Design and implementation of a frame preemption model without guard bands for time-sensitive networking

In time-sensitive networks, the frames of time-triggered (TT) flows need to be transmitted in scheduled slots. To avoid the interference of frames from other flows to the frames of the TT flows, guard bands are generally reserved prior to scheduled slots. The time-sensitive networking (TSN) standard, IEEE 802.1Qbu, specifies a frame preemption model that enables frames of TT flows (preemption frames) to preempt frames of other flows (preempted frames). According to this model, preempted frames are divided into fragments that are transmitted in the gaps of preemption frames. Consequently, the IEEE 802.1Qbu model reduces the guard band from the longest Ethernet frame (typically 1518 bytes) to 123 bytes, which improves the bandwidth utilization and delay performance of preempted frames without causing frame disorder. However, in scenarios in which the preempted frame load is heavy, and the length is short, numerous guard bands smaller than 123 bytes are generated. These guard bands prevent the IEEE 802.1Qbu model from transmitting preempted frame fragments, resulting in a considerable decrease in bandwidth utilization. To solve this problem, we propose a novel frame preemption model without guard bands, based on a padding and splicing mechanism. While ensuring that preemption frames are transmitted according to scheduled slots, this model can transmit preempted frames within arbitrary byte gaps based on the schedule without obtaining the length of the preempted frames in advance. We compared the transmission-delay performance of the proposed model with that of the IEEE 802.1Qbu model using a theoretical analysis. The evaluation results obtained from heavily loaded preemption frame scenarios revealed that the proposed model improved link utilization by 32.8% relative to the IEEE 802.1Qbu model and reduced the transmission delay by more than one order of magnitude. Moreover, when the IEEE 802.1Qbu model fails, the proposed model still transmits 60% of preempted frames.