Non-intrusive Deskew of Trunked Clients in Optical Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In optical transport networks, static differential delays (skew) between client paths within a trunk group must be minimized to ensure data synchronization, as excessive skew is not tolerated by endpoints, which can lead to bandwidth reduction and communication errors.
Innovation Solution
A deskew process is implemented by configuring transport devices to identify trunk members, sending idle primitives, triggering a deskew operation, replacing deskew markers with idle primitives, and releasing them in lockstep through FIFOs to synchronize data arrival times across clients, thereby minimizing static skew.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple clients are trunked together to increase bandwidth, then the data transmission capacity is improved, but the skew between clients increases causing synchronization issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing deskew operations before data transmission. Transport devices send deskew markers and idle primitives to clients before actual data flows, allowing clients to pre-align their timing. This preliminary synchronization ensures that when data is transmitted through the trunk group, the clients are already synchronized, preventing skew-related issues during high-bandwidth transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where transport devices monitor the actual data flow timing and adjust deskew operations accordingly. The system receives feedback about timing variations from clients and dynamically modifies the deskew markers and idle primitives sent back, creating a closed-loop system that continuously maintains synchronization while preserving high bandwidth throughput.
2Reliability
If deskew operations are performed to synchronize data, then the skew is reduced, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses idle primitives as intermediaries to simplify the deskew operation. Instead of directly processing complex synchronization signals, the system uses simple idle primitives that carry timing information. These intermediaries are easier to generate, transmit, and process, reducing the complexity of the overall deskew operation while still achieving effective synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs copying by replicating deskew markers and idle primitives across multiple client paths. Rather than performing complex real-time adjustments on each individual data stream, the system copies simplified timing signals (deskew markers and idle primitives) to all clients and lets them process these copies independently, reducing the processing burden on each client while maintaining system-wide synchronization.
3Reliability
If skew tolerance limits are strictly enforced, then data integrity is maintained, but the bandwidth utilization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing deskew operations before data transmission begins. By pre-synchronizing clients using deskew markers and idle primitives, the system ensures that data arrives at all clients within acceptable skew tolerances without needing to reduce bandwidth. The preliminary alignment allows full bandwidth utilization while maintaining data integrity through strict skew enforcement.
Data Source
AI summary
A process for removing skew across a set of at least two clients that are members of a particular trunk, the skew removed from a data path from a first communications system component to a second communications system component. The process using a deskew marker to initiate storage of a set of idle primitives in a FIFO for client member of the particular trunk. Releasing in lockstep, idle primitives for the set of FIFO for the set of client members of the particular trunk after receipt of the final deskew marker. Continuing to route subsequent data for the set of clients for that particular trunk through the set of FIFO for the set of clients for that particular trunk. The data path from the first communications system component to the second communications system component may include traversing a fiber optic network.