DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of wireless communication networks and systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for managing a flow of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) packets in a communication network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The subject matter disclosed in the background section should not be assumed or construed to be prior art merely because of its mention in the background section. Similarly, any problem statement mentioned in the background section or its association with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed or construed to have been previously recognized in the prior art.
[0003] In the realm of communication networks, integration of wireless technologies such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi®) with conventional cellular networks such as 5th Generation (5G) networks is crucial. This integration allows for enhanced connectivity and service delivery, but also introduces complexities, particularly in synchronization among Network Elements (NEs) in the communication networks.
[0004] To this end, an Indoor Small Cell (IDSC) node is a key component in the 5G networks and is responsible for managing and controlling flow of digital signals across the 5G networks. The IDSC node utilizes a Precision Time Protocol (PTP) for precise time synchronization among the NEs. The PTP refers to a protocol that is used to synchronize clocks among the NEs and is crucial for applications necessitating precise timing in the communication networks.
[0005] For implementing the PTP in the communication networks, a standardized profile i.e., a PTP profile is required. The PTP profile defines specific parameters and configurations necessary for achieving precise time synchronization using the PTP within a network infrastructure of the communication networks. Notably, the PTP profile supports multicast communications, enabling PTP messages to be transmitted to multiple recipients simultaneously to facilitate efficient distribution of timing information across the communication networks.
[0006] Heretofore, to extend coverage and to enhance capacity of the communication networks capacity, a Wi-Fi board, also referred to as a Wi-Fi chipset, have been commonly integrated with the IDSC node to create a combo small cell.
[0007] However, the integration of the Wi-Fi board with the IDSC node faced various challenges in maintaining a PTP flow and synchronization owing to a PTP-unaware nature of the Wi-Fi board. The Wi-Fi board lack an inherent capability to handle PTP packets seamlessly, posing difficulties in maintaining the flow of the PTP packets towards the IDSC node. As a result, there is a risk of blocking or dropping of the PTP packets at the input of the Wi-Fi board, hampering the delivery of critical PTP clock information to the IDSC node. This disruption compromises the synchronization and overall performance of the communication networks.
[0008] Therefore, to overcome aforementioned challenges and limitations associated with the integration of the Wi-Fi board with the IDSC node, there lies a need for a system and a method that is capable of efficiently managing a transmission or a flow of the PTP packets through PTP unaware nodes in the communication networks.
SUMMARY
[0009] The following embodiments present a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed invention. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
[0010] In an embodiment, disclosed herein is a method for managing transmission of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) packets in a communication network. The method comprises receiving, at a boundary clock router, the PTP packets from a backhaul network. The method further comprises configuring, by the boundary clock router, a forwardable multicast Media Access Control (MAC) address at a combo cell and the boundary clock router. Thereafter, the method comprises establishing, by the boundary clock router, a PTP session between the boundary clock router and the combo cell based on the forwardable multicast MAC address configured at the combo cell. Furthermore, the method comprises transmitting, by the boundary clock router, the received PTP packets to the combo cell using the established PTP session.
[0011] In an aspect, the combo cell includes an Indoor Small Cell (IDSC) node and a Wi-Fi board.
[0012] In an aspect, the Wi-Fi board is configured in a bridge mode.
[0013] In one or more aspects, the forwardable multicast MAC address is configured at each of the IDSC node and the Wi-Fi board.
[0014] In one or more aspects, the forwardable multicast MAC address is 01-1B-19-00-00-00.
[0015] In one or more aspects, each of the PTP packets includes clock synchronization data related to a synchronization of time across a plurality of network devices in the communication network.
[0016] In one or more aspects, the clock synchronization data includes information associated with at least one of a clock accuracy, a clock class, a clock offset, a clock source identity, synchronization messages, and information related to a grandmaster clock.
[0017] In an aspect, the method further comprises assigning, by the boundary clock router, a priority level for the PTP packets based on one or more network traffic classification parameters, and scheduling, by the boundary clock router, the transmission of the received PTP packets to the combo cell based on the assigned priority level.
