Gateway Time Synchronization for Message Order Fairness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Clock synchronization inaccuracies between machines, such as gateways, lead to jitter and unfair processing of messages in networked systems, particularly in finance, e-commerce, and other distributed systems, where message order is critical for fairness and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a software-based synchronization method that synchronizes gateways to a reference clock within nanoseconds, allowing messages to be timestamped and reordered based on their arrival time, regardless of source clock synchronization, ensuring messages are processed in the correct order without physical calibration of gateways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If gateways are physically calibrated to equidistant locations, then message transit time is roughly equalized, but device complexity and physical constraints increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical calibration system (physically positioning gateways at equidistant locations) with a software-based time synchronization system. Gateways use locally synchronized clocks to timestamp messages, and the coordinator software reorders messages based on these timestamps, eliminating the need for physical calibration while achieving fair message processing order.
2Reliability
If gateways are physically calibrated, then message processing fairness is improved, but ease of operation and deployment are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex physical deployment requirements with software-based time synchronization. Gateways can be deployed at any physical location without calibration, as the software system synchronizes their clocks and uses timestamps to ensure fair message processing, greatly simplifying deployment and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Each gateway independently timestamps messages using its locally synchronized clock without requiring external calibration or coordination during operation. The coordinator software autonomously reorders messages based on these timestamps, making the system self-sufficient and easy to operate.
3Device complexity
If clock synchronization is not used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of message timing is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based time synchronization system where gateways exchange timing information with a coordinator, adjust their local clocks based on received timing data, and continuously maintain synchronized time. This feedback loop ensures high measurement precision for message timestamps without requiring complex hardware modifications at each gateway.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for performing a time-triggered distribution of messages from a region of networked machines to multiple destinations. In an embodiment, the system runs a software-based synchronization process to synchronize each of a plurality of gateways with a reference clock, wherein each gateway is a machine on a perimeter of the region of networked machines and is connected to transmit messages to multiple destinations. The gateways receive messages from within the region of networked machines for distribution to multiple destinations outside the region of networked machines according to a distribution schedule based on absolute time relative to the reference clock. The gateways perform the distribution of received messages, wherein each gateway determines absolute time based on that gateway's synchronization with the reference clock.