The disclosure relates to a method and device for time-controlled data transmission in a TSN. A new traffic shaping method is described for time-sensitive data streams. The objective is to offer the same real-time performance and configuration complexity as in the prior art but without the need for time synchronization throughout the entire network. The traffic shaper provides that a data frame that is received by a bridge in a first-time interval is passed by this bridge to the next hop/bridge in the next time interval. Each bridge knows the start time of the time interval that belongs to a particular data stream. Each data frame must contain a so-called delay value, thus a delay value which is measured by each bridge using a local clock that measures the delay time spent by the data frame in the queue at the outgoing port.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to synchronize data bus access. An example system includes a first computing device to transmit a first synchronization pulse to second computing devices using a first bus, the first synchronization pulse to synchronize first timers of the second computing devices to trigger a data schedule including one or more data cycles, and transmit a second synchronization pulse to the second computing devices using the first bus, the second synchronization pulse to synchronize ones of the first timers and slot counters of the second computing devices to trigger the one or more data cycles. The example system further includes the second computing devices to transmit data to the first computing device using a second bus during the one or more data cycles, where each of the one or more data cycles is assigned to a corresponding one of the second computing devices.

A first reception unit (1104) receives first data from a node 1 by a time-triggered scheme, and a second reception unit (1106) receives second data and a token from a node 2 by a token-passing scheme. A first transmission unit (1105) transmits the second data to the node 1, and a second transmission unit (1107) transmits the first data to the node 2 while holding the token. A reference-time management unit (1103) acquires, as a reference time, a time from reception of the first data while the second transmission unit holds the token to next reception of the token by the second reception unit. A communication control unit (1102) causes the first data to be repeatedly received at a communication cycle equal to or longer than the reference time and shorter than an allowable holding time of the token, causes the second data to be repeatedly transmitted at the communication cycle, and every time the token is received, causes the second transmission unit to hold the token until the first data is transmitted to the node 2 within a range of the allowable holding time.

A communication device of an embodiment includes one or more processors. The processors synchronize time between the communication device and a different communication device using data transmitted and received by time division multiple access. The processors determine the end timing of carrier-sensing in a time slot of the time division multiple access. The processors control carrier-sensing to end at a determined end timing. The processors generate data including timing information, allowing identification of the determined end timing, as data to be transmitted to the different communication device.

A device includes an interface and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) Medium Access Control (MAC) circuitry coupled to the interface. The TDMA MAC circuitry detects a beacon in a frame having a defined frame duration and determines a frame compensation value based on a start time of the frame, a reference start time of the frame, and a number of elapsed frames. A current frame duration value is determined based on the frame compensation value and the defined frame duration.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are discussed that enable robust, high-speed communication of sensor data. One example system includes a sensor bus, an electronic control unit (ECU), and one or more sensors. The ECU is coupleable to the sensor bus and configured to generate a synchronization signal, and is configured to output the synchronization signal to the sensor bus. The one or more sensors are also coupleable to the sensor bus, and at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to sample sensor data in response to the synchronization signal and to output the sampled sensor data to the sensor bus.

A method of communication in a vehicle network is provided. An example method includes transmitting a network allocation map in a TDMA cycle, indicating reservation of time slots in the TDMA cycle. The method further includes transmitting a synchronization signal in the TDMA cycle, to synchronize the timing of nodes in the vehicle network. Each of the reserved time slots is identified by at least a network ID of a transmitting node in the vehicle network, and a slot type comprising one of a low latency traffic slot, and a bulk traffic slot. Further, the low latency traffic slots are repeated in the TDMA cycle at least as frequently as a guaranteed QoS latency parameter. Further, the bulk traffic slots are at least as long as a guaranteed QoS throughput parameter.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to synchronize data bus access. An example system includes a first computing device to transmit a first synchronization pulse to second computing devices using a first bus, the first synchronization pulse to synchronize first timers of the second computing devices to trigger a data schedule including one or more data cycles, and transmit a second synchronization pulse to the second computing devices using the first bus, the second synchronization pulse to synchronize ones of the first timers and slot counters of the second computing devices to trigger the one or more data cycles. The example system further includes the second computing devices to transmit data to the first computing device using a second bus during the one or more data cycles, where each of the one or more data cycles is assigned to a corresponding one of the second computing devices.

A wireless communication device acquires, from a predetermined wireless slave device included in one or more wireless slave devices different from the wireless communication device, unrelated transmission information that is transmission information wirelessly transmitted to a master device, corresponding to the predetermined wireless slave device, in accordance with the predetermined time division multiple access scheme and that includes identification information identifying the predetermined wireless slave device, the unrelated transmission information being acquired at the time of the wireless transmission. On the basis of the identification information included in the unrelated transmission information, the acquisition time of the unrelated transmission information, and information relating to a transmission sequence, the wireless communication device determines a predetermined time slot for the wireless communication device to transmit the predetermined information to the master device corresponding thereto in accordance with the predetermined time division multiple access scheme; and transmits the predetermined information.

A sensor may determine, based on two or more synchronization signals provided by a control device, an expected time for receiving an upcoming synchronization signal. The sensor may perform a measurement of a sensor signal at a point in time such that sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the sensor signal at the point in time, is available at a selectable time interval prior to reception of the upcoming synchronization signal.