Communication Delay Measurement via Frequency Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face challenges in accurately determining transmission delays and phase differences between clock times due to random queuing delays in frame switched communication systems, leading to reduced measurement accuracy and increased load on the system when buffers are heavily loaded.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the transmission of measurement messages in both directions, with the use of occurrence frequency indicators and curve fitting to estimate the minimum time difference, allowing for reduced number of measurement messages and improved accuracy by accounting for distribution of time differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If measurement messages are transmitted frequently to improve measurement accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but system load and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing occurrence frequency indicators for different time difference ranges before actual measurement. This allows the system to quickly determine transmission delay by looking up pre-computed values rather than performing complex calculations in real-time, thereby improving measurement speed and accuracy while reducing system load during actual operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the measurement process adaptive to network conditions. The system dynamically adjusts measurement parameters based on observed traffic patterns and queue lengths, optimizing the balance between measurement accuracy and system load. The occurrence frequency indicators are updated based on changing network conditions, allowing the system to maintain accuracy while adapting to varying loads.
2Measurement precision
If queuing delay is reduced by keeping buffers empty to improve measurement accuracy, then measurement precision improves, but data transmission capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by measuring transmission delay for only a selected portion of measurement messages rather than all messages. Specifically, it identifies messages with minimal queuing delay by examining occurrence frequency indicators, and uses only those for delay calculation. This partial measurement approach maintains accuracy while allowing the buffers to remain fully operational for data transmission, avoiding the need to keep buffers empty.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating occurrence frequency indicators that represent the distribution of queuing delays without actually removing messages from buffers. These indicators are derived copies of the actual message queue state, allowing the system to analyze delay characteristics while maintaining normal data transmission operations unaffected by the measurement process.
3Measurement precision
If the number of measurement messages is increased to account for random queuing delays, then measurement precision improves, but the complexity of the measurement process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the measurement approach from tracking individual message delays to analyzing the statistical distribution of delays across multiple messages. It changes the parameter from raw time difference values to occurrence frequency indicators that show how many messages fall into different delay ranges. This transformation simplifies the processing complexity while maintaining or improving measurement accuracy through statistical analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - the occurrence frequency indicator - that mediates between the raw measurement data and the final delay calculation. Instead of directly processing individual message timestamps and dealing with random queuing variations, the system uses these frequency indicators as an intermediate representation that captures the essential delay characteristics while filtering out random noise, thereby simplifying the overall measurement process.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to determining a quantity to be measured from a communication system, such as a transmission delay or the phase difference of clock times. Measurement messages are transmitted (501, 502) between the two areas of the communication system in both transmission directions. Values of the time difference are calculated (503) for the measurement messages transmitted in at least one of the transmission directions, each of which values is the difference between the instant of reception measured at the reception and the instant of transmission measured at the transmission of the measurement message. The values of the time difference are used to calculate (504) an estimate of the distribution of the time difference, on the basis of which an estimate of the minimum value of the time difference is calculated (504). The quantity to be measured is determined (505) on the basis of the estimate of the minimum value of the time difference and the instant of transmission measured at the transmission and the instant of reception measured at the reception of at least one measurement message transmitted in the opposite transmission direction.