[0018] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, disclosed is a system for managing transmission of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) packets in a communication network. The system comprises a combo cell and a boundary clock router communicatively coupled with the combo cell and a backhaul network. The boundary clock router is configured to receive the PTP packets from the backhaul network and configure a forwardable multicast Media Access Control (MAC) address at the combo cell and the boundary clock router. Further, the boundary clock router is configured to establish a PTP session between the boundary clock router and the combo cell based on the forwardable multicast MAC address configured at the combo cell. Furthermore, the boundary clock router is configured to transmit, using the established PTP session, the PTP packets received from the backhaul network to the combo cell.
[0019] In an aspect, the boundary clock router is further configured to assign a priority level for the PTP packets based on one or more network traffic classification parameters, and schedule the transmission of the received PTP packets to the combo cell based on the assigned priority level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] Various embodiments disclosed herein will become better understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the present disclosure and illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of inventive concepts. Further, components and elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. For consistency and ease of understanding, similar components and elements are annotated by reference numerals in the exemplary drawings.
[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary architecture of the PTP synchronization system employing the PTP-aware nodes and the non-PTP-aware nodes in a communication network, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary components of a system for managing the flow of PTP packets in the communication network, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram depicting exemplary components of a Telecom Boundary Clock (T-BC) router for provisioning the flow of PTP traffic through PTP un-aware nodes in the communication network, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method for managing the flow of PTP packets in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Inventive concepts of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which examples of one or more embodiments of inventive concepts are shown. Inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Further, the one or more embodiments disclosed herein are provided to describe the inventive concept thoroughly and completely, and to fully convey the scope of each of the present inventive concepts to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, it should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are not mutually exclusive concepts. Accordingly, one or more components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present or used in any other embodiment.
[0026] The following description presents various embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein are presented as teaching examples and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary design and implementation illustrated and described herein, but may be modified, omitted, or expanded upon without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0027] The following description contains specific information pertaining to embodiments in the present disclosure. The detailed description uses the phrases “in some embodiments” which may each refer to one or more or all of the same or different embodiments. The term “some” as used herein is defined as “one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” In view of the same, the terms, for example, “in an embodiment” refers to one embodiment and the term, for example, “in one or more embodiments” refers to “at least one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”
[0028] The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to;” it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion in the so-described one or more listed features, elements in a combination, unless otherwise stated with limiting language. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “have,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”
[0029] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features.
[0030] The description provided herein discloses exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing any of the exemplary embodiments. Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it may be understood by one of the ordinary skilled in the art that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details.
[0031] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein the description, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural forms unless the context of the invention indicates otherwise.
[0032] The terminology and structure employed herein are for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and do not limit, restrict, or reduce the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art.
[0033] Various aspects of the present disclosure describe a system and a method that can enable transmission of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) packets including timing information to an Indoor Small Cell (IDSC) node through PTP unaware nodes such as a Wi-Fi board in a wireless network.
[0034] Some aspects of the present disclosure describe a system and a method that can facilitate delivery of a PTP clock to the IDSC node while also leveraging the benefits of the Wi-Fi board by turning the Wi-Fi board into a combo small cell.
[0035] In the disclosure, various embodiments are described using terms used in some communication standards (e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), wireless standards (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11, Ethernet wired communication standards (e.g., IEEE 802. 3), but these are merely examples for description. Various embodiments of the disclosure may also be easily modified and applied to other communication systems.
