Patents by Inventor Ronghua Zhang

Ronghua Zhang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190271549
    Abstract: Camera based localization performed to determine a current pose of an autonomous vehicle without the aid of depth sensors such as LiDAR. The vehicle comprises an imaging system configured to capture image frames depicting portions of the surrounding area. Based on an initial pose of the vehicle, edgels corresponding to three-dimensional locations are loaded and mapped to corresponding edge pixels of the captured image frame. A pose of the vehicle is optimized based upon the determined correspondences by identifying a transformation that minimizes a distance between the edgels and their corresponding edge pixels. The determined transformation can be applied to the initial pose to determine an updated pose of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Lin Yang
  • Patent number: 10404612
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance network traffic management. In one implementation, a method of operating a network interface system on a host computing system includes receiving a plurality of network packets and, for each packet in the plurality of network packets, identifying whether the packet comprises a control packet for fault detection in a software defined network (SDN). The method further includes prioritizing, for processing by a main processing system of the computing system, each packet in the plurality of network packets based on whether the packet comprises a control packet for fault detection in a SDN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Nicira, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Wang, Ronghua Zhang
  • Patent number: 10394679
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for distributing packets processed at multiple sockets across a team of network interface controllers (NICs) in a processing system. The method of some embodiments uses existing distribution (or selection) algorithms for distributing traffic across NICs of a NIC team (across several sockets), but augments the method to prioritize local NICs over remote NICs. When active NICs local to a socket associated with a packet are available, the method of some embodiments uses the selection algorithm to select from an array of the active local NICs. When active NICs local to the socket are not available, the method of some embodiments uses the selection algorithm to select from an array of the active NICs of other NICs on the NIC team.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Jia Yu, Yong Wang, Ronghua Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190258507
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for configuring a logical middlebox in a hosting system that includes a set of nodes. The logical middlebox is part of a logical network that includes a set of logical forwarding elements that connect a set of end machines. The method receives a set of configuration data for the logical middlebox. The method uses a stored set of tables describing physical locations of the end machines to identify a set of nodes at which to implement the logical middlebox. The method provides the logical middlebox configuration for distribution to the identified nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Teemu Koponen, Pankaj Thakkar, Amar Padmanabhan, Martin Casado
  • Publication number: 20190260833
    Abstract: The technology disclosed herein enables synchronization of routing information between at least two edge systems in an edge system cluster. In a particular embodiment, a method provides, in each of the edge systems, receiving network routing information from a plurality of routers that route outbound network traffic from the edge systems and synchronizing the network routing information between the edge systems. Additionally, in each of the edge systems, the method provides receiving outbound network traffic via a logical router spanning the edge systems and routing the outbound network traffic from the edge systems in accordance with the network routing information after synchronization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Ankur Dubey, Sreeram Ravinoothala, Ronghua Zhang
  • Patent number: 10389463
    Abstract: The technology disclosed herein enables synchronization of routing information between at least two edge systems in an edge system cluster. In a particular embodiment, a method provides, in each of the edge systems, receiving network routing information from a plurality of routers that route outbound network traffic from the edge systems and synchronizing the network routing information between the edge systems. Additionally, in each of the edge systems, the method provides receiving outbound network traffic via a logical router spanning the edge systems and routing the outbound network traffic from the edge systems in accordance with the network routing information after synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Ankur Dubey, Sreeram Ravinoothala, Ronghua Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190253346
    Abstract: For a managed network including multiple host machines implementing multiple logical networks, some embodiments provide a method that reduces the memory and traffic load required to implement the multiple logical networks. The method generates configuration data for each of multiple host machines including (i) data to configure a host machine to implement a set of logical forwarding elements that belong to a set of routing domains and (ii) identifiers for each routing domain in the set of routing domains. The method then receives data regarding tunnels endpoints operating on each of the host machines and an association with the routing identifiers sent to the host machines. The method then generates a routing domain tunnel endpoint list for each routing domain based on the data received from each of the host machines including a list of the tunnel endpoints associated with the routing domain which the host machines can use to facilitate packet processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Caixia Jiang, Jianjun Shen, Pankaj Thakkar, Anupam Chanda, Ronghua Zhang, Ganesan Chandrashekhar, Vicky Liu, Da Wan, Frank Pan, Hua Wang, Donghai Han
