US 11,115,124 B1Granted

Adaptive scheduling for periodic data traffic in an optical communications network for a wireless communications system (WCS)

AssigneeCorning Research & Development Corporation

InventorBaruh Hason

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Abstract

Adaptive scheduling for periodic data traffic in an optical communications network for a wireless communications system (WCS) is disclosed. Herein, an optical line terminator (OLT) in an optical communications network is configured to dynamically adjust a scheduled start time(s) of a scheduled period(s) in a periodic schedule to help reduce a schedule misalignment to below a predefined threshold. More specifically, the OLT is configured to determine the schedule misalignment. Accordingly, the OLT can adjust the respective scheduled start time(s) of the scheduled period(s) based on a temporal step determined based on the determined schedule misalignment to reduce the schedule misalignment to below the predefined threshold. By adapting the periodic schedule based on the determined schedule misalignment, it is possible to reduce scheduling delays for communicating the periodic data traffic, thus making it possible for the optical communications network to support a time-critical application for improved user experience.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An optical communications network, comprising:

a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) each configured to communicate periodic data traffic in a plurality of scheduled periods, each of the plurality of scheduled periods beginning at a scheduled start time that is different among the plurality of scheduled periods and lasting for a scheduled duration that is identical among the plurality of scheduled periods;
and
an optical line terminator (OLT) comprising:
a control circuit configured to:
determine that a schedule misalignment exists in a selected scheduled period among the plurality of scheduled periods associated with any of the plurality of ONUs;
determine a temporal step based on the determined schedule misalignment;
and
adjust the scheduled start time of one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period based on the temporal step to reduce the schedule misalignment to below a predefined threshold;
and
an OLT interface coupled to the plurality of ONUs and configured to provide the adjusted scheduled start time to the any of the plurality of ONUs, wherein:
the OLT interface is further configured to receive an indication indicating the schedule misalignment from the any of the plurality of ONUs;
and
the control circuit is further configured to:
determine the temporal step to be equal to the schedule misalignment;
and
bring forward the scheduled start time of each of the one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period by the temporal step,
wherein the any of the plurality of ONUs comprises:
a data buffer configured to queue the periodic data traffic;
a processing circuit configured to:
enqueue a selected data packet in the periodic data traffic in the data buffer at a time before the scheduled start time of the selected scheduled period;
and
determine the schedule misalignment that equals the time the selected data packet is enqueued in the data buffer minus the scheduled start time of the selected scheduled period;
and
an ONU interface coupled to the OLT interface and configured to provide the indication comprising the determined schedule misalignment to the OLT.

21 more elements

An optical communications network, comprising:

a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) each configured to communicate periodic data traffic in a plurality of scheduled periods, each of the plurality of scheduled periods beginning at a scheduled start time that is different among the plurality of scheduled periods and lasting for a scheduled duration that is identical among the plurality of scheduled periods;
and
an optical line terminator (OLT) comprising:
a control circuit configured to:
determine that a schedule misalignment exists in a selected scheduled period among the plurality of scheduled periods associated with any of the plurality of ONUs;
determine a temporal step based on the determined schedule misalignment;
adjust the scheduled start time of one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period based on the temporal step to reduce the schedule misalignment to below a predefined threshold;
and
an OLT interface coupled to the plurality of ONUs and configured to provide the adjusted scheduled start time to the any of the plurality of ONUs,
wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
estimate the schedule misalignment without receiving an indication from the ONU, wherein the estimated schedule misalignment is less than the scheduled duration of the plurality of scheduled periods associated with the ONU;
determine the temporal step to be equal to the estimated schedule misalignment;
and
adjust the scheduled start time of each of the one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period to equal an end time of an immediately preceding scheduled period plus the scheduled duration and minus the temporal step.

11 more elements

A method for supporting adaptive scheduling for periodic data traffic in an optical communications network for a wireless communications system (WCS), comprising:

communicating the periodic data traffic in a plurality of scheduled periods, each of the plurality of scheduled periods beginning at a scheduled start time that is different among the plurality of scheduled periods and lasting for a scheduled duration that is identical among the plurality of scheduled periods;
determining that a schedule misalignment exists in a selected scheduled period among the plurality of scheduled periods;
determining a temporal step based on the determined schedule misalignment;
adjusting the scheduled start time of one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period based on the temporal step to reduce the schedule misalignment to below a predefined threshold;
estimating the schedule misalignment without receiving an indication, wherein the estimated schedule misalignment is less than the scheduled duration of the plurality of scheduled periods associated with the ONU;
determining the temporal step to be equal to the estimated schedule misalignment;
and
adjusting the scheduled start time of each of the one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period to equal an end time of an immediately preceding scheduled period plus the scheduled duration and minus the temporal step.

5 more elements

A wireless communications system (WCS) comprising:

an optical communications network, comprising:
a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) each configured to communicate periodic data traffic in a plurality of scheduled periods, each of the plurality of scheduled periods beginning at a scheduled start time that is different among the plurality of scheduled periods and lasting for a scheduled duration that is identical among the plurality of scheduled periods;
and
an optical line terminator (OLT) comprising:
a control circuit configured to:
determine that a schedule misalignment exists in a selected scheduled period among the plurality of scheduled periods associated with any of the plurality of ONUs;
determine a temporal step based on the determined schedule misalignment;
and
adjust the scheduled start time of one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period based on the temporal step to reduce the schedule misalignment to below a predefined threshold;
and
an OLT interface coupled to the plurality of ONUs and configured to provide the adjusted scheduled start time to the any of the plurality of ONUs, wherein
the OLT interface is further configured to receive an indication indicating the schedule misalignment from the any of the plurality of ONUs;
and
the control circuit is further configured to:
determine the temporal step to be equal to the schedule misalignment;
and
bring forward the scheduled start time of each of the one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period by the temporal step,
wherein any of the plurality of ONUs comprises:
a data buffer configured to queue the periodic data traffic;
a processing circuit configured to:
enqueue a selected data packet in the periodic data traffic in the data buffer at a time before the scheduled start time of the selected scheduled period;
and
determine the schedule misalignment that equals the time the selected data packet is enqueued in the data buffer minus the scheduled start time of the selected scheduled period;
and
an ONU interface coupled to the OLT interface and configured to provide the indication comprising the determined schedule misalignment to the OLT.

22 more elements

A wireless communications system (WCS) comprising:

an optical communications network, comprising:
a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) each configured to communicate periodic data traffic in a plurality of scheduled periods, each of the plurality of scheduled periods beginning at a scheduled start time that is different among the plurality of scheduled periods and lasting for a scheduled duration that is identical among the plurality of scheduled periods;
and
an optical line terminator (OLT) comprising:
a control circuit configured to:
determine that a schedule misalignment exists in a selected scheduled period among the plurality of scheduled periods associated with any of the plurality of ONUs;
determine a temporal step based on the determined schedule misalignment;
and
adjust the scheduled start time of one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period based on the temporal step to reduce the schedule misalignment to below a predefined threshold;
an OLT interface coupled to the plurality of ONUs and configured to provide the adjusted scheduled start time to the any of the plurality of ONUs,
wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
estimate the schedule misalignment without receiving an indication from the ONU, wherein the estimated schedule misalignment is less than the scheduled duration of the plurality of scheduled periods associated with the ONU;
determine the temporal step to be equal to the estimated schedule misalignment;
and
adjust the scheduled start time of each of the one or more of the plurality of scheduled periods succeeding the selected scheduled period to equal an end time of an immediately preceding scheduled period plus the scheduled duration and minus the temporal step.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.