TSN Message Timestamping for Deterministic End-to-End Latency

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Scheduling and forwarding methods based on fixed stay times in time sensitive networking (TSN) result in inaccurate end-to-end latency.

Innovation Solution

A message processing method that encapsulates messages with current-node stay time information and entry/exit timestamp information, allowing downstream nodes to dynamically adjust stay times based on previous-hop information, ensuring deterministic end-to-end latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fixed stay time scheduling is used in TSN, then deterministic forwarding is achieved, but end-to-end latency accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeterministic forwardingVSAvoidend-to-end latency accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by replacing fixed stay time with dynamic stay time adjustment. Each network node dynamically adjusts its stay time based on actual entry and exit timestamps recorded in the message header, allowing the system to adapt to real-time conditions while maintaining deterministic forwarding. This resolves the contradiction by enabling both reliability and measurement precision through dynamic optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms by recording actual entry and exit timestamps at each node and using this feedback information to adjust stay times. The feedback loop ensures that each node learns from actual performance data and modifies its scheduling decisions accordingly, achieving accurate end-to-end latency while preserving deterministic forwarding guarantees.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If dynamic stay time adjustment is implemented, then end-to-end latency accuracy is improved, but message processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveend-to-end latency accuracyVSAvoidmessage processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the end-to-end latency adjustment into discrete per-node stay time adjustments. Each node independently processes and adjusts its own stay time based on local timestamp measurements, rather than requiring complex centralized coordination. This segmentation reduces overall processing complexity while maintaining high latency accuracy through distributed optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing the framework for timestamp recording and stay time adjustment before actual message transmission. The message header structure includes predetermined fields for entry and exit timestamps, allowing nodes to prepare the necessary processing logic in advance. This reduces runtime processing complexity while enabling accurate dynamic latency adjustment during actual message flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260032018A1Message processing method, device, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2026.01.29 ZTE CORP

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of communications, and provides a message processing method, a network device, and a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes: encapsulating, by a network forwarding node, a received message to obtain an encapsulated message, wherein the encapsulated message includes current-node stay time information and current-node entry and exit timestamp information.