  • Publication number: 20190207870
    Abstract: A novel design of a gateway that handles traffic in and out of a network by using a datapath daemon is provided. The datapath daemon is a run-to-completion process that performs various data-plane packet-processing operations at the edge of the network. In some embodiments, the datapath daemon dispatches packets to other processes or processing threads outside of the daemon. In some embodiments, the datapath daemon dispatches packets to a kernel network stack in order to support packet traffic monitoring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Yong Wang, Teemu Koponen, Michael Hu, Xinhua Hong
  • Patent number: 10341257
    Abstract: A novel design of a gateway that handles traffic in and out of a network by using a datapath pipeline is provided. The datapath pipeline includes multiple stages for performing various data-plane packet-processing operations at the edge of the network. The processing stages include centralized routing stages and distributed routing stages. The processing stages can include service-providing stages such as NAT and firewall. The gateway caches the result previous packet operations and reapplies the result to subsequent packets that meet certain criteria. For packets that do not have applicable or valid result from previous packet processing operations, the gateway datapath daemon executes the pipelined packet processing stages and records a set of data from each stage of the pipeline and synthesizes those data into a cache entry for subsequent packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Yong Wang, Teemu Koponen, Xinhua Hong
  • Publication number: 20190199600
    Abstract: A novel method for troubleshooting a logical network is provided. The logical network has logical forwarding elements operating inside virtual network forwarding engines. The method receives a source identifier and a destination identifier that correspond to nodes in the logical network. The method then retrieves a set of network data from a virtual network forwarding engine and identifies a path in the logical network by traversing the logical network according to the retrieved set of network data. This traversal starts at an initial network node that is identified by the source identifier and continues through a set of next-hop network nodes that are each identified based on the destination identifier. At least some of the network nodes are logical ports associated with logical forwarding elements implemented by the virtual network forwarding engine. The method then reports the set of traversed logical nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Xinhua Hong, Ronghua Zhang, David J. Leroy, Yong Wang, Jia Yu
  • Publication number: 20190199623
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that uses headerspace analysis. The method receives several flow entries for distribution to a set of forwarding elements that implement a logical network. The method models each of the flow entries as a function that operates on a representation of a packet header. The method uses the modeled functions to identify a set of paths from a packet source to a packet destination. For each particular path of the identified paths, the method uses inverses of the modeled functions to determine a set of packet headers. Packets sent from the packet source with any packet header in the set of packet headers follow the particular path through the flow entries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Amre Shakimov, Teemu Koponen
  • Patent number: 10324881
    Abstract: Systems and methods described herein facilitate configuration changes to an NIC teaming device while enabling multiple I/O threads continue to run through the NIC teaming device concurrently without interruption. At a given time, multiple configurations of the NIC teaming device, e.g., one for a current configuration of the NIC teaming device and one for a new configuration of the NIC teaming device, can co-exist. For the duration of one iteration, the current configuration of the NIC teaming device used by a specific I/O thread does not change and the new configuration of the NIC teaming device is not adopted by the I/O thread until the start of the next iteration. Once all of the I/O threads finish their current iteration, the configuration of the NIC teaming device is flipped from the current configuration to the new configuration and the current configuration is deleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Jia Yu, Ronghua Zhang
  • Patent number: 10310886
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for configuring a logical middlebox in a hosting system that includes a set of nodes. The logical middlebox is part of a logical network that includes a set of logical forwarding elements that connect a set of end machines. The method receives a set of configuration data for the logical middlebox. The method uses a stored set of tables describing physical locations of the end machines to identify a set of nodes at which to implement the logical middlebox. The method provides the logical middlebox configuration for distribution to the identified nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Teemu Koponen, IV, Pankaj Thakkar, Amar Padmanabhan, Martin Casado
  • Patent number: 10309778
    Abstract: As an autonomous vehicle moves through a local area, pairwise alignment may be performed to calculate changes in the pose of the vehicle between different points in time. The vehicle comprises an imaging system configured to capture image frames depicting a portion of the surrounding area. Features are identified from the captured image frames, and a 3-D location is determined for each identified feature. The features of different image frames corresponding to different points in time are analyzed to determine a transformation in the pose of the vehicle during the time period between the image frames. The determined poses of the vehicle are used to generate an HD map of the local area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: DEEPMAP INC.
