US 11,689,305 B2
Systems and methods for nodes communicating using a time-synchronized transport layer
Adrian M. Caulfield, Woodinville, WA (US); Michael K. Papamichael, Redmond, WA (US); and Ang Li, Jersey City, NJ (US)
Assigned to Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed by Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/531,252.
Application 17/531,252 is a continuation of application No. 16/675,864, filed on Nov. 6, 2019, granted, now 11,212,023.
Prior Publication US 2022/0085904 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. H04L 43/0852 (2022.01); H04J 3/06 (2006.01); G06F 1/12 (2006.01); H04L 69/28 (2022.01)
CPC H04J 3/0664 (2013.01) [G06F 1/12 (2013.01); H04L 43/0858 (2013.01); H04L 69/28 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method in a network comprising at least a first node, a second node, and a third node having a respective clock synchronized with a common clock, wherein each of the at least the first node, the second node, and the third node is configurable to communicate using a time-synchronized transport layer (TSL) protocol comprising a plurality of phases including a preparation phase and a transmission phase, the method comprising:
the first node, selected as a primary node, transmitting a message including a start time indicative of a start of the transmission phase comprising a data transmission mega-cycle, wherein the common clock is associated with the primary node, and wherein the data transmission mega-cycle comprises both transmission of data and an inter-mega-cycle margin of time; and
subsequent to a completion of the preparation phase, the second node, while still receiving messages from the third node as part of a first data transmission mega-cycle initiated by the third node, initiating data transmission to the first node as part of a second transmission mega-cycle while using an elastic buffer to reduce an effect of the inter-mega-cycle margin of time.