[0036] A “boundary clock router (T-BC)” refers to a network device that receives PTP timing packets from an upstream grandmaster clock and redistributes timing information to downstream devices in the wireless network.
[0037] The term “combo small cell” refers to a combination of multiple communication technologies, such as 5G and Wi-Fi, into a single device, providing coverage and connectivity for mobile devices using different wireless standards.
[0038] A “PTP-aware node” refers to a network device capable of recognizing and processing PTP packets, and participates in PTP timing synchronization.
[0039] A “non-PTP-aware node” refers to a network device that des not recognize, interpret, process, or modify the PTP packets. The non-PTP-aware node treats PTP packets as normal data traffic.
[0040] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, discussed below, and the one or more embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.
[0041] In telecom systems, the PTP is used to transport synchronization signals over a packet-based network. The PTP provides an efficient way to synchronize time on network nodes. In particular, the PTP provides accurate distribution of time and frequency over the packet-based network. A PTP synchronization system utilizes the PTP to transport the synchronization signals over the packet-based network. The PTP synchronization system may comprise PTP-aware nodes and non-PTP-aware nodes.
[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary architecture of a PTP synchronization system 100 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to and designated as ‘system 100’) including the PTP-aware nodes and the non-PTP-aware nodes in a communication network.
[0043] In an exemplary embodiment, the communication network may include, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth. Each of the one or more networks may include, by way of example but not limitation, one or more of a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet- switched network, a circuit-switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or a combination thereof.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the PTP synchronization system 100 includes a master-slave architecture of the PTP including a Grandmaster (GM) PTP clock 104 (hereinafter also referred to as “master node 104”), a Telecom Transparent Clock (T-TC) 106 communicatively connected to a Telecom Boundary clock (T-BC) 130-1 and a T-BC 130-2 communicatively connected to a backhaul network 140, an Indoor Small Cell (IDSC) 110 such as 5th Generation (5G) IDSC via a Wi-Fi board 120, and a front haul network 150.
[0045] The GM PTP clock 104 is a reference clock for other nodes in the communication network, which adapt their clocks to the master, and may be configured to receive time information from a primary reference source i.e., Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver 102, typically a GPS satellite signal, and distributes time to slave nodes such as, but are not limited to, one or more T-BCs 130-1 and 130-2 (collectively referred to as “T-BC 130”), one or more T-TCs 106, the Wi-Fi board 120, the IDSC node 110, and the like. The GM PTP clock 104 may be located at a core network.
[0046] The T-TC 106 refers to a transparent clock that timestamps a synchronization packet message and sends or forward to the timestamped synchronization packet message to a secondary device. The T-TC 106 may enable the secondary device to calculate a latency associated with transfer and reception of the synchronization packet message. Further, the transparent clock refers to a mechanism to provide accurate distribution of the PTP packets across multi-port network components such as bridges, routers, and repeaters. The transparent clock may not act as a master or slave, but instead may forward PTP event messages and provides corrections for residence time across the bridges. In other words, the transparent clock may include a PTP clock to accurately synchronize network devices across the communication network.
[0047] The T-BC 130 refers to a boundary clock that has multiple network connections. The T-BC 130 works as slave upstream and as master downstream and bridges synchronization from one segment to another. The T-BC 130 may be configured to read and write time stamps. In other words, the T-BC 130 can act both as a slave and master clock. The T-BC 130 is configured to receive the synchronization signal from the GM PTP clock 104 and adjust a delay based on the synchronization signal received from the GM PTP clock 104. The T-BC 130 may also be configured to generate a new master synchronization signal to pass downstream to a next device in the communication network.
[0048] The backhaul network 140 may include interface(s), hardware circuitry, logic, and/or code(s), that when operate co-operatively, provide operation(s) for interconnecting an edge network with core network. In a hierarchical network, the backhaul network 140 comprises an intermediate link between the core network (backbone network) and the small subnetworks at the edge of the entire hierarchical network. The backhaul network 140 may be configured to carry packets/data to and from the core network. For example, in a telecommunications network, cell phones communicating with a cell tower constitute a local subnetwork. The connection between the cell tower and other components of the communication network begins with a backhaul links to the core of the Internet service provider network. The backhaul network 140 may be used to describe the entire wired part of the communication network, although some networks have wireless instead of wired backhaul, in whole or in part, for example using microwave bands, mesh networks and edge network topologies. The backhaul network 140 may use high-capacity wireless channels to get packets to fiber links. In particular, the backhaul network 140 may correspond to a portion of a cellular network that performs control and management functions for the cellular network.
