Network Cycle Offset Measurement for Deterministic Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to accurately determine scheduling cycle offsets between network devices, leading to imprecise calculation of forwarding cycles and inability to meet end-to-end latency and jitter requirements in deterministic networking.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for measuring cycle offsets between network devices by receiving a cycle offset measurement message at a starting moment of a scheduling cycle, determining the offset using the receiving moment, cycle length, and link latency, and advertising this information to other nodes or controllers within the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If time synchronization is implemented across the entire network to achieve low latency and low jitter, then the quality of service is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the synchronization requirement by implementing deterministic forwarding only on specific forwarding paths rather than synchronizing the entire network. This allows time-sensitive services to achieve low latency and jitter on critical paths while avoiding the complexity of full-network time synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by ensuring deterministic forwarding properties only where needed (on specific forwarding paths) rather than uniformly across the entire network. This localized approach reduces overall system complexity while maintaining service quality where required.
2Device complexity
If frequency synchronization is used instead of time synchronization to reduce complexity, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of cycle offsets deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where cycle offset measurement messages are exchanged between adjacent network devices to continuously measure and compensate for cycle offsets. This feedback loop maintains measurement precision without requiring full time synchronization, resolving the contradiction between reduced complexity and maintained precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical time synchronization system with an information-based measurement system using cycle offset measurement messages. This substitution achieves the necessary precision through information exchange rather than through complex time synchronization mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If cycle offsets between hop devices are not considered in path planning, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision of forwarding cycle calculation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and compensating for cycle offsets during path planning using the measured offset values. This allows the path planning to remain simple in operation while achieving precise forwarding cycle calculation through pre-computed compensation values that account for cumulative offsets along the path.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an information measurement method and apparatus. The information measurement method includes: receiving, by a second network device, a cycle offset measurement message sent by a first network device adjacent to the second network device at a starting moment of a scheduling cycle, wherein the cycle offset measurement message comprises a field representing a cycle length of the scheduling cycle; and determining, by the second network device, a cycle offset of the scheduling cycle between the first network device and the second network device according to a receiving moment at which the second network device receives the cycle offset measurement message, the cycle length of the scheduling cycle, and a link latency between the first network device and the second network device. By means of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a scheduling cycle offset between network devices can be measured and acquired, and necessary information can be provided for accurate calculation and planning of a service with a low latency and low jitter requirement, thereby effectively improving a utilization rate of network resources.