# US 11,121,978 B2 · Time sensitive network (TSN) scheduler with verification > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,121,978 B2 - Document ID: US11121978B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/826,864 - Filed: 2020-03-23 - Published: 2020-07-16 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-12 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Stephen Francis Bush - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11121978B2 ## CPC - H04L 47/28: in relation to timing considerations - H04L 47/125: by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering - H04L 47/27: Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract According to some embodiments, system and methods are provided, comprising receiving, at a verification module, a schedule for transmission of one or more data frames to one or more destination nodes via a Time Sensitive Network (TSN); receiving, at the verification module, a destination for each data frame; receiving, at the verification module, a maximum tolerable latency for each data frame; determining, via the verification module, the received schedule is correct; transmitting one or more data frames according to the schedule; accessing, via the verification module, the one or more destination nodes; verifying, via the verification module, the one or more data frames were transmitted to the one or more destination nodes within a maximum tolerable latency, based on accessing the one or more destination nodes; and controlling one or more operations of an installed product based on the transmitted one or more data frames. Numerous other aspects are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, at a verification module, a schedule for transmission of one or more data frames to one or more destination nodes via a Time Sensitive Network (TSN); transmitting one or more data frames according to the schedule, the one or more data frames configured to cause control of one or more operations of an installed product based on the transmitted one or more data frames; accessing, via the verification module, the one or more destination nodes; and verifying, via the verification module, the one or more data frames were transmitted to the one or more destination nodes within a maximum tolerable latency, based on accessing the one or more destination nodes, wherein verification further comprises: determining whether each data frame arrived at the destination node; and for each data frame that does not arrive at the destination node, determining if a departure time of the data frame is the same as a scheduled departure time of the data frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: for each data frame that arrives at the destination node, determining if an arrival time of the data frame is within a specified time window. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: for each data frame that arrives at the destination node, determining if an arrival time of the data frame is equal to an expected arrival time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: for each data frame that does not arrive at the destination node, determining an inferred path for the data frame through the TSN. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: analyzing at least one point from the inferred path to determine a likelihood an error occurred at this point. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the TSN is a deterministic Ethernet network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the schedule further comprises: a transmission time for one or more unscheduled data frames in relation to transmission time for one or more scheduled data frames. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission time for each data frame avoids contention with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the installed product is one of a vehicle, one or more medical devices, and a power-generating facility. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operations of the installed product are controlled by a networked control system. ### Claim 11 A system comprising: an installed product, including a plurality of components; a computer programmed with a verification module for the installed product, the verification module for verifying a schedule to control operations of the installed product; the computer including a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing the verification module and additional program instructions, wherein the processor is operative with the verification module and additional program instructions to perform functions as follows: receive a schedule for transmission of one or more data frames to one or more destination nodes via a Time Sensitive Network (TSN); transmit one or more data frames according to the schedule, the one or more data frames configured to cause control of one or more operations of the installed product based on the transmitted one or more data frames; access the one or more destination nodes; and verify the one or more data frames were transmitted to the one or more destination nodes within a maximum tolerable latency, based on accessing the one or more destination nodes, wherein verification further comprises instructions to: determine whether each data frame arrived at the destination node; and for each data frame that does not arrive at the destination node, determine if a departure time of the data frame is the same as a scheduled departure time of the data frame. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the verification module determines if an arrival time of the data frame is within a specified time window, for each data frame that arrives at the destination node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the verification module determines if an arrival time of the data frame is equal to an expected arrival time, for each data frame that arrives at the destination node. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the verification module determines an inferred path for the data frame through the TSN, for each data frame that does not arrive at the destination node. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the verification module analyzes at least one point from the inferred path to determine a likelihood an error occurred at this point. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the TSN is an Ethernet network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the schedule further comprises: a transmission time for one or more unscheduled data frames in relation to transmission time for one or more scheduled data frames. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the transmission time for each data frame avoids contention with each other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the installed product is one of a vehicle, one or more medical devices, and a power-generating facility. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to perform a method comprising: receiving, at a verification module, a schedule for transmission of one or more data frames to one or more destination nodes via a Time Sensitive Network (TSN); transmitting one or more data frames according to the schedule, the one or more data frames configured to cause control of one or more operations of an installed product based on the transmitted one or more data frames; accessing, via the verification module, the one or more destination nodes; and verifying, via the verification module, the one or more data frames were transmitted to the one or more destination nodes within a maximum tolerable latency, based on accessing the one or more destination nodes, wherein verification further comprises: determining whether each data frame arrived at the destination node; and for each data frame that does not arrive at the destination node, determining if a departure time of the data frame is the same as a scheduled departure time of the data frame. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The medium of claim 20, wherein the verification module determines if an arrival time of the data frame is within a specified time window, for each data frame that arrives at the destination node. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The medium of claim 20, wherein the verification module determines an inferred path for the data frame through the TSN, for each data frame that does not arrive at the destination node. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The medium of claim 22, wherein the verification module analyzes at least one point from the inferred path to determine a likelihood an error occurred at this point.