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Mark Damon Wheeler
  • Patent number: 10309777
    Abstract: As an autonomous vehicle moves through a local area, pairwise alignment may be performed to calculate changes in the pose of the vehicle between different points in time. The vehicle comprises an imaging system configured to capture image frames depicting a portion of the surrounding area. Features are identified from the captured image frames, and a 3-D location is determined for each identified feature. The features of different image frames corresponding to different points in time are analyzed to determine a transformation in the pose of the vehicle during the time period between the image frames. The determined poses of the vehicle are used to generate an HD map of the local area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: DEEPMAP INC.
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Chen Chen, Di Zeng, Mark Damon Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20190138343
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for implementing a logical network that includes a set of end machines, a first logical middlebox, and a second logical middlebox connected by a set of logical forwarding elements. The system includes a set of nodes. Each of several nodes includes (i) a virtual machine for implementing an end machine of the logical network, (ii) a managed switching element for implementing the set of logical forwarding elements of the logical network, and (iii) a middlebox element for implementing the first logical middlebox of the logical network. The system includes a physical middlebox appliance for implementing the second logical middlebox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Teemu Koponen, Ronghua Zhang, Pankaj Thakkar, Martin Casado
  • Patent number: 10243883
    Abstract: A novel design of a gateway that handles traffic in and out of a network by using a datapath daemon is provided. The datapath daemon is a run-to-completion process that performs various data-plane packet-processing operations at the edge of the network. In some embodiments, the datapath daemon dispatches packets to other processes or processing threads outside of the daemon. In some embodiments, the datapath daemon dispatches packets to a kernel network stack in order to support packet traffic monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Yong Wang, Teemu Koponen, Michael Hu, Xinhua Hong
  • Patent number: 10243846
    Abstract: For a managed network including multiple host machines implementing multiple logical networks, some embodiments provide a method that reduces the memory and traffic load required to implement the multiple logical networks. The method generates configuration data for each of multiple host machines including (i) data to configure a host machine to implement a set of logical forwarding elements that belong to a set of routing domains and (ii) identifiers for each routing domain in the set of routing domains. The method then receives data regarding tunnels endpoints operating on each of the host machines and an association with the routing identifiers sent to the host machines. The method then generates a routing domain tunnel endpoint list for each routing domain based on the data received from each of the host machines including a list of the tunnel endpoints associated with the routing domain which the host machines can use to facilitate packet processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Caixia Jiang, Jianjun Shen, Pankaj Thakkar, Anupam Chanda, Ronghua Zhang, Ganesan Chandrashekhar, Vicky Liu, Da Wan, Frank Pan, Hua Wang, Donghai Han
  • Patent number: 10237142
    Abstract: A novel method for troubleshooting a logical network is provided. The logical network has logical forwarding elements operating inside virtual network forwarding engines. The method receives a source identifier and a destination identifier that correspond to nodes in the logical network. The method then retrieves a set of network data from a virtual network forwarding engine and identifies a path in the logical network by traversing the logical network according to the retrieved set of network data. This traversal starts at an initial network node that is identified by the source identifier and continues through a set of next-hop network nodes that are each identified based on the destination identifier. At least some of the network nodes are logical ports associated with logical forwarding elements implemented by the virtual network forwarding engine. The method then reports the set of traversed logical nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Xinhua Hong, Ronghua Zhang, David J. Leroy, Yong Wang, Jia Yu
  • Patent number: 10237172
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that uses headerspace analysis. The method receives several flow entries for distribution to a set of forwarding elements that implement a logical network. The method models each of the flow entries as a function that operates on a representation of a packet header. The method uses the modeled functions to identify a set of paths from a packet source to a packet destination. For each particular path of the identified paths, the method uses inverses of the modeled functions to determine a set of packet headers. Packets sent from the packet source with any packet header in the set of packet headers follow the particular path through the flow entries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NICIRA, INC.
    Inventors: Ronghua Zhang, Amre Shakimov, Teemu Koponen