Upstream Channel Encoding Alignment for Predictable Block Occupancy

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Solution Overview

Problem

In burst mode upstream multiplexing with variable frame alignment, existing technologies experience underutilization of resources due to unpredictable encoded block occupancy, leading to inefficient bandwidth allocation and utilization in Ethernet networks.

Innovation Solution

Alignment-enabled secondary nodes monitor and align data frames to ensure predictable encoded block occupancy, eliminating underutilization by aligning the start-of-frame code to the beginning of encoded blocks, thus optimizing upstream channel usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If variable frame alignment encoding is used in burst mode upstream multiplexing, then the encoding scheme is compatible with standard Ethernet protocols, but the encoded block occupancy becomes unpredictable leading to resource underutilization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with Ethernet protocolsVSAvoidupstream channel utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by aligning the start-of-frame code to the beginning of encoded blocks before transmission. This pre-alignment ensures that the number of encoded blocks is predictable and eliminates waste at the end of bursts, thereby improving upstream channel utilization while maintaining Ethernet protocol compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If bandwidth reservations are made based on worst-case scenarios to ensure sufficient transmission capacity, then transmission reliability is improved, but bandwidth allocation efficiency deteriorates due to over-provisioning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidbandwidth allocation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by making the number of encoded blocks predictable through alignment, which allows the headend node to accurately determine bandwidth requirements. This eliminates the need for worst-case over-provisioning while ensuring sufficient transmission capacity, thereby improving bandwidth allocation efficiency without sacrificing reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8428034B2Encoding for efficient use of an upstream channel in burst mode

Publication Date: 2013.04.23 MICROSEMI ISRAEL STORAGE SOLUTIONS LTD

AI summary

Alignment-enabled secondary nodes of a DAMA network monitor the alignment of for-transmission data as it is received, and actively align the data frames into encoded blocks such that the number of blocks occupied by encoded data resulting from an unencoded datastream of a particular length is predictable rather than variable. In some embodiments, the network is an Ethernet passive optical network and the alignment includes aligning a XGMII word having a start control code to a first position in a 72 bit word input to a 66B/66B encoder, thereby encoding a start-of-frame (/S/) code to a first byte of an encoded first Ethernet 66b block.