Full-Duplex Token Synchronization for Flexible Pipelines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current full-duplex communication systems require deterministic processing delays in both upstream and downstream pipelines for synchronization, leading to overdesign and limited flexibility, making them unsuitable for supporting multiple access technologies or statistical multiplexing.
Innovation Solution
A full-duplex communication system that uses tokens to synchronize processing between pipelines, allowing for undeterministic processing delays, where tokens are generated and exchanged to relate transmitted and received signals, enabling synchronization without the need for deterministic timing in each stage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If deterministic processing delays are implemented in upstream and downstream pipelines for synchronization, then synchronization between pipelines is guaranteed, but system flexibility is limited and overdesign occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A token-based intermediary mechanism is introduced to mediate between the downstream and upstream pipelines. The token carries timing information and is exchanged between pipelines to achieve synchronization without requiring deterministic processing delays. This allows the system to maintain synchronization reliability while accommodating flexible, non-deterministic processing stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static deterministic timing to dynamic timing adjustment. Processing stages can have variable, non-deterministic delays, and the token mechanism dynamically adapts to these variations by carrying and comparing timing information between pipelines, enabling synchronization without fixed timing constraints.
2Reliability
If worst-case scenario design approach is taken to guarantee synchronization at all times, then synchronization reliability is improved, but system complexity increases due to overdesign
Solution Approach 1:
The token acts as an intermediary that simplifies the synchronization mechanism. Instead of complex worst-case timing analysis and adjustment in each pipeline stage, the token carries the necessary timing information centrally, reducing the complexity of individual pipeline designs while maintaining overall synchronization reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The token mechanism provides feedback between downstream and upstream pipelines by carrying timing information from one pipeline to the other. This feedback loop enables automatic synchronization adjustment without requiring complex pre-calculated worst-case timing designs, thereby reducing system complexity.
3Reliability
If deterministic timing is enforced in each processing stage, then synchronization is achieved, but support for multiple access technologies and statistical multiplexing is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system adopts dynamic timing where processing stages can operate with non-deterministic delays appropriate for different access technologies and multiplexing schemes. The token mechanism dynamically adapts to these varying timing characteristics, enabling support for multiple access technologies and statistical multiplexing while maintaining synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The token-based synchronization mechanism serves as a universal interface that can accommodate multiple access technologies and multiplexing methods. Rather than requiring deterministic timing specific to each technology, the universal token mechanism handles synchronization across diverse technologies and operational modes.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication system (100) is disclosed comprising i) a downstream pipeline (120) comprising a downstream processing stage (123) and transmission stage (126); ii) an upstream pipeline (160) comprising a reception stage (166) and upstream processing stage (163); the transmission stage and reception stage are operable for simultaneous transmission and reception of communication signals (137, 147); iii) a token generator (111, 211, 311) arranged to generate a token (140) and associate the token with communication signals (134) processed in the downstream processing stage; iv) a token exchanger (112) arranged to obtain the token from the communication signals and, thereupon, to associate the token with received communication signals (146) in the reception stage. The pipeline synchronisation unit (110) is arranged to store the token and information about the associated transmit communication signal, and to receive the token and information about the associated received communication signal from the upstream processing stage, and to derive therefrom synchronization information about simultaneously received and transmitted communication signals and provide the synchronization information to the upstream processing stage.