Method and system for timestamp inclusion in virtual local area network tag
AssigneeAvaya Inc.
InventorGeoffrey O. Thompson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, system and apparatus time-stamp a data frame. The data frame includes a type field and data for transmission to a communication network. The data frame is received and a reception time for the data frame is determined. The value of the type field is determined. If the value of the type field indicates the data frame is a time-stamped frame, a timestamp field is inserted in the data frame. The timestamp field indicates the reception time.
Claims17
A method for time-stamping a data frame, the data frame including a type field and data for transmission to a communication network, the method comprising:
- receiving the data frame;
- determining a reception time for the data frame;
- determining a value of the type field, the type field indicating whether the data frame is a time-stamped frame;
- responsive to determining that the value of the type field indicates the data frame is a time-stamped frame;
- calculating a length value, the length value indicating a length from an end of a length field to a start of a time stamp field, the length value including a length of the type field and a length of a data payload field containing the data, the length value indicating the position of the timestamp field;
- inserting the length field in the data frame prior to the data and prior to the type field, the length field including the length value;
- and
- inserting the timestamp field at a position in the data frame after the length field, the timestamp field, the timestamp field indicating the reception time.
An apparatus for time-stamping an Ethernet data frame, the Ethernet data frame including a type field and data for transmission to a communication network, the apparatus comprising:
- a reconciliation sublayer configured to receive the Ethernet data frame;
- a real time clock configured to determine a reception time for the Ethernet data frame;
- and
- a start frame delimiter detector communicatively coupled to the reconciliation sublayer and the real time clock, the start frame delimiter detector configured to:
- determine a value of the type field, the type field indicating whether the data frame is a time-stamped frame;
- and
- responsive to determining that the value of the type field indicates the data frame is a time-stamped frame:
- calculate a length value, the length value indicating a length from an end of a length field to a start of a timestamp field, the length value including a length of the type field and a length of a data payload field containing the data, the length value indicating the position of the timestamp field;
- insert the length field in the Ethernet data frame immediately prior to the type field, the length field including the length value;
- and
- insert the timestamp field at a position in the Ethernet data frame after the length field, the timestamp field indicating the reception time.
A system for time-stamping an Ethernet data frame, the Ethernet data frame including data for transmission, the system comprising:
- a routing controller configured to:
- receive the Ethernet data frame, the Ethernet data frame having a type field;
- determine a reception time for the Ethernet data frame;
- determine a value of the type field, the type field indicating whether the data frame is a time-stamped frame;
- and
- responsive to determining that the value of the type field indicates the data frame is a time-stamped frame:
- calculate a length value, the length value indicating a length from an end of a length field to a start of a timestamp field, the length value including a length of the type field and a length of a data payload field containing the data, the length value indicating the position of the timestamp field;
- insert the length field in the Ethernet data frame immediately prior to the type field, the length field including the length value;
- and
- insert the timestamp field at a position in the Ethernet data frame after the length field, the timestamp field indicating the reception time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.