diff --git a/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/repformers.py b/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/repformers.py
index ce40909352..26467124b8 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/repformers.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/repformers.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     env,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
-    process_input,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.utils import (
     get_activation_fn,
@@ -284,7 +284,12 @@ def compute_input_stats(self, merged):
                 system["box"],
                 system["natoms"],
             )
-            extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+            (
+                extended_coord,
+                extended_atype,
+                mapping,
+                nlist,
+            ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
                 coord,
                 atype,
                 self.get_rcut(),
diff --git a/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_a.py b/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_a.py
index ddd2b7ca73..700bf6d59b 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_a.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_a.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     TypeFilter,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
-    process_input,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
 )
 
 
@@ -393,7 +393,12 @@ def compute_input_stats(self, merged):
                 system["box"],
                 system["natoms"],
             )
-            extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+            (
+                extended_coord,
+                extended_atype,
+                mapping,
+                nlist,
+            ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
                 coord,
                 atype,
                 self.get_rcut(),
diff --git a/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_atten.py b/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_atten.py
index 875d235e80..d4dc0cd054 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_atten.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt/model/descriptor/se_atten.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     env,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
-    process_input,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
 )
 
 
@@ -200,7 +200,12 @@ def compute_input_stats(self, merged):
                 system["box"],
                 system["natoms"],
             )
-            extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+            (
+                extended_coord,
+                extended_atype,
+                mapping,
+                nlist,
+            ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
                 coord,
                 atype,
                 self.get_rcut(),
diff --git a/deepmd/pt/model/model/make_model.py b/deepmd/pt/model/model/make_model.py
index c5e4b3705b..e45c993286 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt/model/model/make_model.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt/model/model/make_model.py
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
     fit_output_to_model_output,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
     nlist_distinguish_types,
-    process_input,
 )
 
 
@@ -89,7 +89,12 @@ def forward_common(
                 The keys are defined by the `ModelOutputDef`.
 
             """
-            extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+            (
+                extended_coord,
+                extended_atype,
+                mapping,
+                nlist,
+            ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
                 coord,
                 atype,
                 self.get_rcut(),
diff --git a/deepmd/pt/utils/nlist.py b/deepmd/pt/utils/nlist.py
index 9d43ca8191..963c9bc9b6 100644
--- a/deepmd/pt/utils/nlist.py
+++ b/deepmd/pt/utils/nlist.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 )
 
 
-def process_input(
+def extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
     coord,
     atype,
     rcut: float,
diff --git a/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor.py b/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor.py
index aa5b6017bf..a4493b5b51 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     GLOBAL_PT_FLOAT_PRECISION,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
-    process_input,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
 )
 from deepmd.tf.common import (
     expand_sys_str,
@@ -145,7 +145,12 @@ def test_consistency(self):
         pt_coord = self.pt_batch["coord"].to(env.DEVICE)
         atype = self.pt_batch["atype"].to(env.DEVICE)
         pt_coord.requires_grad_(True)
-        extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+        (
+            extended_coord,
+            extended_atype,
+            mapping,
+            nlist,
+        ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
             pt_coord,
             self.pt_batch["atype"].to(env.DEVICE),
             self.rcut,
diff --git a/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa1.py b/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa1.py
index 57adef0784..07d4d34449 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa1.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa1.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     env,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
-    process_input,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
 )
 
 dtype = torch.float64
@@ -251,7 +251,12 @@ def test_descriptor_block(self):
         ## to save model parameters
         # torch.save(des.state_dict(), 'model_weights.pth')
         # torch.save(type_embedding.state_dict(), 'model_weights.pth')
-        extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+        (
+            extended_coord,
+            extended_atype,
+            mapping,
+            nlist,
+        ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
             coord,
             atype,
             des.get_rcut(),
@@ -300,7 +305,12 @@ def test_descriptor(self):
         coord = self.coord
         atype = self.atype
         box = self.cell
-        extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+        (
+            extended_coord,
+            extended_atype,
+            mapping,
+            nlist,
+        ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
             coord,
             atype,
             des.get_rcut(),
diff --git a/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa2.py b/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa2.py
index c80c92f3d2..6b80eb89a2 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa2.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt/model/test_descriptor_dpa2.py
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
     build_multiple_neighbor_list,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
     get_multiple_nlist_key,
-    process_input,
 )
 
 dtype = torch.float64
@@ -142,7 +142,12 @@ def test_descriptor_hyb(self):
         ## to save model parameters
         # torch.save(des.state_dict(), 'model_weights.pth')
         # torch.save(type_embedding.state_dict(), 'model_weights.pth')
-        extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist_max = process_input(
+        (
+            extended_coord,
+            extended_atype,
+            mapping,
+            nlist_max,
+        ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
             coord,
             atype,
             rcut_max,
@@ -200,7 +205,12 @@ def test_descriptor(self):
         coord = self.coord
         atype = self.atype
         box = self.cell
-        extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+        (
+            extended_coord,
+            extended_atype,
+            mapping,
+            nlist,
+        ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
             coord,
             atype,
             des.get_rcut(),
diff --git a/source/tests/pt/model/test_dp_model.py b/source/tests/pt/model/test_dp_model.py
index 8085898986..d970c8a542 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt/model/test_dp_model.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt/model/test_dp_model.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
     build_neighbor_list,
     extend_coord_with_ghosts,
-    process_input,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.utils import (
     to_numpy_array,
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ def test_self_consistency(self):
             to_numpy_array(ret0["atom_virial"]),
             to_numpy_array(ret1["atom_virial"]),
         )
-        coord_ext, atype_ext, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+        coord_ext, atype_ext, mapping, nlist = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
             to_torch_tensor(self.coord),
             to_torch_tensor(self.atype),
             self.rcut,
diff --git a/source/tests/pt/model/test_embedding_net.py b/source/tests/pt/model/test_embedding_net.py
index 1f457a4271..2621b5d135 100644
--- a/source/tests/pt/model/test_embedding_net.py
+++ b/source/tests/pt/model/test_embedding_net.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     GLOBAL_NP_FLOAT_PRECISION,
 )
 from deepmd.pt.utils.nlist import (
-    process_input,
+    extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list,
 )
 from deepmd.tf.common import (
     expand_sys_str,
@@ -180,7 +180,12 @@ def test_consistency(self):
 
         pt_coord = self.torch_batch["coord"].to(env.DEVICE)
         pt_coord.requires_grad_(True)
-        extended_coord, extended_atype, mapping, nlist = process_input(
+        (
+            extended_coord,
+            extended_atype,
+            mapping,
+            nlist,
+        ) = extend_input_and_build_neighbor_list(
             pt_coord,
             self.torch_batch["atype"].to(env.DEVICE),
             self.rcut,