# US 11,445,500 B2 · Time-sensitive networking in high density networks

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- Number: US 11,445,500 B2
- Document ID: US11445500B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/868,312
- Filed: 2020-05-06
- Published: 2021-11-11
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-05-06
- Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Akram I. Sheriff; Pascal Thubert; Jerome Henry; Robert E. Barton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445500B2

## CPC

- H04W 52/40: during macro-diversity or soft handoff
- H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
- H04L 1/0003: {by switching between different modulation schemes}
- H04L 12/189: {in combination with wireless systems (selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06)}
- H04W 52/34: TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
- H04W 72/27: between access points
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04W 88/08: Access point devices
- H04W 92/20: between access points
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Providing for time sensitive networking (TSN) traffic in high density deployments is described. An access point (AP) is a high density deployment receives a message identifying another AP as a TSN neighbor and also detects a TSN device within an area covered by the APs. This arrangement may cause traffic interruptions for the TSN traffic between the TSN device and the APs. In order to prevent disruption in TSN traffic, a TSN time slot and a resource unit (RU) is determined for each of the APs, and the TSN traffic is communicated between the various devices in network according to the determined TSN time slot and RU.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving, at a first access point (AP), a message identifying a second AP as a time-sensitive networking (TSN) neighbor;
detecting a TSN device within an area covered by the first AP and the second AP, wherein the TSN device is physically located between the first AP and the second AP;
determining a TSN time slot for the first AP and a resource unit (RU) for the first AP to transmit TSN traffic by:
receiving a RU intent message from the second AP, wherein the RU intent message comprises a validity window indicating a time slot when the second AP will not transmit TSN traffic and wherein the RU intent message comprises a RU utilized by the second AP;
determining the TSN time slot for the first AP based on the validity window; and
determining the RU for the first AP based on the RU intent message; and
transmitting the TSN traffic from the first AP to the TSN device according to the TSN time slot and the RU for the first AP.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, at a first time, a beacon frame from the second AP comprising time synchronization information;
determining, using the first time and the time synchronization information, a clock drift value between the first AP and the second AP; and
wherein determining the TSN time slot for the first AP further comprises:
determining the TSN time slot for the first AP based on the validity window and the clock drift value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
determining a constant offset value;
altering the TSN time slot for the first AP according to the constant offset value; and
transmitting a broadcast frame to the TSN device comprising an instruction to not transmit during a time according to the clock drift value and the constant offset value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving an indication that the first AP is a TSN lead for the first AP and the second AP; and
wherein determining the TSN time slot for the first AP and the resource unit (RU) for the first AP comprises:
allocating the TSN time slot and the RU for the first AP;
allocating a neighbor TSN time slot for the second AP and a neighbor RU for the second AP; and
providing the neighbor TSN time slot and the neighbor RU to the second AP.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a transmit power adjustment for the RU for the first AP; and
transmitting TSN traffic according to the TSN time slot and RU further comprises:
adjusting a transmit power for the RU according to the transmit power adjustment during the TSN time slot.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
classifying the TSN device as TSN capable;
determining a MCS rate for a plurality of TSN capable devices connected to the first AP; and
causing the TSN device to use the MCS rate for upload traffic to the first AP.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the TSN neighbor message is received from a network controller and wherein an identification of the TSN neighbor is based on a neighbor discovery method at the network controller.

### Claim 8

A system comprising:
one or more computer processors; and
a memory containing a program which when executed by the computer processors performs an operation comprising:
receiving, at a first access point (AP), a message identifying a second AP as a time-sensitive networking (TSN) neighbor;
detecting a TSN device within an area covered by the first AP and the second AP, wherein the TSN device is physically located between the first AP and the second AP;
determining a TSN time slot for the first AP and a resource unit (RU) for the first AP to transmit TSN traffic by
receiving a RU intent message from the second AP, wherein the RU intent message comprises a validity window indicating a time slot when the second AP will not transmit TSN traffic and wherein the RU intent message comprises a RU utilized by the second AP;
determining the TSN time slot for the first AP based on the validity window; and
determining the RU for the first AP based on the RU intent message; and
transmitting the TSN traffic from the first AP to the TSN device according to the TSN time slot and the RU for the first AP.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:
receiving, at a first time, a beacon frame from the second AP comprising time synchronization information;
determining, using the first time and the time synchronization information, a clock drift value between the first AP and the second AP; and
wherein determining the TSN time slot for the first AP further comprises:
determining the TSN time slot for the first AP based on the validity window and the clock drift value;
determining a constant offset value;
altering the TSN time slot for the first AP according to the constant offset value; and
transmitting a broadcast frame to the TSN device comprising an instruction to not transmit during a time according to the clock drift value and the constant offset value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:
receiving an indication that the first AP is a TSN lead for the first AP and the second AP; and
wherein determining the TSN time slot for the first AP and the resource unit (RU) for the first AP comprises:
allocating the TSN time slot and the RU for the first AP;
allocating a neighbor TSN time slot for the second AP and a neighbor RU for the second AP; and
providing the neighbor TSN time slot and the neighbor RU to the second AP.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:
determining a transmit power adjustment for the RU for the first AP; and
transmitting TSN traffic according to the TSN time slot and RU further comprises:
adjusting a transmit power for the RU according to the transmit power adjustment during the TSN time slot.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:
classifying the TSN device as TSN capable;
determining a MCS rate for a plurality of TSN capable devices connected to the first AP; and
causing the TSN device to use the MCS rate for upload traffic to the first AP.

### Claim 13

A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to perform an operation, the operation comprising:
receiving, at a first access point (AP), a message identifying a second AP as a time-sensitive networking (TSN) neighbor;
detecting a TSN device within an area covered by the first AP and the second AP, wherein the TSN device is physically located between the first AP and the second AP;
determining a TSN time slot for the first AP and a resource unit (RU) for the first AP to transmit TSN traffic by:
receiving a RU intent message from the second AP, wherein the RU intent message comprises a validity window indicating a time slot when the second AP will not transmit TSN traffic and wherein the RU intent message comprises a RU utilized by the second AP;
determining the TSN time slot for the first AP based on the validity window; and
determining the RU for the first AP based on the RU intent message; and
transmitting the TSN traffic from the first AP to the TSN device according to the TSN time slot and the RU for the first AP.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operation further comprises:
receiving, at a first time, a beacon frame from the second AP comprising time synchronization information;
determining, using the first time and the time synchronization information, a clock drift value between the first AP and the second AP; and
wherein determining the TSN time slot for the first AP further comprises:
determining the TSN time slot for the first AP based on the validity window and the clock drift value;
determining a constant offset value;
altering the TSN time slot for the first AP according to the constant offset value; and
transmitting a broadcast frame to the TSN device comprising an instruction to not transmit during a time according to the clock drift value and the constant offset value.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operation further comprises:
receiving an indication that the first AP is a TSN lead for the first AP and the second AP; and
wherein determining the TSN time slot for the first AP and the resource unit (RU) for the first AP comprises:
allocating the TSN time slot and the RU for the first AP;
allocating a neighbor TSN time slot for the second AP and a neighbor RU for the second AP; and
providing the neighbor TSN time slot and the neighbor RU to the second AP.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operation further comprises:
determining a transmit power adjustment for the RU for the first AP; and
transmitting TSN traffic according to the TSN time slot and RU further comprises:
adjusting a transmit power for the RU according to the transmit power adjustment during the TSN time slot.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the operation further comprises:
classifying the TSN device as TSN capable;
determining a MCS rate for a plurality of TSN capable devices connected to the first AP; and
causing the TSN device to use the MCS rate for upload traffic to the first AP.