Time-Triggered Ethernet Scheduling via Bin-Based Overlap

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional network scheduling tools do not adequately leverage the capabilities of underlying hardware to improve network performance metrics such as end-to-end delay and jitter in Time-Triggered Ethernet networks.

Innovation Solution

A network scheduling tool that identifies optimal bins in a global timeline for unscheduled virtual links, determines start time delays based on shared dispatch ports with pre-scheduled links, and schedules transmissions to overlap with pre-scheduled links, thereby enhancing slot time allocation and buffer management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional scheduling tools are used to schedule messages in Time-Triggered Ethernet networks, then the scheduling process is simple, but network performance metrics such as end-to-end delay and jitter are not optimized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork performanceVSAvoidscheduling complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The global timeline is segmented into discrete bins that can be independently evaluated for scheduling virtual links. This segmentation allows the scheduling tool to systematically analyze and optimize each time segment, improving network performance through structured time allocation while maintaining manageable complexity through modular bin-based decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary identification of suitable bins in the global timeline before finalizing the schedule for unscheduled virtual links. By pre-analyzing time segments and determining optimal placement opportunities, the scheduling tool can proactively optimize network performance metrics rather than reactively adjusting schedules, thereby improving end-to-end delay and jitter characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If transmission of unscheduled virtual link is scheduled to overlap with pre-scheduled virtual link, then network resource utilization is improved, but interference between links increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidinterference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The scheduling tool applies local quality by differentiating between links that share common dispatch ports and those that do not. For links without common dispatch ports, overlapping transmissions are permitted to maximize resource utilization. For links with common dispatch ports, the system applies start time delays to prevent interference. This localized differentiation allows aggressive overlapping where safe while maintaining protection where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces start time delay as an intermediary mechanism to mediate between overlapping transmissions and interference prevention. When unscheduled and pre-scheduled virtual links share a common dispatch port, the start time delay acts as a temporal buffer that allows overlapping schedules to coexist without causing harmful interference, thereby enabling higher resource utilization while maintaining signal integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If start time delay is applied to unscheduled virtual link based on common dispatch port, then interference is prevented, but transmission latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference preventionVSAvoidtransmission latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by implementing start time delays only when necessary—that is, only when unscheduled and pre-scheduled virtual links share a common dispatch port. For links without common dispatch ports, no delay is applied and full overlapping is permitted. This selective application of delays minimizes the overall impact on transmission latency while still providing interference prevention where required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3076605B1Inteference cognizant network scheduling

Publication Date: 2019.01.02 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC

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AI summary

Systems and methods for interference cognizant network scheduling are provided. In certain embodiments, a method of scheduling communications in a network comprises identifying a bin of a global timeline for scheduling an unscheduled virtual link, wherein a bin is a segment of the timeline; identifying a pre-scheduled virtual link in the bin; and determining if the pre-scheduled and unscheduled virtual links share a port. In certain embodiments, if the unscheduled and pre-scheduled virtual links don't share a port, scheduling transmission of the unscheduled virtual link to overlap with the scheduled transmission of the pre-scheduled virtual link; and if the unscheduled and pre-scheduled virtual links share a port:determining a start time delay for the unscheduled virtual link based on the port; and scheduling transmission of the unscheduled virtual link in the bin based on the start time delay to overlap part of the scheduled transmission of the pre-scheduled virtual link.