Consistent distributed timestamp counters

Abstract

When timestamp counters are distributed among multiple physical devices, variances in their timestamp values can occur, such as, but not limited to those cause by variances among clocks in these different devices, different routing delays, different components, etc. These differences may be same, but still not allow high enough precision, especially as packet and processing rates continue to increase (which also causes clocking rates of devices to increase). One implementation distributes a time advance signal to each of these devices, which each device independently uses to determine when to advance its timestamp counter in response to its clock signal. These timestamps may be generated according to IEEE 1588 Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems; and / or Physical Layer Transceivers (PHYs) may be disposed in each of the different physical devices.

Description

technical field

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to communication and computer systems, and more particularly to routers, packet switching systems, and other devices; more particularly, one embodiment relates to maintaining consistency among multiple timestamp counters distributed among multiple devices , such timestamps correspond to, but are not limited to, timestamps generated according to the IEEE 1588 standard for, for example, but not limited to, networking measurements and A precise clock synchronization protocol for control systems. Background technique

[0002] The communications industry is changing rapidly to adapt to emerging technologies and increasing customer demands. This customer demand for new applications, as well as enhanced performance of existing applications, is driving communication network and system providers to adopt networks and systems with higher speed and greater capacity (eg, greater bandwidth). In trying to achieve the...

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