Emitter-Receiver Scheduling Coordination for Nanosecond Timing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication networks face challenges in managing latency and contention latency in data packet transmission, especially in environments where precise timing is required, such as Industry 4.0 and Cloud RAN, despite the use of IEEE 802.1 Ethernet standards.

Innovation Solution

Implementing strict deterministic scheduling coordination through a receiver and emitter that adjust transmission offsets based on variance analysis, using a shared communication schedule to ensure frames are transmitted at the right time, eliminating the need for clock synchronization and reducing contention latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If strict deterministic scheduling coordination is implemented with variance analysis and transmission offset adjustment, then transmission timing precision is improved to nanosecond accuracy, but system complexity increases due to coordination protocols between emitter and receiver

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission timing precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver measures the actual arrival time of frames and compares it with the scheduled arrival time, then sends control messages with variance information back to the emitter. The emitter uses this feedback to adjust its transmission offset, creating a closed-loop system that achieves nanosecond timing precision through iterative correction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional clock synchronization mechanisms with a scheduling coordination system that uses variance measurement and control messaging. Instead of synchronizing clocks between emitter and receiver, the system uses a scheduler to calculate transmission times and adjusts offsets based on measured variances, substituting mechanical clock synchronization with a software-based coordination protocol.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If guard times are reduced to increase usable bandwidth, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but timing accuracy requirements become more stringent and harder to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveusable bandwidthVSAvoidtiming accuracy requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The scheduler calculates and determines the optimal transmission offset in advance, before actual data transmission begins. This preliminary determination of timing parameters allows the system to operate with reduced guard times while maintaining timing accuracy, as the offsets are pre-optimized for the specific network conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The emitter and receiver autonomously adjust their timing offsets based on measured variances without requiring external intervention or complex centralized control. The system self-corrects timing deviations through automatic offset adjustment, enabling reduced guard times while maintaining precision through distributed intelligence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If clock synchronization is eliminated to simplify system design, then system complexity is reduced, but latency management becomes more challenging without synchronized time references

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidlatency management
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The scheduler acts as an intermediary that calculates and determines transmission times without requiring clock synchronization between emitter and receiver. The scheduler's timing calculations serve as a reference that replaces the need for synchronized clocks, mediating the time coordination between network elements through offset adjustments based on measured variances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4580159A1Strict deterministic scheduling coordination
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4580159A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4580159A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4580159A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A receiver includes at least one processor and memory storing computer-executable instructions and coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the receiver to receive a setup transmission from an emitter via a communications link connecting the emitter and the receiver; determine a current variance between a scheduled receive time and a time at which the setup transmission was received; and transmit a control message to the emitter, wherein the control message indicates whether the current variance is acceptable.