Communication Apparatus Packet Timestamp Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication apparatuses configured to sort multiple types of communication packets often fail to perform appropriate Precision Time Protocol (PTP) time synchronization due to loss of correspondence between reception packets and timestamps, leading to inappropriate timestamp usage and lost time synchronization with leader devices.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus is designed with a reception unit, transfer unit, acquisition unit, analysis unit, and control unit to receive, analyze, and associate communication packets with their corresponding timestamps based on packet type, ensuring accurate time synchronization by sorting reception timestamps and associating them with the appropriate packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a communication apparatus sorts multiple types of communication packets based on packet type, then packet processing efficiency and organization is improved, but the correspondence between reception packets and timestamps is lost, causing inappropriate timestamp usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet processing into distinct phases: reception phase where packets and timestamps are captured together, association phase where packets are linked to timestamps based on packet type, and processing phase where sorted packets are handled. This segmentation allows efficient packet sorting while preserving the critical correspondence between packets and timestamps through structured storage and association mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary association mechanism that links reception packets to timestamps through packet type identification. The control unit acts as an intermediary that receives both packets and timestamps, analyzes packet types, and establishes proper associations before processing. This intermediary layer ensures that sorting operations do not break the critical packet-timestamp correspondence.
2Adaptability or versatility
If reception processing modules are changed based on packet type, then processing specificity and accuracy is improved, but the correspondence between reception packets and timestamps is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary association of packets with timestamps immediately upon reception, before any processing or sorting occurs. The control unit captures both the reception packet and timestamp together, analyzes packet types, and establishes associations in advance. This preliminary action ensures that when processing modules are later activated based on packet type, the packet-timestamp correspondence is already established and preserved.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal reception processing mechanism that handles multiple packet types through a common framework. The control unit universally receives all packet types, analyzes their characteristics, and routes them to appropriate processing modules while maintaining the universal association with timestamps. This multi-functional approach allows specific processing for different packet types without losing the universal timestamp correspondence.
3Productivity
If communication packets are sorted based on packet type, then network traffic management is improved, but time synchronization accuracy is lost due to inappropriate timestamp usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the control unit continuously monitors packet reception, analyzes packet types, and adjusts the association between packets and timestamps accordingly. The system provides feedback to ensure that timestamps are correctly assigned to packets based on their types, and this feedback loop maintains time synchronization accuracy even while sorting and managing network traffic efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication apparatus is provided and receives a communication packet, acquires a timestamp of a reception of the communication packet, analyzes a type of the received communication packet, transfers the received communication packet to a predetermined memory based on information indicating an analyzed type of the communication packet, and associates the analyzed type of the communication packet with the acquired timestamp.