Shared-Medium Transmission Order for Low-Latency Industrial Networking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing networking technologies, such as Ethernet, suffer from inflexible addressing and collision detection techniques, leading to increased latency and reduced bandwidth, making them unsuitable for high-throughput and low-latency communication in industrial settings.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that utilize a shared medium with a maestro computing device to establish a transmission order among node computing devices, allowing them to transmit messages based on their assigned turn, eliminating the need for collision detection and reducing protocol overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If Ethernet-based collision detection techniques are used, then universal standardization is achieved, but latency increases and bandwidth utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shared medium communication is segmented into discrete time slots assigned to different computing devices. Each device transmits only during its assigned time slot, eliminating collisions and the need for collision detection protocols, thereby reducing latency while maintaining standardized communication through the structured time-division multiplexing framework
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically assigns transmission time slots to computing devices based on their communication needs and priorities. The maestro computing device can reconfigure time slot assignments in real-time, allowing the network to adapt to changing traffic patterns while maintaining deterministic low-latency communication for time-critical applications
2Adaptability or versatility
If Ethernet-based collision detection techniques are used, then universal standardization is achieved, but bandwidth utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shared medium maintains continuous useful transmission by assigning back-to-back time slots to different computing devices. During each time slot, the medium is fully utilized for data transmission without idle periods caused by collision detection and retry protocols, achieving high bandwidth utilization while preserving standardized communication through the time-division framework
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic time slots for each computing device in a cyclic manner. This periodic structure ensures that each device gets regular transmission opportunities, maximizing overall bandwidth utilization while maintaining standardized communication patterns that can be easily implemented across the network
3Loss of time
If deterministic timing is implemented through transmission order, then latency is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A maestro computing device serves as an intermediary that centralizes the complexity of time slot assignment and transmission order management. Individual computing devices only need to follow simple rules: listen for their assigned time slot, transmit during that slot, and pass control to the next device. This distributes minimal complexity to each device while concentrating the protocol management complexity in the maestro, achieving deterministic low-latency communication
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where each computing device monitors the shared medium to detect when its assigned time slot begins and when it should pass control to the next device. This simple feedback-based time slot synchronization allows deterministic timing with minimal device complexity, as devices only need to detect timing signals and follow predetermined transmission sequences
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method of communicating on a shared medium is provided. A node computing device receives an incoming message via the shared medium and determines, based on the incoming message, whether the node computing device is the next computing device assigned to transmit on the shared medium. In response to determining that the node computing device is the next computing device assigned to transmit via the shared medium, the node computing device detects an end of the incoming message, and, in response, transmits an outgoing message via the shared medium. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method of managing communication between node computing devices is provided. A maestro computing device transmits one or more configuration messages to establish a transmission order for the set of node computing devices to transmit messages on the shared medium, and transmits a start message that initiates the transmission order.