Method for measuring a transmission delay with control of degrees of contention applied to a data frame

A method for transmitting data frames each on a path comprising at least one router which includes input ports, at least one output port and an arbitration unit configured to select a data frame from a plurality of data frames each coming from an input port and competing for transmission through a same output port, the method comprising the following steps of:

• a) for each router in the path of a target data frame, the target data frame including a field indicative of a competitive process, and in response to the field being indicative of the competitive process, providing, for each of the input ports of the router that are separate from an input port at which the target data frame is received, artificial competing data frames that have a dummy payload to be in contention with the target data frame for transmission through a target output port of the router;
• b) transmitting the target data frame and the competing data frames and measuring an end-to-end transmission time of the target data frame on the path, transmitting the target data frame comprising for each router in the path:
• i) in the presence of the target data frame on a router input port, selecting, by the arbitration unit, one or more competing data frames;
• and
• ii) transmitting through the target output port the one or more competing data frames selected prior to transmitting the target data frame.