Network Configuration for Time-Triggered Traffic

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for computing network configurations in real-time communication networks with both time-triggered and rate-constrained traffic fail to effectively combine routing, scheduling, and formal analysis, leading to incomplete constraint fulfillment and suboptimal performance.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a three-module approach with routing, scheduling, and formal analysis, combined with feedback loops, iteratively refines the network configuration to ensure all constraints are met, allowing for optimization and efficient resource utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If routing and scheduling are computed separately in sequential steps, then the computation process is simpler and modular, but the constraints may not be fulfilled and the solution is suboptimal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputation process complexityVSAvoidconstraint fulfillment

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges routing and scheduling computations into a single integrated optimization process. The formulation combines route selection and time-triggered schedule computation into one unified mathematical program that simultaneously satisfies all constraints, eliminating the sequential approach's inability to guarantee constraint fulfillment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the scheduling module uses information from routing decisions and the routing module uses information from scheduling constraints. This iterative feedback loop ensures that routing and scheduling are continuously adjusted to meet all constraints while optimizing performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If routing choices are made in the first step, then the routing is determined early, but the subsequent scheduling computation may fail due to incompatible routing decisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting computation efficiencyVSAvoidscheduling computation success

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes routing and scheduling decisions dynamic rather than static. The routing is not fixed in the first step but can be adjusted based on scheduling feasibility. The formulation allows iterative refinement where routing paths are modified if scheduling constraints cannot be met, ensuring both productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If formal analysis is performed separately in a third step, then the analysis is isolated and simpler, but routing and scheduling choices may already be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalysis process complexityVSAvoidconstraint satisfaction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines formal analysis with routing and scheduling computations into a unified optimization framework. The analysis is not performed separately but is integrated into the constraint formulation itself, ensuring that routing and scheduling decisions are made with full awareness of timing constraints and resource requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If iterative optimization with feedback loops is implemented, then constraint fulfillment is guaranteed and performance is optimized, but the computation time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstraint fulfillmentVSAvoidcomputation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by formulating all constraints and optimization criteria in advance within the mathematical program. This allows the iterative optimization to focus on refinement rather than fundamental decision-making, reducing the time required for each iteration while guaranteeing constraint fulfillment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4125249B1Method to configure real-time communications in a network with time-triggered and rate-constrained traffic

Publication Date: 2025.06.25 TTTECH COMPUTERTECHNIK AG

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AI summary

A method for computing a network configuration for the transmission of communication flows in a real-time communication network, wherein the network comprises components, which components are connected by links, and wherein an arrangement of the components and links of the network is described by a network topology, and wherein said components of the network communicate via a defined set of communication flows, wherein the method comprises a first, a second, and a third module, as well as a first and a second feedback loop, wherein in a first step the first module computes, based on said network topology and said set of communication constraints, one route for each communication flow of said set of communication flows, and wherein, in a second step, after the first step has finished, said second module, computes a time-triggered schedule for the communication of said TT flows, so that one or more, preferably all, of the constraints related to said TT flows are fulfilled, and wherein in a third step, after the second step has finished, the third module performs a formal timing analysis, according to which the third module analyzes if at least the real-time constraints and resource constraints, and optionally other constraints, from said set of constraints are fulfilled, based on the network routes provided by said first module and the time-triggered schedule provided by said second module.