Clock Correlation in Transparent Transmission Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current synchronization technologies in Optical Transport Networks (OTNs) lead to low bandwidth utilization and high costs due to complex phase-locked loops used for clock recovery, resulting in fragile performance.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of two phase-locked loops, one at the transmitter and one at the receiver, to correlate and de-correlate clocks transparently, allowing separate data transmission from the clock in Ethernet networks, thereby enhancing bandwidth utilization and reducing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If GFP-T encapsulation method is used to encapsulate all data including IDLE, then the receiver can receive all transmitter data, but the bandwidth utilization is low and bandwidth is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reception completenessVSAvoidbandwidth utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the clock signal from the data stream and transmits it separately through a dedicated clock channel. This separation allows the data channel to transmit only actual data without IDLE frames, significantly improving bandwidth utilization while the clock channel ensures timing information is preserved for reliable data reception

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the transmission system into two independent channels: a data channel for carrying user data and a clock channel for carrying timing information. This segmentation allows each channel to be optimized independently - the data channel achieves high bandwidth utilization while the clock channel ensures reliable data reception through dedicated clock signal transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If phase-locked loop is used to recover clock from data rate, then clock recovery is achieved, but the technology becomes complicated, cost increases and performance becomes fragile

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclock recovery accuracyVSAvoidtechnology complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a dedicated clock channel as an intermediary to transmit timing information directly from the transmitter to the receiver. This eliminates the need for complex phase-locked loops to extract clock signals from data streams, simplifying the receiver architecture while maintaining accurate clock recovery through the dedicated clock signal

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a separate clock signal copy that is transmitted independently through the clock channel. This copied clock signal arrives at the receiver already synchronized and ready for use, eliminating the need for complex clock recovery processes and reducing both hardware complexity and performance fragility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2093914B1A communication system and transmitting device
Publication Date: 2012.07.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2093914B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2093914B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2093914B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A communication system, communication method, transmitting apparatus, and receiving apparatus are disclosed herein. The communication system includes: a first clock correlating unit, adapted to correlate a clock to be transmitted with a clock of a data frame at a transmitter of a clock transparent-transmission network; and a second clock correlating unit, adapted to correlate a clock of a data frame at a receiver of a clock transparent-transmission network with a clock to be recovered. The method includes: correlating the clock to be transmitted with the clock of the data frame at the transmitter of the clock transparent-transmission network, and correlating the clock of the data frame at the receiver of the clock transparent-transmission network with the clock to be recovered.