[0049] The Wi-Fi board 120 may be a network interface device configured with Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) interfaces. The Wi-Fi board 120 is configured to operate in a bridge mode to connect the WLAN and WAN networks seamlessly, and relay a traffic between the backhaul network 140 and the IDSC node 110. In particular, the Wi-Fi board 120 operates in the bridge mode as a Layer 2 device that forwards packets transparently without modifying them. Further, the Wi-Fi board 120 is a non-PTP-aware node and possibly cannot interpret PTP packets, and may drop the PTP packets. The bridge mode may allow the PTP packets to pass through the Wi-Fi board 120 without processing or modifying them, in order to maintain a synchronization integrity. The Wi-Fi board 120 may further provide wireless connectivity for devices within the WLAN while providing access to the WAN for internet connectivity.
[0050] The IDSC node 110 may be a low-power cellular access point designed to improve wireless network coverage and capacity within indoor environments such as, but not limited to, buildings, offices, malls, stadiums, and airports. These small cells enhance network performance by offloading traffic from macro cell towers, reducing congestion, and providing better connectivity in high-density areas. The IDSC node 110 are specifically designed for indoor environments where traditional macro cells struggle to penetrate. The IDSC node 110 may be connected to a fronthaul network 150.
[0051] The fronthaul network 150 may include, but not limited to, one or more Remote Radio Head (RRH) devices for transmitting and receiving data of a wireless terminal, a Radio Access Network (RAN) for transmitting and receiving data of the wireless terminal to allocate MAC addresses, one or more Optical Line Terminals (OLTs), a mobile communication core network, and fronthaul devices connected to the mobile communication core network.
[0052] Although FIG. 1 illustrates one example of the PTP synchronization system 100, various changes may be made to FIG. 1. For example, the system may include any number of T-BC or T-TC and may also include additional components such as bridge nodes, gateways, switches, etc. in addition to the components shown in FIG. 1. Further, various components in FIG. 1 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted and additional components may be added according to particular needs.
[0053] FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary components of a system 200 for managing the flow of PTP packets in the communication network, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of the system 200 shown in FIG. 2 is for illustration only. Other embodiments of the system 200 may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 2, the system 200 includes the IDSC node 110 (hereinafter also referred to as “5G IDSC node 110”), the Wi-Fi board 120, the T-BC 130 (hereinafter also referred to as “boundary clock router 130” or “T-BC router 130”), and the backhaul network 140.
[0055] In one or more aspects, the IDSC node 110 and the Wi-Fi board 120 together forms the combo small cell to enable management of transmission of the PTP packets and data traffic flow within the communication network. The Wi-Fi board 120, operating in the bridge mode, serves as a transparent relay between the backhaul network 140 and the IDSC node 110, but does not natively process the PTP packets. Instead, the Wi-Fi board 120 forwards the PTP packets from the backhaul network 140 to the IDSC node 110 without modifying the PTP packets. The T-BC router 130 manages the PTP packet flow between the backhaul network 140 and the IDSC node 110 and facilitates communication between the Wi-Fi board 120 and the IDSC node 110.
[0056] In one or more embodiments, the T-BC router 130 functions as the boundary clock and synchronizes time information between the backhaul network 140 and the downstream network elements. In particular, the T-BC router 130 may receive the PTP packets from a Primary Reference Time Sources (PRTS) within the backhaul network 140 and may forward the received PTP packets towards the IDSC node 110 via the Wi-Fi board 120 to ensure uninterrupted synchronization. The PRTS refers to a source of Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) that serves as a primary source of accurate and stable time information, enabling synchronization the clock signals among the one or more components of the system 100 in order to maintain precise timekeeping.
[0057] The T-BC router 130 is configured to receive PTP clock synchronization packets (hereinafter referred to as “PTP packets”) from upstream sources within the communication network, such as grandmaster clocks or the PRTS within the backhaul network 140. Each of the PTP packets includes clock synchronization data required for maintaining time accuracy across multiple network devices in the communication network, such as the IDSC node 110, the Wi-Fi board 120, and other timing dependent network elements in the communication network. The clock synchronization data may include, but not limited to, information associated with parameters such as a clock accuracy, a clock class, a clock offset, a clock source identity, synchronization messages, and information about the GM PTP clock 104.
