Home Base Station Clock Synchronization via RF Signal Offset
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communications, especially within buildings, the attenuation of cellular signals leads to reduced coverage, and the lack of synchronization between base stations can cause interference and disrupt handoffs between base stations, particularly for home base stations without direct connections to a master reference clock.
Innovation Solution
The synchronization of a home base station's local clock with a reference clock is achieved using radio frequency signals from known locations, such as broadcast television towers, which are received and processed to calculate a clock offset value, allowing the base station to synchronize its clock with the network reference server and maintain seamless communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If home base stations are deployed within buildings to extend coverage, then coverage area is improved, but clock synchronization with the network becomes problematic due to lack of direct connections to master reference clock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a broadband network as an intermediary medium to transmit timing reference signals from the master reference clock to home base stations. Instead of requiring direct physical connections, the network infrastructure acts as a mediator that carries synchronization data through unpredictable delay paths, allowing home base stations to achieve clock synchronization despite their isolated deployment locations within buildings.
2Reliability
If base station clocks are synchronized with the network, then interference is reduced and handoffs are reliable, but achieving synchronization becomes difficult due to unpredictable broadband network delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the home base station transmits its measured timing advance value back to the network reference server. The server uses this feedback to calculate the round-trip network delay and determine the appropriate clock offset adjustment. This closed-loop feedback system enables the base station to automatically compensate for unpredictable network delays and achieve accurate synchronization without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary timing measurements by having the home base station transmit uplink signals and measure the timing advance before final synchronization is established. These preliminary actions provide the necessary data for the network reference server to calculate the clock offset in advance, allowing the base station to pre-adjust its clock settings before actual synchronized operation begins.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of clock synchronization for a wireless communications system includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal at a base station and at a network reference server (NRS). The NRS is also coupled to receive a reference clock signal. A clock offset value is then calculated in response to the RF signal received at the base station, the RF signal received at the NRS, and the reference clock signal. A local clock signal at the base station is then synchronized with the reference clock signal in response to the calculated clock offset value.