Ethernet encapsulation and emulation for DVB/MPEG multimedia wireless systems: base station and subscriber interface VHDL designs

Mun, W.Y., 2005. Ethernet encapsulation and emulation for DVB/MPEG multimedia wireless systems: base station and subscriber interface VHDL designs. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

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Abstract

This research focuses on novel network interfaces for a 42GHz DVB-based Multimedia Wireless System (MWS): The Nottingham Trent University Campus MWS trial. 'Very high speed integrated circuits Hardware Description Language' (VHDL) designs of Base station and subscriber MWS interfaces developed in this research are tailored for the provision of high bandwidth Ethernet-based services which are in demand for last-mile data access. This research proposes efficient Ethernet encapsulation and emulation techniques for implementation in dedicated Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to simplify the internetworking architecture while enabling the low latency and high throughput performance required for last-mile Ethernet-based services.

A variety of encapsulation techniques are analysed to find an algorithm that can be entirely and cheaply implemented in dedicated FPGAs suitable for the MWS application. A byte-stuffing type encapsulation is proposed instead of frame-length marking (FLM) type encapsulation used in previous MWS interfaces. To support this, a unique byte level acquisition and subsequent analysis of 'live' Ethernet frames was undertaken to address several prevailing criticisms against the use of byte stuffing algorithms. A new variant of byte stuffing algorithm, Optimised Byte Stuffing (OBS) tailored for this specific application, was developed using the results drawn from Ethernet traffic analysis. While VHDL design and synthesis demonstrated low cost implementation of OBS in FPGA, the Ethernet traffic analysis reveals that OBS can reduce latency compared to FLM type encapsulation and reduce jitter compared to the commonly used Point-to-Point Protocol byte stuffing encapsulation.

A further investigation was undertaken to make the underlying MWS emulate an Ethernet hub, thus minimizing internetworking complexity and facilitating the provision of Ethernet-based services. This lead to the proposition of an Ethernet Hub Emulation (EHE) MWS architecture, which yields a more simplistic and lower cost solution to known IP routing problems due the topology inherent to MWS. The EHE architecture is primarily implemented in the MWS base station interface which can mimic the broadcast-like nature of Ethernet networks while maintaining low latencies and high throughputs.

Novel MWS base station and subscriber interface designs incorporating the OBS encapsulation and EHE architecture, were successfully hardware prototyped using an integrated suit of modem Electronic Design Automation (EDA) design flow. The designs were described in VHDL, simulated, synthesized and programmed in low-cost FPGAs. Custom developed electronic hardware and equipment from the Nottingham Trent University MWS campus trial provided the opportunity to deploy and evaluate the designs under real conditions. The MWS test platforms, in point-to-point and point-to- multipoint configurations, facilitated live demonstrations of IP/web and Ethernet-based services over MWS. Using standard benchmarking software, the test-platforms enabled cost, flexibility, and service-level performance of the novel MWS base station and subscriber interfaces to be compared with previous systems. Results from the work done provide conclusive evidence of the advantages of the proposed MWS interfaces for the provision of Ethernet-based services. The low cost hardware prototypes developed form the building blocks for further work, where deployment of the novel MWS base station and subscriber interfaces in a widespread trial is envisaged.

Item Type:	Thesis
Creators:	Mun, W.Y.
Date:	2005
ISBN:	9781369314458
Identifiers:	Number Type PQ10183169 Other
Rights:	This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that no quotation from this thesis and no information derived from it may be published without the author’s prior written consent.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	18 Sep 2020 13:38
Last Modified:	27 Jul 2023 09:03
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/40819

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