[0058] In an embodiment, the T-BC router 130 is configured to forward the received PTP packets towards downstream devices, including the IDSC node 110, via the Wi-Fi board 120. The T-BC router 130 may be connected to the Wi-Fi board 120 via a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (2.5GbE or 2.5G Ethernet) interface. The 2.5G Ethernet interface corresponds to a communication interface that provides data transfer rates of up to 2.5 gigabits per second (Gbps). To enable forwarding of the received PTP packets to the IDSC node 110 via the Wi-Fi board 120, the T-BC router 130 configures a “forwardable multicast MAC address 01-1B-19-00-00-00" at both the combo cell (i.e., the combination of the IDSC node 110 and the Wi-Fi board 120) and at the T-BC router 130. The forwardable multicast MAC address is configured at the combo cell using a Command Line Interface (CLI) of the IDSC node 110 and the Wi-Fi board 120. The configuration of the forwardable multicast MAC address at each of the combo cell and T-BC router 130 ensures a correct flow of the PTP packets, allowing the PTP packets to traverse through Wi-Fi board 120 seamlessly. With the multicast MAC address “01-1B-19-00-00-00” in place, the PTP packets can be easily understood by the Wi-Fi board 120 and thus the PTP packets can delivered to the IDSC node 110 via the Wi-Fi board 120 without interruption.
[0059] Although FIG. 2 illustrates one example of the system 200, various changes may be made to FIG. 2. For example, the system may include any number of T-BC routers and may also include additional components such as bridge nodes, gateways, switches, etc. in addition to the components shown in FIG. 2. Further, various components in FIG. 2 may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted and additional components may be added according to particular needs.
[0060] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram 300 depicting exemplary components of the T-BC router 130 for provisioning flow of PTP traffic through the PTP un-aware nodes (i.e., the Wi-Fi board 120) in the communication network, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0061] The T-BC router 130 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to and designated as “the system 130”) may include one or more processors 302 coupled with a memory 304. The memory 304 may store instructions which when executed by the one or more processors 302 may cause system 130 to perform functionalities related to management of the flow of the PTP traffic through the PTP un-aware nodes such as the Wi-Fi board 120. The one or more processor(s) 302 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, edge or fog microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that process data based on operational instructions.
[0062] The memory 304 may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The memory 304 may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as RAM, or non-volatile memory such as EPROM, flash memory, and the like.
[0063] In an embodiment, the system 130 may include a plurality of interfaces 306 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as ‘interfaces 306’). The interfaces 306 may comprise a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices, referred to as I/O devices, storage devices, and the like. The interfaces 306 may facilitate communication of the system 130 with a plurality of platforms such as a controller hub and an FPGA or an ASIC comprising of (System on Chip) SoC components associated with the functioning of the T-BC router 130. The interfaces 306 may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the T-BC router 130. Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, processing unit/engine(s) 310 and a database 324.
[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, the system 130 may be assembled in a single board (interchangeably referred to as LAN on Motherboard (LOM)) having a predefined number of layers. The predefined number of layers ensure that the system 130 is not bulky and heavy. In an example, the system 130 may include one or more network connections directly connected to the LOM. Instead of requiring a separate network interface card to access a local-area network, such as Ethernet, the circuits may be attached to the single board.
[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the system 130 further includes processing unit(s)/engine(s) 310 which may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing unit(s) 310. In the examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing unit(s) 310 may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing unit 310(s) may comprise a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing unit(s) 310. In accordance with such examples, the system 130 may include the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the processing resource. In other examples, the processing units(s) 310 may be implemented by electronic circuitry.
[0066] The processing unit(s) 310 includes one or more unit(s)/engines selected from any of a management controller 312, a network controller 314 (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as “Ethernet controller 314”), a clock synchronization module 316, a receiving unit 318, a configuration unit 320, and other module(s) 322. In a non-limiting example, the processing unit(s) 310 may be a core processing engine.
[0067] The management controller 312 may be configured to support communications over any suitable wired or wireless connection(s) and manage communications with the backhaul network 140 via one or more wired backhaul links and with the combo cell. For example, the management controller 312 may manage the transfer of the PTP packets between the backhaul network 140 and the combo cell.
