Lossless time based data acquisition and control in a distributed system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9246852-B2
Application number	US-201314072297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2013
Priority date	Nov 5, 2013
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for mapping an iterative time-based data acquisition (DAQ) operation to an isochronous data transfer channel of a network. A time-sensitive buffer (TSB) associated with the isochronous data transfer channel of the network may be configured. A data rate clock may and a local buffer may be configured. A functional unit may be configured to initiate continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation, transfer data to the local buffer, initiate transfer of the data between the local buffer and the TSB at a configured start time, and repeat the transferring and initiating transfer in an iterative manner, thereby transferring data between the local buffer and the TSB. The TSB may be configured to communicate data over the isochronous data transfer channel of the network, thereby mapping the iterative time-based DAQ operation to the isochronous data transfer channel of the network.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for configuring the mapping of an iterative time-based data acquisition (DAQ) operation to an isochronous data transfer channel of a network, the method comprising:
configuring buffer size of a time-sensitive buffer (TSB) for the iterative time-based DAQ operation, wherein the iterative time-based DAQ operation comprises an associated data transfer per iteration, wherein a block of data comprises data transferred by one or more of the associated data transfers, and wherein the TSB is associated with the isochronous data transfer channel of the network;
configuring a transfer frequency of the TSB;
configuring a data rate clock to synchronize to a global clock of the network;
configuring a start time for transferring one or more blocks of data to the TSB based on the buffer size, a start time of the iterative time-based DAQ operation, a data rate of the iterative time-based DAQ operation in accordance with the data rate clock, and size of a block of the data transferred, wherein the start time of the iterative time-based DAQ operation is in phase with the global clock of the network;
configuring a size of a local buffer based on the size of the block of the data transferred, the transfer frequency of the TSB, and the data rate of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
configuring the local buffer for transfer of the one or more blocks of data to the local buffer in response to continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
configuring a functional unit to:
initiate the continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation at the start time of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
transfer the one or more blocks of data to the local buffer in response to the continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
initiate transfer of the one or more blocks of data between the local buffer and the TSB at the start time for transferring the one or more blocks of data; and
repeat said transferring and said initiating transfer one or more times in an iterative manner, thereby transferring the one or more blocks of data between the local buffer and the TSB; and

configuring the TSB to communicate the one or more blocks of data over the isochronous data transfer channel of the network over at least one cycle at the transfer frequency of the TSB, thereby mapping the iterative time-based DAQ operation to the isochronous data transfer channel of the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
configuring the functional unit to perform said configuring buffer size and transfer frequency, said configuring a data rate clock, said configuring a start time for transferring, said configuring a size of a local buffer, and said configuring the local buffer.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
configuring another functional unit to perform said configuring buffer size and transfer frequency, said configuring a data rate clock, said configuring a start time for transferring, said configuring a size of a local buffer, and said configuring the local buffer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the functional unit performing:
initiating continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation at the start time of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
transferring the one or more blocks of data to the local buffer in response to the continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
initiating transfer of the one or more blocks of data between the local buffer and the TSB at the start time for transferring the one or more blocks of data;
repeating said transferring and said initiating transfer one or more times in an iterative manner, thereby transferring the one or more blocks of data between the local buffer and the TSB; and

communicating the one or more blocks of data over the isochronous data transfer channel of the network over at least one cycle at the transfer frequency of the TSB, thereby mapping the iterative time-based DAQ operation to the isochronous data transfer channel of the network.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said transferring the one or more blocks of data between the local buffer and the TSB comprises:
performing a data integrity process during said transfer thereby preventing data loss.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the data integrity process comprises:
embedding forward error correction code.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing said configuring a data rate clock, said configuring a size of a local buffer, and said configuring a local buffer for each of one or more additional iterative time-based DAQ operations to be initiated at respective start times of the one or more additional iterative time-based DAQ operations, wherein the iterative time-based DAQ operation and the one or more additional iterative time-based DAQ operations compose a plurality of iterative time-based DAQ operations with a corresponding plurality of local buffers.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
configuring the functional unit to:
for each of the plurality of iterative time-based DAQ operations:
initiate continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation at a respective start time of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
transfer a respective one or more blocks of data to the respective local buffer in response to the continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
initiate transfer of the respective one or more blocks of data between the respective local buffer and the TSB at the start time for transferring the one or more blocks of data;
repeat said transferring and said initiating transfer one or more times in an iterative manner, thereby transferring the one or more blocks of data from the respective local buffer to the TSB; and

configuring the TSB to communicate the respective one or more blocks of data for each iterative time-based DAQ operation over the isochronous data transfer channel of the network over at least one cycle at the transfer frequency of the TSB, thereby mapping the plurality of iterative time-based DAQ operations to the isochronous data transfer channel of the network.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
the functional unit performing:
for each of the plurality of iterative time-based DAQ operations:
initiating continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation at a respective start time of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
transferring a respective one or more blocks of data to the respective local buffer in response to the continuous performance of the iterative time-based DAQ operation;
initiating transfer of the respective one or more blocks of data between the respective local buffer and the TSB at the start time for transferring the one or more blocks of data;
repeating said transferring and said initiating transfer one or more times in an iterative manner, thereby transferring the one or more blocks of data from the respective local buffer to the TSB; and

communicating the respective one or more blocks of data for each iterative time-based DAQ operation over the isochronous data transfer channel of the network over at least one cycle at the transfer frequency of the TSB, thereby mapping the plurality of iterative time-based DAQ operations to the isochronous data transfer channel of the network.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
performing said configuring buffer size and transfer frequency, and said configuring a start time for transferring one or more blocks of data, for each of one or more additional TSBs;
wherein each of the one or more additional TSBs is associated with a corresponding functional unit of a one or

Assignees

• Nat Instr Corp

Inventors

• Chandhoke Sundeep
• Odom Brian Keith

Classifications

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• H04L12/2825

  Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002) · CPC title

• H04L7/0008

  Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines · CPC title

• H04L12/40058

  Isochronous transmission · CPC title

• H04L49/9094 Primary

  Arrangements for simultaneous transmit and receive, e.g. simultaneous reading/writing from/to the storage element · CPC title