`programs particular to individual hosts and standardized programs for presentation to
`
`either an application or an end user. The TCP/IP standard includes the lower four layers
`
`and application layers, but integrates the functions of session layers and presentation
`
`layers into adjacent layers. Generally speaking, application, presentation and session
`
`l5
`
`layers are defined as upper layers, while transport, network and data link layers are
`
`defined as lower layers.
`
`The rules and conventions for each layer are called the protocol of that layer, and
`
`since the protocols and general functions of each layer are roughly equivalent in various
`
`hosts, it is useful to think of communication occurring directly between identical layers of
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`20
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`different hosts, even though these peer layers do not directly communicate without
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`information transfen‘ing sequentially through each layer below. Each lower layer
`
`performs a service for the layer immediately above it to help with processing the
`
`communicated information. Each layer saves the information for processing and service
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`ALA—002B
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`3
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`Ex.1002.011
`DELL Ex.1002.011
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`DELL
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`to the next layer. Due to the multiplicity of hardware and software architectures, systems
`
`and programs commonly employed, each layer is necessary to insure that the data can
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`make it to the intended destination in the appropriate form, regardless of variations in
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`hardware and software that may intervene.
`
`In preparing data for transmission from a first to a second host, some control data
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`is added at each layer of the first host regarding the protocol of that layer, the control data
`
`being indistinguishable from the original (payload) data for all lower layers of that host.
`
`Thus an application layer attaches an application header to the payload data and sends the
`
`combined data to the presentation layer of the sending host, which receives the combined
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`10
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`data, operates on it and adds a presentation header to the data, resulting in another
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`combined data packet. The data resulting from combination of payload data, application
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`header and presentation header is then passed to the session layer, which performs
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`required operations including attaching a session header to the data and presenting the
`
`resulting combination of data to the transport layer. This process continues as the
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`15
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`information moves to lower layers, with a transport header, network header and data link
`
`header and trailer attached to the data at each of those layers, with each step typically
`
`including data moving and copying, before sending the data as bit packets over the
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`network to the second host.
`
`The receiving host generally performs the converse of the above-described
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`20
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`process, beginning with receiving the bits from the network, as headers are removed and
`
`data processed in order from the lowest (physical) layer to the highest (application) layer
`
`before transmission to a destination of the receiving host. Each layer of the receiving
`
`host recognizes and manipulates only the headers associated with that layer, since to that
`
`
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`ALA-002B
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`4
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`DELL Ex.1002.0121
`Ex.1002.012
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`DELL
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`layer the higher layer control data is included with and indistinguishable from the
`
`payload data. Multiple interrupts, valuable central processing unit (CPU) processing time
`
`and repeated data copies may also be necessary for the receiving host to place the data in
`
`an appropriate form at its intended destination.
`
`The above description of layered protocol processing is simplified, as college-
`
`level textbooks devoted primarily to this subject are available, such as Computer
`
`Networks, Third Edition (1996) by Andrew S. Tanenbaum, which is incorporated herein
`
`by reference. As defined in that book, a computer network is an interconnected
`
`collection of autonomous computers, such as internet and intranet systems, including
`
`local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), asynchronous transfer mode
`
`(ATM), ring or token ring, wired, wireless, satellite or other means for providing
`
`communication capability between separate processors. A computer is defined herein to
`
`include a device having both logic and memory functions for processing data, while
`
`computers or hosts connected to a network are said to be heterogeneous if they function
`
`according to different operating systems or communicate via different architectures.
`
`As networks grow increasingly popular and the information communicated
`
`thereby becomes increasingly complex and copious, the need for such protocol
`
`10
`
`15
`
`processing has increased. It is estimated that a large fraction of the processing power of a
`
`host CPU may be devoted to controlling protocol processes, diminishing the ability of
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`20
`
`that CPU to perform other tasks. Network interface cards have been developed to help
`
`with the lowest layers, such as the physical and data link layers. It is also possible to
`
`increase protocol processing speed by simply adding more processing power or CPUs
`
`according to conventional arrangements. This solution, however, is both awkward and
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`ALA-002B
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`Ex.1002.013
`DELL Ex.1002.013
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`expensive. But the complexities presented by various networks, protocols, architectures,
`
`operating systems and applications generally require extensive processing to afford
`
`communication capability between various network hosts.
`
`Summary of the Invention
`
`The current invention provides a system for processing network communication
`
`that greatly increases the speed of that processing and the efficiency of moving the data
`
`being communicated. The invention has been achieved by questioning the long-standing
`
`practice of performing multilayered protocol processing on a general-purpose processor.
`
`10
`
`The protocol processing method and architecture that results effectively collapses the
`
`layers of a connection—based, layered architecture such as TCP/IP into a single wider
`
`layer which is able to send network data more directly to and from a desired location or
`
`buffer on a host. This accelerated processing is provided to a host for both transmitting
`
`and receiving data, and so improves performance whether one or both hosts involved in
`
`15
`
`an exchange of information have such a feature.
`
`The accelerated processing includes employing representative control instructions
`
`for a given message that allow data from the message to be processed via a fast—path
`
`which accesses message data directly at its source or delivers it directly to its intended
`
`destination. This fast-path bypasses conventional protocol processing of headers that
`
`20
`
`accompany the data. The fast—path employs a specialized microprocessor designed for
`
`processing network communication, avoiding the delays and pitfalls of conventional
`
`software layer processing, such as repeated copying and interrupts to the CPU. In effect,
`
`the fast-path replaces the states that are traditionally found in several layers of a
`
`
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`ALA-002B
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`6
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`Ex.1002.014
`DELL Ex.1002.014
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`DELL
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`

`conventional network stack with a single state machine encompassing all those layers, in
`
`contrast to conventional rules that require rigorous differentiation and separation of
`
`protocol layers. The host retains a sequential protocol processing stack which can be
`
`employed for setting up a fast~path connection or processing message exceptions. The
`
`specialized microprocessor and the host intelligently choose whether a given message or
`
`portion of a message is processed by the microprocessor or the host stack.
`
`Brief Description of the Drawings
`
`FIG. 1 is a plan view diagram of a system of the present invention, including a
`
`10
`
`host computer having a communication-processing device for accelerating network
`
`communication.
`
`15
`
`20
`
`FIG. 2 is a diagram of information flow for the host of FIG. 1 in processing
`
`network communication, including a fast—path, a slow-path and a transfer of connection
`
`context between the fast and slow—paths.
`
`FIG. 3 is a flow chart of message receiving according to the present invention.
`
`FIG. 4A is a diagram of information flow for the host of FIG. 1 receiving a
`
`message packet processed by the slow—path.
`
`FI