Time Stamped Marker Packets for Data Stream Age Tracking

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional time stamping methods for data packets are prone to aliasing and rollover due to the limited number of bits used, which can lead to inaccurate age representation and increased bandwidth requirements.

Innovation Solution

Inserting marker packets with long time stamps into data streams at regular intervals, allowing for the calculation of data packet age using the current system time and the time stamp of the last marker packet, thereby avoiding rollover and maintaining minimal bandwidth increase.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional time stamping with limited bits is used, then bandwidth consumption is reduced, but rollover and aliasing occur causing inaccurate age representation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveage representation accuracyVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The time stamping function is segmented between marker packets (carrying full 64-bit timestamps) and data packets (carrying only packet identifiers). This segmentation allows accurate age tracking without requiring full timestamps on every data packet, thus maintaining reliability while reducing bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Marker packets act as intermediaries that carry the full 64-bit timestamps. These marker packets are inserted periodically into the data stream to provide reference points for age calculation, eliminating the need for every data packet to carry complete timestamps while maintaining accurate age representation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the number of bits for time stamping is increased, then rollover is avoided, but bandwidth requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverollover avoidanceVSAvoidbandwidth requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of placing full 64-bit timestamps on every data packet, the system uses periodic marker packets inserted at regular intervals. Each marker packet contains a 64-bit timestamp, and data packets between markers use only their identifiers. This periodic approach provides rollover-free timestamping while minimizing bandwidth consumption on the data stream.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The full 64-bit timestamp is extracted from the data packet structure and placed only in periodic marker packets. Data packets retain only lightweight identifiers, separating the timestamping function from the data transmission function. This extraction maintains rollover avoidance capabilities while dramatically reducing bandwidth requirements for timestamping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS7372865B2Processing data packets using time stamped marker packets

Publication Date: 2008.05.13 FUJITSU LTD

AI summary

According to one embodiment, processing data packets includes inserting marker packets into a data stream at time intervals. Each marker packet includes a respective first time stamp indicative of the time the marker packet is inserted. An estimate of the age of a data packet is calculated based on a current time system and the respective first time stamp of the last marker packet that was inserted into the data stream before the data packet.