The invention relates to a network operating on a
time triggered protocol using time slots, wherein at least two clusters are included in the network, each cluster includes at least a node. Further, it relates to a method for
clock synchronization within a time triggered network. To provide a network and a method reducing the amount of time needed for aligning multiple communication clusters as much as possible it is proposed to provide a network operating on a
time triggered protocol using time slots, wherein at least two clusters (A, B, X) are included in the network, each cluster (A, B, X) includes at least a node (11), wherein the node (11) includes a communication controller (15) having a node
clock source (18) for determining a timing for the node (11), wherein the clusters (A, B, X) are connected to a
coupling unit (10) having a
clock alignment
control logic (20) comprising a
coupling unit clock source (21) which is more accurate than the node clock source (18), wherein the
coupling unit clock source (21) is used for aligning the timing between the at least two clusters (A, B, X). Further it is proposed to provide a method for
clock synchronization within a time triggered network using time slots, having at least two clusters (A, B, X), wherein each cluster includes at least one node (11), each node (11) comprises a node clock source (18) and a communication controller (15) and the clusters (A, B, X) are connected to a coupling unit (10) having a clock alignment
control logic (20) comprising a coupling unit clock source (21) which is more accurate than the node clock source (18), the method comprising the steps of: monitoring the timing of the connected clusters (A, B, X) within the coupling unit (10); increasing or decreasing a
cycle length of the timing within the clusters by use of the coupling unit clock source (21).