Application buffering of packets by fog computing node for deterministic network transport

An apparatus comprising:

• a device interface circuit configured for receiving, via a non-deterministic data network, a plurality of data packets originated by a source device;
• and
• a processor circuit configured for storing, via one of the device interface circuit or a second interface circuit, the data packets into a mass storage medium associated with the apparatus;
• the device interface circuit configured for receiving a data request originated by a gateway device providing a deterministic link for deterministic reachability to a deterministic device in a deterministic data network providing reachability to multiple deterministic devices, the data request specifying one or more deterministic constraints associated with reaching the deterministic device, the one or more deterministic constraints requiring one of a deterministic schedule or an allocation of transmission credits, relative to one or more of a prescribed limited jitter, a prescribed limited latency, or a prescribed transmission burst size;
• the processor circuit configured for supplying, via the device interface circuit, a selected one of the data packets to the gateway device via the non-deterministic data network before an identified transmission instance of the selected one data packet by the gateway device, for the delivery of data stored therein to the deterministic device according to the one or more deterministic constraints;
• the processor circuit further configured for determining a pre-fetch interval for the gateway device to send the data request before the identified transmission instance that requires the gateway device to transmit the selected one data packet according to the one or more deterministic constraints,
• wherein the processor circuit is configured for determining the pre-fetch interval based on determining:
• a receiving network latency of transmission of the data request from the gateway device to the apparatus,
• a local retrieval latency for the apparatus retrieving the selected one data packet,
• a transferring network latency for supplying the selected one data packet to the gateway device via the non-deterministic data network, and
• a transmit queuing latency from the gateway device receiving and deterministically transmitting the data stored therein;
• and
• the processor circuit further configured for sending, to one of the gateway device or a manager of the gateway device, the pre-fetch interval for initiation of the data request by the gateway device, ensuring the gateway device receives the selected one data packet before transmission thereof at the identified transmission instance.

One or more non-transitory tangible media encoded with logic for execution by a machine and when executed by the machine operable for:

• storing, by the machine implemented as a computing device in a non-deterministic data network, a plurality of data packets originated by a source device into a mass storage medium associated with the computing device;
• receiving, by the computing device via the non-deterministic data network, a data request originated by a gateway device providing a deterministic link for deterministic reachability to a deterministic device in a deterministic data network providing reachability to multiple deterministic devices, the data request specifying one or more deterministic constraints associated with reaching the deterministic device, the one or more deterministic constraints requiring one of a deterministic schedule or an allocation of transmission credits, relative to one or more of a prescribed limited jitter, a prescribed limited latency, or a prescribed transmission burst size;
• supplying, by the computing device via the non-deterministic data network, a selected one of the data packets to the gateway device before an identified transmission instance of the selected one data packet by the gateway device, for delivery of data stored therein to the deterministic device via the deterministic data network according to the one or more deterministic constraints;
• determining a pre-fetch interval for the gateway device to send the data request before the identified transmission instance that requires the gateway device to transmit the selected one data packet according to the one or more deterministic constraints,
• wherein the determining, by the computing device, of the pre-fetch interval comprises determining, for the pre-fetch interval;
• a receiving network latency of transmission of the request from the gateway device to the computing device,
• a local retrieval latency for the computing device retrieving the selected one data packet,
• a transferring network latency for supplying the selected one data packet to the gateway device via the non-deterministic data network, and
• a transmit queuing latency from the gateway device receiving and deterministically transmitting the data stored therein;
• and
• sending, to one of the gateway device or a manager of the gateway device, the pre-fetch interval for initiation of the data request by the gateway device, ensuring the gateway device receives the selected one data packet before transmission thereof at the identified transmission instance.

A method comprising:

• identifying, by a gateway device, one or more deterministic constraints for transmitting a data packet originated by a source device and destined for a deterministic device via a deterministic data network;
• receiving;
• by the gateway device, a pre-fetch interval for the gateway device to send to a computing device a request for the data packet, receive the data packet, and initiate deterministic transmission of the data packet at a deterministic transmission instance,
• wherein the pre-fetch interval comprises:
• a receiving network latency of transmission of the request from the gateway device to the computing device,
• a local retrieval latency for the computing device retrieving the selected one data packet,
• a transferring network latency for supplying the selected one data packet to the gateway device via a non-deterministic data network, and
• a transmit queuing latency for the gateway device receiving and deterministically transmitting the data stored therein;
• sending, by the gateway device to the computing device providing mass storage for data originated by the source device and destined for the deterministic data network, the request to the computing device via the non-deterministic data network by at least the pre-fetch interval before the deterministic transmission instance, the request specifying one or more deterministic constraints associated with deterministic transmission of the data packet according to the deterministic transmission instance, the one or more deterministic constraints requiring one of a deterministic schedule or an allocation of transmission credits, relative to one or more of a prescribed limited jitter, a prescribed limited latency, or a prescribed transmission burst size;
• receiving, by the gateway device via the non-deterministic data network, the data packet before the deterministic transmission instance;
• and
• deterministically transmitting the data packet onto a deterministic link in the deterministic data network at the deterministic transmission instance, by the gateway device, in response to receipt thereof from the computing device.