Wireless Packet Link Failure Detection for Fast Layer-2 Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication networks face inefficiencies in failure detection and recovery, requiring excessive overhead and resulting in slow response times, which is not optimized for wireless communications.
Innovation Solution
A hardware-assisted rapid transport channel failure detection algorithm is integrated with a layer-2 network optimization protocol in a Gigabit Ethernet data access card to provide fast and robust failure detection and recovery, enabling resilient wireless packet communications with minimal impact on throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional failure detection and recovery protocols are used in wireless networks, then network reliability is maintained, but failure detection and recovery time is slow (exceeding 50 ms) and excessive overhead is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring transport channel status and pre-configuring alternative paths before failures occur. The hardware-assisted algorithm maintains readiness to detect and respond to failures immediately when they happen, eliminating the need for slow post-failure detection protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional software-based failure detection protocols with a hardware-assisted rapid transport channel failure detection algorithm. This substitution of mechanical/software systems with hardware implementation enables sub-50 ms detection and recovery times, overcoming the limitations of conventional protocol-based approaches.
2Reliability
If traditional failure detection and recovery protocols are used in wireless networks, then network coverage is maintained, but excessive overhead is required which reduces throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware-assisted failure detection algorithm eliminates the need for excessive protocol overhead by implementing efficient monitoring at the hardware level. This substitution reduces the bandwidth consumed by control messages and failure detection traffic, thereby preserving more throughput for actual data transmission while maintaining reliable failure detection.
3Loss of time
If rapid failure detection and recovery is implemented, then failure detection time is reduced (below 50 ms), but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing the rapid failure detection algorithm in hardware rather than software, the patent achieves sub-50 ms detection times while managing complexity through dedicated hardware circuits. The hardware implementation performs the complex monitoring and detection functions in parallel, reducing the computational burden and enabling fast response without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Rapid failure detection and recovery in wireless communication networks is needed in order to meet, among other things, carrier class Ethernet transport channel standards. Thus, resilient wireless packet communications is provided using a hardware-assisted rapid transport channel failure detection algorithm and a Gigabit Ethernet data access card with an engine configured accordingly. In networks with various topologies, this is provided in combination with their existing protocols, such as rapid spanning tree and link aggregation protocols, respectively.