Wireless TSN Traffic Scheduling via Interference-Aware Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ethernet-based Time Sensitive Networks (TSN) struggle to meet the requirements of mobile devices and applications due to limitations in scheduling data traffic, particularly in wireless environments, where link interference and the inability to compute end-to-end latency accurately hinder efficient data transmission.

Innovation Solution

A method for scheduling data traffic in wireless TSN networks that considers end-to-end latency requirements and interfering links, using a centralized scheduler to optimize the transmission windows of time-critical and best effort traffic, and employing mixed integer linear programming to determine optimal scheduling periods and gate control lists.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Ethernet-based TSN scheduling is used, then time-critical traffic can be delivered with bounded latency, but mobile devices and wireless environments cannot be supported due to link interference and scheduling limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeterministic communicationVSAvoidwireless node support
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the TSN network into wired and wireless sub-networks, with wireless access points acting as boundary elements that bridge the two domains. This allows deterministic wired TSN traffic to coexist with wireless mobile devices while maintaining latency bounds for time-critical traffic through separate scheduling domains.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Wireless access points serve as intermediary elements between wired TSN network and wireless mobile devices. These access points perform frame aggregation and scheduling to bridge the deterministic wired network with the mobile wireless environment, enabling both coexistence and deterministic performance for wired traffic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If frame-based scheduling is used, then individual frame transmission can be controlled, but TSN stream-based traffic with guard time requirements cannot be properly scheduled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveframe transmission controlVSAvoidstream-based latency guarantee
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges frame-based scheduling mechanisms with stream-based TSN scheduling by aggregating multiple frames into TSN streams at the wireless access point. This combination allows the system to leverage existing frame scheduling infrastructure while achieving stream-level latency guarantees through guard time insertion and coordinated scheduling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If conventional Ethernet TSN scheduling is applied to wireless networks, then wired traffic can be scheduled efficiently, but wireless link interference causes overlapping transmissions and increased latency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewired traffic scheduling efficiencyVSAvoidwireless transmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality control by treating wired and wireless traffic differently at the access point. Wired TSN traffic receives deterministic scheduling with guaranteed latency bounds, while wireless traffic follows conventional Ethernet scheduling. This differentiation allows each traffic type to receive appropriate scheduling treatment for its specific requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3942862B1Scheduling data traffic in wireless time sensitive networks
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3942862B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3942862B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3942862B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Systems and methods for scheduling data traffic in a wireless time sensitive network (TSN). A computer configured to synchronize clocks of all nodes with a common clock in the TSN. Obtain data traffic information for the TSN using a network scheduler to establish routing paths. Determine routing paths using the obtained data traffic information and stored routing information via a memory. Compute a link communication delay for each link of the one or more relay nodes connecting a source node to a destination node of the TSN for each TSN stream using a network scheduler. Determine interfering links for each wireless link using the network scheduler. Determining a scheduling period using the network scheduler. Determine optimal scheduling using an optimal scheduling module. Generate the gate control list for each egress port of the wired node and the wireless transmitter of the TSN, and begin transmission of the data.