Metered interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9930627-B2
Application number	US-201514754408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2015
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A method for executing a network command using synchronized timers. The method includes obtaining, by a first device, a first current time value from a first timer of the first device, determining, by the first device, a time-to-execute value based on the first current time value, sending, from the first device to a second device, a first network command message including the network command and the time-to-execute value, repetitively obtaining, by the second device, a second current time value from a second timer of the second device, comparing, by the second device and in response to receiving the first network command message, the second current time value to the time-to-execute value extracted from the first network command message, and executing, by the second device and in response to the second current time value matching the time-to-execute value, the network command, wherein the first timer and the second timer are synchronized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for executing a network command using synchronized timers, comprising:
determining, by a first device, a first time-to-report value based at least on a first current time value from a first timer of the first device;
determining, by the first device, a time lag based at least on a parameter of a computer network;
determining, by the first device, a time-to-execute value based at least on the first current time value;
sending, from the first device to a second device via the computer network, a first network command message comprising the network command, the time-to-execute value, and the first time-to-report value;
sending, from the first device to a third device via the computer network, a second network command message comprising the network command, the time-to-execute value, and a second time-to-report value, wherein the first time-to-report value and the second time-to-report value are separated by the time lag to reduce a resource contention of sending a first report message and a second report message via the computer network;
repetitively obtaining, by the second device, a second current time value from a second timer;
comparing, by the second device and in response to receiving the first network command message, the second current time value to the time-to-execute value extracted from the first network command message;
executing, by the second device and in response to the time-to-execute value matching the second current time value, the network command;
receiving, by the first device from the second device and in response to the second timer of the second device reaching the first time-to-report value, the first report message comprising a first result of executing the network command by the second device;
repetitively obtaining, by the third device, a third current time value from a third timer;
comparing, by the third device and in response to receiving the second network command message, the third current time value to the time-to-execute value extracted from the second network command message;
executing, by the third device and in response to the time-to-execute value matching the third current time value, the network command; and
receiving, by the first device from the third device and in response to the third timer of the third device reaching the second time-to-report value, the second report message comprising a second result of executing the network command by the third device,
wherein the first timer, the second timer, and the third timer are synchronized within a pre-determined tolerance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first timer, the second timer, and the third timer are based on a time-of-day clock.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer network comprises variable transmission delays.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing, by the second device and in response to receiving the first network command message, the second current time value from the second timer to the first time-to-report value extracted from the first network command message,
determining, by the second device, that the second timer reaches the first time-to-report value based on the second current time value matching the first time-to-report value.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing, by the third device and in response to receiving the second network command message, the third current time value from the third timer to the second time-to-report value extracted from the second network command message,
determining, by the third device, that the third timer reaches the second time-to-report value based on the third current time value matching the second time-to-report value.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the first device, the second time-to-report value based on the first time-to-report value and the time lag.

7. A system, comprising:
a computer network coupling a first device, a second device, and a third device;
the first device having a first timer and configured to:
determine a first time-to-report value based at least on a first current time value,
determine a time-to-execute value based at least on the first current time value,
determine a time lag based at least on a parameter of the computer network,
send, to the second device via the computer network, a first network command message comprising a network command, the time-to-execute value, and the first time-to-report value, and
send, to the third device via the computer network, a second network command message comprising the network command, the time-to-execute value, and a second time-to-report value, wherein the first time-to-report value and the second time-to-report value are separated by the time lag to reduce a resource contention of sending a first report message and a second report message via the computer network;

the second device having a second timer and configured to:
repetitively obtain a second current time value from the second timer,
compare, in response to receiving the second network command message, the second current time value to the time-to-execute value extracted from the second network command message,
execute, in response to the time-to-execute value matching the second current time value, the network command, and
send, to the first device and in response to the second timer reaching the first time-to-report value, the first report message comprising a first result of executing the network command by the second device; and

the third device having a third timer and configured to:
repetitively obtain a third current time value from the third timer,
compare, in response to receiving the second network command message, the third current time value to the time-to-execute value extracted from the second network command message,
execute, in response to the time-to-execute value matching the third current time value, the network command, and
send, to the first device and in response to the third timer reaching the second time-to-report value, the second report message comprising a second result of executing the network command by the third device,

wherein the first timer, the second timer, and the third timer are synchronized within a pre-determined tolerance.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first timer, the second timer, and the third timer are based on a time-of-day clock.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the computer network is configured to send the first network command message with a variable transmission delay.

10. The system of claim 7 ,
wherein the second device is further configured to:
compare, in response to receiving the first network command message, the second current time value from the second timer to the first time-to-report value extracted from the first network command message, and
determine that the second timer reaches the first time-to-report value based on the second current time value matching the first time-to-report value.

11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
wherein the third device is further configured to:
compare, in response to receiving the second network command message, the third current time value from the third timer to the second time-to-report value extracted from the second network command message,
determine that the third timer reaches the second time-to-report value based on the third current time value matching the second time-to-report value.

12. The system of claim 11 , the first device further configured to:
determine the second time-to-report value based on the first time-to-report value and the time lag.

13. A non-transitory computer readab

Assignees

• Swinkels Gerard Leo
• Clarke Steve
• Chisholm Sharon Margaret
• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Swinkels Gerard Leo
• Clarke Steve
• Chisholm Sharon Margaret

Classifications

• H04W56/00 Primary

  Synchronisation arrangements · CPC title

• H04J3/0638

  Clock or time synchronisation among nodes; Internode synchronisation (synchronization for ring networks H04L12/422; data switching networks with synchronous transmission H04L12/43) · CPC title

• H04L43/0852

  Delays · CPC title