DSL Receiver Remote Back-Pressure Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional DSL communication systems face challenges in flow control, particularly when the DSL transmitter provides data at a rate similar to or exceeding the DSL physical layer's capacity, leading to potential bottlenecks at the receiving end, especially in multi-port DSL devices and shared link capacity scenarios, where local back-pressure flow control is inadequate.
Innovation Solution
Implementing remote back-pressure flow control within the DSL receiver, where the receiving network processor provides flow control information to indicate its capability to receive data packets, and an acknowledgement-transmitter module sends acknowledgement messages with flow control information to the transmitter, allowing for adaptive data transmission and re-transmission management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the DSL transmitter provides data at a high rate to maximize data transfer speed, then productivity is improved, but the receiver may be overwhelmed causing buffer overflow and data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the receiver sends acknowledgment messages back to the transmitter indicating its buffer status and ability to receive data. This feedback loop allows the transmitter to adjust its data transmission rate dynamically, sending data at high rates when the receiver can handle it and reducing rates when the receiver buffer is full, thus maintaining both high productivity and data integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static transmission rate to a dynamic one by enabling the transmitter to adjust its data rate based on real-time receiver conditions. The transmitter can switch between different transmission modes (e.g., sending data units vs. sending idle signals) based on the receiver's acknowledgment messages, making the system adaptive to changing buffer conditions
2Productivity
If the transmitter continuously sends data to maximize throughput, then productivity is improved, but the receiver buffer may overflow causing data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver performs preliminary assessment of its buffer status before accepting data and communicates this status to the transmitter through acknowledgment messages. The transmitter uses this information to take preliminary action by adjusting its transmission rate before the receiver buffer becomes full, preventing overflow and data loss while maintaining high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by having the transmitter send idle signals or reduce transmission rate before the receiver buffer actually overflows. This preemptive measure counteracts the potential harmful effect of buffer overflow before it occurs, preserving data integrity while maintaining high productivity
3Ease of operation
If local back-pressure flow control is used at the DSL PHY level, then ease of operation is improved, but it is inadequate for multi-port devices and shared link capacity scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal flow control mechanism at the network processor level that can handle multiple ports and shared link capacity scenarios. This flow control system is not limited to single-port devices but can be applied to multi-port DSL devices, fiber-to-the-home networks, and various network configurations, making it highly adaptable and versatile while remaining easy to operate
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure extends the flow control in a DSL communication system to include a remote back-pressure flow control within a DSL receiver of the DSL communication system. The remote back-pressure flow control can prevent a DSL transmitter of the DSL communication system from overwhelming the DSL receiver. The remote back-pressure flow control is implemented within a receiving network processor (rx-NP) of the DSL receiver to prevent the DSL transmitter from overwhelming the rx-NP.