Industrial Network Scheduling with Path-Based Guard Intervals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face issues with real-time communication protocols, where interruptions and incomplete message transmission can lead to production downtime due to inefficient resource allocation and quality of service challenges, especially with high-priority data streams competing with low-payload control data.
Innovation Solution
A communication device and method that transmit selected datagrams within predefined time intervals, adjusting guard intervals based on the number of network nodes, allowing for efficient resource allocation by categorizing datagrams and using IEEE 802.1Q and IEEE 802.1Qbv standards to prioritize and reserve resources accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If credit-based shapers enforce transfer pauses after each data frame to ensure bandwidth limiting, then bandwidth control is improved, but transmission continuity of control data is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments control data transmission into periodic time intervals with guard intervals between them. This segmentation allows bandwidth control through structured timing while maintaining transmission continuity by ensuring control data intervals are protected from audio/video data pauses. The guard intervals are specifically designed to prevent CBP pauses from affecting control data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic priority handling where control data transmission intervals are given highest priority and are dynamically protected from bandwidth control mechanisms applied to audio/video data. The system dynamically adjusts transmission timing based on data type, ensuring control data maintains continuous transmission while audio/video data receives bandwidth-limited transmission with enforced pauses.
2Reliability
If guard intervals are extended to ensure reliable data transmission across the network, then transmission reliability is improved, but network resource utilization is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different guard interval lengths based on the specific transmission path characteristics. Instead of using a uniform guard interval for all network paths, the system determines the number of network nodes for each source-destination pair and assigns appropriate guard interval lengths. This local optimization ensures sufficient reliability for each path while minimizing unnecessary resource consumption across the entire network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the guard interval parameter dynamically based on the number of network nodes in the transmission path. The guard interval length is adjusted as a function of path length, providing adequate protection for longer paths while using shorter intervals for shorter paths, thereby optimizing the balance between reliability and resource utilization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple data streams with different quality of service demands share the same network resources, then network versatility is improved, but quality of service for real-time data is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network resources into dedicated periodic time intervals for different data types. Control data receives guaranteed intervals with highest priority, while audio and video data receive separate intervals where bandwidth control is applied. This segmentation ensures real-time control data quality of service is maintained while still allowing versatile multi-stream transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a priority-based scheduling mechanism as an intermediary between different data streams and network resources. This mediator assigns highest priority to control data intervals, ensuring they are transmitted without interference from audio/video data bandwidth control. The scheduling mechanism mediates resource allocation to maintain quality of service for real-time data while supporting diverse traffic types.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for data transmission within an industrial communication network, wherein selected datagrams are transmitted within predetermined time intervals, which are synchronized at all network nodes, where a number of network nodes from the respective source network node to the respective target network node is determined for forwarding the selected datagrams in each case, and where the selected datagrams are transmitted during first periodic time intervals having a first protection interval length in the event of a determined number of network nodes corresponding to at least one predefined threshold value and, in contrast thereto, if a determined number lies below the threshold value, then the selected datagrams are transmitted during second periodic time intervals having a second protection interval length, which is shorter than the first protection interval length.