Transmit Scheduler for Precise Latency and Jitter Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack precision in measuring latency and jitter in packet-switched networks, which are critical for real-time video and voice transmission, as they fail to ensure consistent packet delivery rates and timing.
Innovation Solution
A network testing system that includes a traffic generator and receiver-analyzer, utilizing scheduled and unscheduled packet streams, a transmit scheduler, and a packet selector to precisely control packet transmission times, ensuring accurate measurement of latency and jitter by synchronizing packet transmission with precision time synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current packet transmission methods are used, then network traffic can be transmitted, but latency and jitter cannot be precisely measured due to inconsistent packet delivery rates and timing
Solution Approach 1:
The transmit scheduler pre-calculates and stores optimal transmission times for packets before actual transmission occurs. This preliminary timing calculation ensures that packets are transmitted at precisely determined intervals, enabling accurate latency and jitter measurements while maintaining consistent delivery rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the measured transmission times and packet delivery performance to continuously refine and adjust the scheduling algorithm. This feedback mechanism ensures that the transmit scheduler maintains precise timing control and consistent packet delivery rates, thereby improving measurement accuracy over time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If packets are transmitted at variable rates to handle different network conditions, then network adaptability improves, but latency and jitter measurements become inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments network traffic into different priority queues, with time-sensitive packets (requiring precise timing for measurement) separated from other traffic. This segmentation allows the transmit scheduler to maintain strict timing control for measurement packets while still adapting to varying network conditions for other traffic types.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmit scheduler applies different transmission strategies to different packet types based on their specific requirements. Time-sensitive packets used for measurement receive precise, fixed-interval scheduling, while other packets can be transmitted at variable rates to adapt to network conditions, thus maintaining measurement accuracy without sacrificing overall network adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
There are disclosed apparatus and methods for scheduling packet transmission. At least one scheduled traffic queue holds a plurality of scheduled packets, each scheduled packet having an associated scheduled transmit time. At least one unscheduled traffic queue holds plurality of unscheduled packets. A packet selector causes transmission of scheduled packets from the scheduled traffic queue at the associated scheduled transmit time, while causing transmission of unscheduled packets from the unscheduled traffic queue during the time intervals between transmissions of scheduled packets.