CPC H04J 3/0664 (2013.01) [G06F 1/12 (2013.01); H04L 43/0858 (2013.01); H04L 69/28 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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.
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