[0068] The network controller 314 may be configured to enable the system 300 to communicate with various entities in the communication network (such as backhaul network 140, the combo cell (IDSC node 110 and the Wi-Fi board 120), the T-TC 106, and in some scenarios other switches, bridges, or gateways). Examples of the network controller 314 may include, but are not limited to, a network interface such as an Ethernet card, a communication port, and/or, and a local buffer circuit.
[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, the clock synchronization module 316 may support Boundary clock (BC) with synchronization blocks, such as but not limited to, one or more PTP engines. For example, the BC implements a local PTP clock which can be synchronized to a master on one port and act as a master on other ports. Since the BC is a full PTP clock implementation, both the time and frequency may be simultaneously updated to the local PTP clocks on a MAC layer.
[0070] The database 324 may be configured to store the clock synchronization data, and may correspond, but not limited to, a time-series database, a relational database, or a network file system capable of storing clock synchronization information related to the clock accuracy, the clock offset, the clock source identity, the synchronization messages, and the GM PTP clock 104.
[0071] The other modules 322 may include software modules or software using which the system 300 may be accessed through communication networks such as the Internet, Intranet, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide LAN (WLAN), and Storage Area Network (SAN) or a combination thereof. The system 300 may be accessed using the software modules via an external port.
[0072] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method 400 for managing the flow of PTP packets through the PTP un-aware nodes (i.e., the Wi-Fi board 120) in the communication network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 400 comprises a series of operation steps indicated by blocks 402 through 408. The method 400 starts at block 402. Example blocks 402 to 412 of the method 400 are performed by one or more components of the systems 200 and 130 as disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3, for managing the flow of PTP packets through the PTP un-aware nodes. Although the method 400 shows the example blocks of operation steps 402 to 412, in some embodiments, the method 400 may include additional steps, fewer steps or steps in different order than those depicted in FIG. 4. In other embodiments, the steps 402 through 412 may be combined or may be performed in parallel.
[0073] At block 402, the T-BC router 130 receives, using the receiving unit 318, the PTP packets from the backhaul network 140.
[0074] At block 404, the T-BC router 130, using the configuration module 320, configures the forwardable multicast MAC address at the combo cell (i.e., the Wi-Fi board 120 and the IDSC node 110) and the T-BC router 130.
[0075] At block 406, the T-BC router 130, using the management controller 312, establishes the PTP session between the T-BC router 130 and the combo cell based on the forwardable multicast MAC address configured at the combo cell.
[0076] At block 408, the T-BC router 130, using the management controller 312, assigns a priority level for each of the PTP packets based on one or more network traffic classification parameters. For assigning the priority level to each PTP packet, the management controller 312 may tag each PTP packet with a Priority Code Point (PCP) value to ensure low latency and minimal jitter during transmission. Accordingly, the boundary clock router (T-BC) can classify the PTP packets based on the tagged PCP values and prioritize the transmission of the PTP packets in order of the assigned priority level. The PCP is commonly used in networking and Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms to prioritize network traffic across the communication network. In the above context, the PCP value may be a field present in a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag of an Ethernet frame. In an embodiment, the management controller 312 may dynamically adjust priority levels by evaluating real-time network performance metric associated with transmission delay, jitter, or congestion conditions.
[0077] At block 410, the T-BC router 130, using the management controller 312, schedules the transmission of the received PTP packets to the IDSC node 110 via the Wi-Fi board based on the assigned priority level.
[0078] At block 412, the T-BC router 130, using the network controller 314, transmits the PTP packets received from the backhaul network 140 to the combo cell using the established PTP session in accordance with the scheduled transmission. In particular, the T-BC router 130 transmits the received PTP packets to the Wi-Fi board 120 and the Wi-Fi board 120 forwards the PTP packets received from the T-BC router 130 to the IDSC node 110. The transmission is performed in order of the assigned priority level of the PTP packets.
[0079] One or more embodiments disclosed herein may provide one or more technical advantages and other advantages. The embodiments disclosed herein provide an efficient mechanism for transmission of the PTP packets including the timing information (clock information) to the IDSC node 110 via the PTP unaware node, such as the Wi-Fi board 120. This mechanism involves the configuration of the multicast forwardable MAC address which ensures that the PTP packets pass through the Wi-Fi board 120 (which operates in the bridge mode but is PTP-unaware) without being dropped.
[0080] In particular, the one or more embodiments disclosed herein facilitates delivery of a PTP clock to the IDSC node 110 while leveraging the benefits of the Wi-Fi board 120 by turning the Wi-Fi board 120 and the IDSC node into the combo small cell.
