Online Parameter Change in xDSL Data Transfer Unit Framers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In communication systems, especially xDSL, online parameter changes are challenging as they require seamless adaptation without disrupting ongoing data transmission, particularly when retransmissions are involved, and existing methods fail to ensure that only acknowledged data transfer units are retransmitted with the new parameters, leading to potential mixing of old and new data units.
Innovation Solution
The method involves requesting an online parameter change, stopping the data transfer unit framer until all stored units are acknowledged, communicating the parameter change, and then restarting with the new parameters, ensuring that only acknowledged data units are retransmitted and dummy units are used if necessary, to avoid mixing old and new data units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If online parameter change is performed without stopping the data transfer unit framer, then productivity is maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to mixing of old and new data units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by stopping the data transfer unit framer before changing parameters and waiting for all stored data units to be acknowledged. This ensures that no old data units remain in the system when parameter changes occur, preventing mixing of old and new data units while maintaining continuous operation afterward.
2Reliability
If the data transfer unit framer is stopped to complete retransmissions, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to transmission interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The framer is stopped in advance before parameter changes are applied, allowing all stored data units to be transmitted and acknowledged with the old parameters. This preliminary stopping phase ensures reliability by completing all retransmissions before the parameter change, after which normal transmission resumes with new parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary waiting period where the framer is temporarily stopped to acknowledge all stored data units. This intermediary state acts as a buffer between old and new parameter regimes, ensuring clean transition without mixing data units from different parameter sets.
3Adaptability or versatility
If parameter change is communicated immediately, then adaptability is improved, but reliability worsens due to potential data unit mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The parameter change is communicated only after all stored data units have been acknowledged. This preliminary acknowledgment step ensures that the receiver is ready for the parameter change and that no old data units are pending, maintaining both adaptability and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by waiting for acknowledgment of all stored data units before communicating the parameter change. This feedback mechanism ensures that the parameter change is applied only when the transmission state is known to be clean, preventing data unit mixing while maintaining responsiveness.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Methods and devices are provided where when an online parameter change is requested a data transfer unit is stopped, a parameter change is communicated and the data transfer unit is started with changed parameters to generate new data transfer units.