Method and apparatus for inter-domain configuration of time-sensitive networks

A centralized network controller configured for operation in a first Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) domain, the centralized network controller comprising:

• communication interface circuitry;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• receive, via the communication interface circuitry, information from a centralized user controller of the first TSN domain, indicating that an end station in the first TSN domain outputs a TSN stream, the end station being referred to as a talker;
• and
• send, via the communication interface circuitry, a talker advertisement for receipt by one or more other centralized network controllers, each other centralized network controller being in a respective other TSN domain, the talker advertisement including a talker group comprising information about the talker or the TSN stream, and further including a status group for holding status information about stream status between the talker and individual end stations operating as listeners in any one or more of the one or more other TSN domains;
• and
• determine end-to-end status of the TSN stream towards the listeners in the one or more other TSN domains, based on receiving, via the communication interface circuitry returned status information corresponding to stream status entries in the status group that depend on connectivity and resource availability each other TSN domain that contain one or more of the listeners or that participates in conveying the TSN stream.