[0081] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methodology described herein in the present disclosure may be applied to a standard technology when implemented along with Quality of Service (QoS). The QoS ensures that the PTP packets are treated with highest priority to warrant delivery of accurate PTP clock information. This helps in maintaining an accuracy of the PTP clock and minimizing time-drift by an addition of interface rate Type-Length-Values (TLVs) in Precision Time Protocol for Linux (PTP4L) of nodes, tuning a packet filtering capability of the PTP4L, and compensating for any asymmetry in the PTP4L if required.
[0082] Further, embodiments of the present technology may be described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the technology, and/or procedures, algorithms, steps, operations, formulae, or other computational depictions, which may also be implemented as computer program products. In this regard, each block or step of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks (and/or steps) in the flowchart, as well as any procedure, algorithm, step, operation, formula, or computational depiction can be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, and/or software including one or more computer program instructions embodied in computer-readable program code. As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be executed by one or more computer processors, including without limitation a general-purpose computer or special purpose computer, or other programmable processing apparatus to perform a group of operations comprising the operations or blocks described in connection with the disclosed methods.
[0083] Furthermore, these computer program instructions, such as embodied in computer-readable program code, may also be stored in one or more computer-readable memory or memory devices (for example, the memory 304) that can direct a computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory or memory devices produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the block(s) of the flowchart(s).
[0084] It will further be appreciated that the term “computer program instructions” as used herein refer to one or more instructions that can be executed by the one or more processors (for example, the processor 302) to perform one or more functions as described herein. The instructions may also be stored remotely such as on a server, or all or a portion of the instructions can be stored locally and remotely.
[0085] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methodology described herein in the present disclosure may be carried out in other specific ways than those set forth herein in the above disclosed embodiments without departing from essential characteristics and features of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive.
[0086] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Any combination of the above features and functionalities may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
[0087] In the present disclosure, each of the embodiments has been described with reference to numerous specific details which may vary from embodiment to embodiment. The foregoing description of the specific embodiments disclosed herein may reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be comprehended within the meaning of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and is not limited in scope.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0001] The following list is provided for convenience and in support of the drawing figures and as part of the text of the specification, which describe innovations by reference to multiple items. Items not listed here may nonetheless be part of a given embodiment. For better legibility of the text, a given reference number is recited near some, but not all, recitations of the referenced item in the text. The same reference number may be used with reference to different examples or different instances of a given item. The list of reference numerals is:
100 - PTP synchronization system
102 - GPS receiver
104 - GM PTP clock
106 - Telecom Transparent Clock (T-TC)
110 - Indoor Small Cell (IDSC) node
120 - Wi-Fi board
130-1 and 130-2 - Telecom Boundary clocks (T-BCs)
140 - Backhaul network
150 - Front haul network
200 – system for managing flow of PTP packets in communication network
300 - Block diagram depicting exemplary components of the T-BC router
302 – Processor
304 - Memory
306 - Interface(s)
310 - Processing unit(s)/engine(s)
312 - Management controller
314 - Network controller
316 - Clock synchronization module
318 - Receiving unit
320 – Configuration unit
322 - Other units/modules
324 - Database
400 - Method for method for managing the flow of PTP packets through the PTP un-aware nodes (i.e., the Wi-Fi board 120)
402-412 - Operation steps of the method 400
,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A method (400) for managing transmission of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) packets in a communication network, the method (400) comprising:
receiving (402), at a boundary clock router (130), the PTP packets from a backhaul network (140);
configuring (404), by the boundary clock router (130), a forwardable multicast Media Access Control (MAC) address at a combo cell (120, 110) and the boundary clock router (130);
establishing (406), by the boundary clock router (130), a PTP session between the boundary clock router (130) and the combo cell based on the forwardable multicast MAC address configured at the combo cell (120, 110); and
transmitting (412), by the boundary clock router (130), the received PTP packets to the combo cell (120, 110) using the established PTP session.

2. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the combo cell (120, 110) includes an Indoor Small Cell (IDSC) node (110) and a Wi-Fi board (120).

3. The method (400) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the Wi-Fi board (120) is configured in a bridge mode.

4. The method (400) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the forwardable multicast MAC address is configured at each of the IDSC node (110) and the Wi-Fi board (120).

5. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the forwardable multicast MAC address is 01-1B-19-00-00-00.

6. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the PTP packets includes clock synchronization data related to a synchronization of time across a plurality of network devices in the communication network.

7. The method (400) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clock synchronization data includes information associated with at least one of a clock accuracy, a clock offset, a clock class, a clock source identity, synchronization messages, and information related to a grandmaster clock.

8. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
assigning (408), by the boundary clock router (130), a priority level for the PTP packets based on one or more network traffic classification parameters; and
scheduling (410), by the boundary clock router (130), the transmission of the received PTP packets to the combo cell (110, 120) based on the assigned priority level.

9. A system (200) for managing transmission of Precision Time Protocol (PTP) packets in a communication network, the system comprising:
a combo cell (110, 120); and
a boundary clock router (130) communicatively coupled with the combo cell and a backhaul network (140), wherein the boundary clock router (130) comprises:
a receiving unit (318) configured to receive the PTP packets from the backhaul network (140);
a configuration unit (320) configured to configure a forwardable multicast Media Access Control (MAC) address at the combo cell (110, 120) and the boundary clock router (130);
a management controller (312) configured to establish a PTP session between the boundary clock router (130) and the combo cell (110, 120) based on the forwardable multicast MAC address configured at the combo cell (110, 120); and
a network controller (314) configured to transmit, using the established PTP session, the PTP packets received from the backhaul network (140) to the combo cell (110, 120).

10. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the combo cell (110, 120) includes an Indoor Small Cell (IDSC) node (110) and a Wi-Fi board (120).

11. The system (200) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi board (120) is configured in a bridge mode.

12. The system (200) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the forwardable multicast MAC address is configured at each of the IDSC node and the Wi-Fi board.

13. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the forwardable multicast MAC address is 01-1B-19-00-00-00.

14. The system (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the PTP packets includes clock synchronization data related to a synchronization of time across a plurality of network devices in the communication network.

15. The system (200) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the clock synchronization data includes information associated with at least one of a clock accuracy, a clock offset, a clock class, a clock source identity, synchronization messages, and information related to a grandmaster clock.

16. The system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the management controller (312) is further configured to:
assign a priority level for the PTP packets based on one or more network traffic classification parameters; and
schedule the transmission of the received PTP packets to the combo cell (110, 120) based on the assigned priority level.