Timestamped Packet Synchronization for Interconnection Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network technologies face challenges in synchronizing multiple data streams across interconnected devices, particularly in low-resource environments, where maintaining synchronization quality for human perception while minimizing complexity and overhead is difficult.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine the phase difference between a transmitting device and receiving devices by exchanging timestamped packets, adjusting receiver clocks to match the transmitter clock frequency, and utilizing buffer management to ensure synchronized playback across multiple destinations without requiring feedback or extensive communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If close coordination and communication between devices is implemented to synchronize data streams, then synchronization quality is improved, but network overhead and processing complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Each receiving device independently determines its own phase difference with the transmitting device by processing timestamp information from received packets. The device autonomously calculates the phase difference using its local clock and the transmitted timestamps, then adjusts its clock frequency and phase without requiring coordination messages from other receiving devices or the transmitting device.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmitting device embeds timestamp information in the data packets before transmission. These timestamps contain the necessary time reference information that receiving devices will need for synchronization, allowing the synchronization data to be prepared in advance along with the media data itself, eliminating the need for separate synchronization communication channels.
2Measurement precision
If timestamp exchange and phase adjustment mechanisms are implemented, then synchronization accuracy is improved, but processing overhead at receiving devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization function is merged with the existing media data reception and playback system. The same receiving device that decodes and plays back media data also performs the phase difference calculation and clock adjustment using the timestamp information already present in the media packets. This eliminates the need for separate synchronization hardware or processing channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving device uses its own local clock and processing capabilities to determine phase difference and adjust its timing. Instead of requiring the transmitting device or a central controller to calculate and communicate phase adjustment instructions, each receiving device independently performs all synchronization calculations using locally available timestamp data from received packets.
3Stability of the object's composition
If clock frequency adjustment and phase alignment are performed continuously, then synchronization stability is improved, but network latency and jitter increase
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving device periodically measures phase difference using timestamp information from regularly arriving media packets and adjusts its clock frequency accordingly. This periodic measurement and adjustment approach maintains synchronization stability while avoiding continuous communication overhead, as the adjustments are based on accumulated phase difference measurements over time intervals between packet arrivals.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for synchronizing related data streams in interconnection networks. Some embodiments of an apparatus include a transmitter to transmit a data stream to a second apparatus, where the transmitter transmits a data packet to the second apparatus. The apparatus further includes a clock, with the apparatus providing a first timestamp for the data packet using the clock upon transmission of the data packet. The apparatus includes a receiver to receive responses from the second apparatus, with the apparatus providing a second timestamp upon receiving a returned packet from the second apparatus, with the returned packet containing timestamps for the receipt and transmission of the packet by the second apparatus. The apparatus includes a network unit to direct the operation of the apparatus, the network unit to determine a start time for decoding of the data stream by the second apparatus based at least in part on the timestamps for the packet.