Virtual Ethernet Interface for TSN Legacy Application Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy applications designed for non-TSN-compatible Ethernet interfaces cannot guarantee timely data transmission in Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) environments due to lack of control over transmission bandwidth and temporal parameters, requiring adaptation or recompilation to utilize TSN extensions.
Innovation Solution
A transmission device with a virtual Ethernet interface that operates within the TCP/IP protocol stack, utilizing a TSN control unit to configure and parameterize TSN-compliant data streams, allowing legacy applications to function in TSN networks without modifications, by ensuring temporal structuring, prioritization, and latency guarantees through a TSN control unit, independent of the application's knowledge of TSN parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If legacy applications are used without adaptation, then ease of operation is improved, but quality of service and temporal parameters cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
A virtual Ethernet interface is introduced as an intermediary layer between the legacy application and the TSN network. This virtual interface translates standard Ethernet frames into TSN-compliant frames, enabling QoS guarantees without requiring application modification. The virtual interface acts as a mediator that handles TSN-specific functions while presenting a standard Ethernet interface to the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional layers: the legacy application layer remains unchanged, while a separate virtual Ethernet interface layer handles TSN protocol translation and QoS management. This segmentation allows each layer to operate independently with its own optimization, maintaining application simplicity while ensuring network-level quality of service.
2Reliability
If TSN extensions are implemented, then quality of service is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual Ethernet interface serves as a mediator that encapsulates TSN complexity, shielding the application from complex TSN configuration while maintaining QoS guarantees. All TSN-specific parameters, stream classifications, and timing mechanisms are managed within the virtual interface layer, preventing complexity from propagating to the application layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual Ethernet interface provides multiple functions within a single component: it acts as a standard Ethernet interface for legacy applications, a TSN protocol translator for network compliance, and a QoS manager for quality of service enforcement. This multi-functionality consolidates complexity into a single manageable component rather than requiring separate mechanisms for each function.
3Reliability
If application adaptation is required, then quality of service is improved, but ease of manufacture and integration effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual Ethernet interface eliminates the need for application adaptation by serving as a mediator that handles all TSN protocol requirements. Legacy applications continue to operate with standard Ethernet interfaces, while the virtual interface performs the necessary protocol translation and QoS configuration, thereby removing integration barriers.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the system into unchanged application code and a separate virtual interface component, the integration process becomes simpler. The virtual interface can be deployed independently and configured without modifying application binaries, reducing compilation, linking, and testing efforts associated with application adaptation.
4Productivity
If multiple applications share physical Ethernet adapter, then productivity is improved, but transmission bandwidth and temporal parameters cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple virtual Ethernet interfaces are created, each assigned to a specific application or application group. Each virtual interface can be independently configured with its own bandwidth allocations, stream classifications, and temporal parameters. This segmentation enables fine-grained control over shared physical resources while maintaining high productivity through multi-application support.
Solution Approach 2:
Each virtual Ethernet interface receives customized QoS parameters and bandwidth allocations tailored to its specific application requirements. This local quality approach ensures that each application gets the appropriate level of service and temporal guarantees needed for its specific workload, while all applications share the same physical Ethernet adapter.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention describes a transmission device having a (TCP/IP) protocol stack (S, S'), which is designed for the transmission of data (D) in a time-sensitive network (TSN). The transmission device comprises at least one TSN-compliant virtual Ethernet interface (2.2, 2.2') and an associated TSN control unit (3.1, 3.1'). The at least one TSN-compliant virtual Ethernet interface (2.2, 2.2') is designed to send and/or receive a TSN-compliant data stream (2.1, 2.1') in a physical layer (1) of the TCP/IP protocol stack (S, S'). The TSN-compliant data stream (2.1, 2.1') can be configured and/or parameterised by means of the associated TSN control unit (3.1, 3.1').