Devices and Methods for Handling Precise Timing Protocol Frames

A method, performed by a transmitting device, in a 3GPP wireless communication system, for handling generalized Precise Timing Protocol (gPTP) signaling, from a Time Sensitive Network (TSN), the method comprising:

• receiving, from the TSN network, a gPTP frame, wherein the gPTP frame comprises time information, an indication of a time domain related to the time information and/or a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of a second end station connected to a receiving device;
• determining, based on the indication of the time domain and/or the MAC address, the receiving device to which the gPTP frame relates, wherein determining to which receiving device the gPTP frame relates comprises:
• obtaining information regarding the time domain to which the receiving device and/or one or more second end stations connected to the receiving device are related, by at least one of, a) receiving the information from the receiving device, b) receiving a pre-configuration indicating which receiving devices are related to a specific time domain, and c) receiving from a TSN network controller information that comprises a receiving device identifier or a MAC address of the one or more second end stations;
• and
• determining that the received gPTP frame relates to a receiving device when the indication of the time domain or the MAC address comprised in the gPTP frame corresponds to the obtained information regarding the time domain to which the receiving device and/or the one or more second end stations connected to the receiving device are related;
• and
• transmitting, to the determined receiving device, the gPTP frame in a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session related to the determined receiving device.

A computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program that, when executed by a transmitting device in a 3GPP wireless communication system, causes the transmitting device to handle generalized Precise Timing Protocol (gPTP) signaling from a Time Sensitive Network (TSN), the computer program causing the transmitting device to:

• receive, from the TSN network, a gPTP frame, wherein the gPTP frame comprises time information, an indication of a time domain related to the time information and/or a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of a second end station connected to a receiving device;
• determine, based on the indication of the time domain and/or the MAC address, the receiving device to which the gPTP frame relates, wherein the computer program causes the transmitting device to determine to which receiving device the gPTP frame relates by:
• obtaining information regarding the time domain to which the receiving device and/or one or more second end stations connected to the receiving device are related, by at least one of, a) receiving the information from the receiving device, b) receiving a pre-configuration indicating which receiving devices are related to a specific time domain, and c) receiving from a TSN network controller information that comprises a receiving device identifier;
• and
• determining that the received gPTP frame relates to a receiving device when the indication of the time domain or the MAC address comprised in the gPTP frame corresponds to the obtained information regarding the time domain to which the receiving device and/or the one or more second end stations connected to the receiving device are related;
• and
• transmit, to the determined receiving device, the gPTP frame in a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session related to the determined receiving device.

A method, performed by a receiving device, in a 3GPP wireless communication system, for handling generalized Precise Timing Protocol (gPTP) signaling, from a Time Sensitive Network (TSN), the method comprising:

• receiving, from a transmitting device, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session comprising a gPTP frame which in turn comprises time information, an indication of a time domain related to the time information and/or a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of one or more second end stations connected to a receiving device;
• determining, based on the indication of the time domain and/or the MAC address, one or more second end stations in the TSN network to which to transmit the received gPTP frame;
• and
• transmitting, to the one or more second end stations in the TSN network, the gPTP frame, wherein the gPTP frame comprises the time information and the time domain related to the time information extracted from the 3GPP message, wherein the information regarding the time domain supported by the one or more second end stations in the TSN, is obtained by at least one of:
• a) receiving a gPTP message delivered periodically by the one or more second end stations;
• b) receiving information from a TSN network controller, wherein the information comprises a receiving device identifier or a MAC address of the one or more second end stations;
• and
• c) detecting an interest of one or more second end stations in a time domain by forwarding a gPTP frame of the time domain to the one or more second end stations, and monitoring a potential reply to the gPTP transmission from the one or more second end stations.

A computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program that, when executed by a receiving device in a 3GPP wireless communication system, causes the receiving device to handle generalized Precise Timing Protocol (gPTP) signaling from a Time Sensitive Network (TSN), the computer program causing the receiving device to:

• receive, from a transmitting device, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session comprising a gPTP frame which in turn comprises time information, an indication of a time domain related to the time information and/or a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of one or more second end stations connected to a receiving device;
• determine, based on the indication of the time domain and/or the MAC address, one or more second end stations in the TSN network to which to transmit the received gPTP frame;
• and
• transmit, to the one or more second end stations in the TSN network, the gPTP frame, wherein the gPTP frame comprises the time information and the time domain related to the time information extracted from the 3GPP message, wherein the information regarding the time domain supported by the one or more second end stations in the TSN, is obtained by at least one of:
• a) receiving a gPTP message delivered periodically by the one or more second end stations;
• b) receiving information from a TSN network controller, wherein the information comprises a receiving device identifier or a MAC address of the one or more second end stations;
• and
• c) detecting an interest of one or more second end stations in a time domain by forwarding a gPTP frame of the time domain to the one or more second end stations, and monitoring a potential reply to the gPTP transmission from the one or more second end stations.

A transmitting device, configured for use in a 3GPP wireless communication system, for handling generalized Precise Timing Protocol (gPTP) signaling, from a Time Sensitive Network (TSN), the transmitting device comprising processing circuitry configured to:

• receive, from the TSN network, a gPTP frame, wherein the gPTP frame comprises time information, an indication of a time domain related to the time information and/or a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of a second end station connected to a receiving device;
• determine, based on the indication of the time domain and/or the MAC address, the receiving device to which the gPTP frame relates;
• and
• transmit, to the determined receiving device, the gPTP frame in a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session related to the determined receiving device;
• wherein the information regarding the time domain supported by the one or more second end stations in the TSN is obtained by:
• a) receiving a gPTP message delivered periodically by the one or more second end stations;
• b) receiving from a TSN network controller information that comprises a receiving device identifier or a MAC address of the one or more second end stations;
• and
• c) detection of an interest of one or more second end stations in a time domain by forwarding a gPTP frame of the time domain to the one or more second end stations, and monitoring for a potential reply to the gPTP transmission from the one or more second end stations.

A receiving device configured for use in a wireless communication system, for handling generalized Precise Timing Protocol (gPTP) signaling, from a Time Sensitive Network (TSN), the receiving device comprising processing circuitry configured to:

• receive, from a transmitting device, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session comprising a gPTP frame which in turn comprises time information, an indication of a time domain related to the time information and/or a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of one or more second end stations connected to a receiving device;
• determine, based on the indication of the time domain and/or the MAC address, one or more second end stations in the TSN network to which to transmit the received gPTP frame;
• and
• transmit, to the one or more second end stations in the TSN network, the gPTP frame, wherein the gPTP frame comprises the time information and the time domain related to the time information extracted from the 3GPP message, wherein the information regarding the time domain supported by the one or more second end stations in the TSN is obtained by at least one of:
• a) receiving a gPTP message delivered periodically by the one or more second end stations,
• b) receiving information from a TSN network controller, wherein the information comprises a receiving device identifier or a MAC address of the one or more second end stations, and
• c) detecting an interest of one or more second end stations in a time domain by forwarding a gPTP frame of the time domain to the one or more second end stations, and monitoring a potential reply to the gPTP transmission from the one or more second end stations.