Inter-System Global Clock Synchronization via Signal Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining an inter-system global clock lack precision, typically achieving synchronization only in milliseconds or microseconds, which is insufficient for applications requiring nanosecond to picosecond accuracy, and fail to account for differences in clock power-on sequences among systems.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a reference clock source that generates a calibration signal, records transmission and arrival times across systems, calculates absolute deviations, and uses these to correct local clocks, ensuring all systems share a consistent global clock reference through high-precision signal recording units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If time-stamp communication between multiple systems is used to acquire clock references, then time synchronization between systems is achieved, but synchronization precision is limited to milliseconds or microseconds and cannot reach nanosecond or picosecond levels
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated signal recording unit is introduced as an intermediary component to precisely record the transmission and arrival times of calibration signals. This separate recording unit operates independently from the system clocks being synchronized, enabling high-precision time measurement without interfering with normal system operations or requiring complex modifications to existing system architectures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional software-based time-stamp communication methods with a hardware-level signal recording approach. By using dedicated recording units that directly capture signal transmission and arrival times at the hardware level, the system achieves nanosecond or picosecond precision without relying on software processing or complex communication protocols.
2Measurement precision
If traditional time-stamp methods are used for clock synchronization, then a global clock can be established, but the precision is limited by clock cycle duration and cannot achieve sub-clock-cycle synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The signal recording unit performs preliminary recording of transmission and arrival times before any clock correction is applied. By capturing the exact moments when calibration signals are transmitted and received, the system establishes precise time references that can be used to calculate and correct clock deviations, ensuring that synchronization precision is not limited by clock cycle duration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple independent systems use their own local clocks, then each system can operate independently, but clock phase differences accumulate and prevent consistent time reference across systems
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the signal recording unit measures the time difference between transmission and arrival of calibration signals, calculates the clock phase deviation, and provides correction information back to the systems. This closed-loop feedback allows each system to maintain independent operation while automatically adjusting to achieve consistent time references across all systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and a structure for determining a global clock among systems are disclosed. When a standardized time reference is required among systems, a reference clock source may transmit a calibration signal, and a transmitting time Td (0) may be recorded. Each system may respectively record an arrival time Ta (n), transmit a return signal to a signal recording unit of the reference clock source, and record a transmitting time Tb (n), after receiving the calibration signal. Similarly, because of different distances, the signal recording unit may record arrival times Td (n) of the return signals subsequently, and determine time delays Delay (n) between systems and the reference clock source respectively. When all the systems are required to have a completely standardized time reference, a corresponding Delay (n) may be acquired and transmitted to each system. Each system may determine zero deviations Tc (n) of various local clocks from the reference clock source, and take Tc (n) as a correction parameter to correct its own system clock, so that the local clocks of all the systems have a completely standardized time reference.