Industrial Time Synchronization Gateway for Multi-Protocol Clock Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial devices face challenges in synchronizing multiple time protocols, leading to potential desynchronization and increased bandwidth usage due to the complexity of managing different synchronization messages and clock references, which can impact industrial processes.
Innovation Solution
A nodal industrial device supports multiple time synchronization protocols by identifying a principal time reference, correlating it with other references, and controlling communication to correct clock offsets and optimize bandwidth usage, using a time synchronization module to manage communication and select the appropriate clock reference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple time synchronization protocols are supported simultaneously, then compatibility with both legacy and modern devices is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device acts as an intermediary between legacy devices (using NTP, PTP, or other protocols) and TSN-enabled devices. It receives synchronization requests from legacy devices, translates them into TSN protocol format, and forwards them to the TSN time master, thereby enabling protocol compatibility without requiring legacy devices to support multiple protocols natively
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple time synchronization protocols (NTP, PTP, and TSN) simultaneously. It can operate as a time server for legacy protocols while also functioning as a TSN slave device, thereby providing universal compatibility across different protocol domains
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple time synchronization protocols are used, then broader device support is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway extracts and consolidates synchronization traffic by intercepting NTP and PTP requests from legacy devices and translating them into single TSN synchronization messages. This extraction approach prevents duplicate synchronization messages from being transmitted across the network, thereby reducing overall bandwidth consumption while maintaining support for multiple device types
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway merges multiple synchronization protocols into a unified TSN-based synchronization mechanism. Instead of allowing separate NTP and PTP traffic streams to consume bandwidth independently, it combines them into a single TSN protocol stream that serves all devices, thereby reducing total bandwidth usage
3Reliability
If protocol translation is implemented, then seamless synchronization is improved, but risk of desynchronization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring synchronization status from both legacy devices and TSN devices. It uses this feedback to adjust translation parameters and timing offsets in real-time, thereby maintaining synchronization accuracy and detecting potential desynchronization issues before they propagate through the network
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway performs preliminary synchronization actions by pre-calculating timing offsets and translation parameters based on initial synchronization measurements. It establishes baseline synchronization relationships before actual data traffic flows, thereby preventing desynchronization from the outset and reducing the complexity of real-time protocol translation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for supporting multiple time synchronization protocols within an industrial device include obtaining a time reference from each industrial device within the first set of industrial devices and the second set of industrial devices. The time reference provides the basis for synchronization of the clock and other clocks of first set of industrial devices and the second set of industrial devices. A principal time reference is selected from among the time references. Once selected, the principal time reference is correlated with each of the time references obtained from the first set of industrial devices and the second set of industrial devices. With the principal time reference correlated, related communication with the second device may be controlled.