Master-Slave Time Synchronization for Industrial Log Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Slave devices in industrial network systems struggle to accurately record and synchronize time for data acquisition, leading to difficulties in determining the exact moment of event generation due to internal counters differing from general timers, and existing synchronization methods do not effectively address data accuracy for log recording.
Innovation Solution
A master-slave system where the master device communicates with slave devices to synchronize their time counters using moment acquisition and adjustment mechanisms, allowing for the reception of event logs with accurately determined generation moments, enabling comparison of log data across multiple slave devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If slave devices use internal counters for time counting, then the slave device can maintain simple time recording, but the time recorded is based on a different reference than general timers, making it difficult to objectively determine the acquisition time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a master device as an intermediary that provides standardized time references to slave devices. The master device generates precise timing signals that serve as a common reference for all slave devices, enabling objective time determination while keeping individual slave device mechanisms simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the timekeeping function into a centralized master device that provides time synchronization to all slave devices. Instead of each slave device maintaining independent time references, the system combines time generation at the master level and distribution to slaves, ensuring uniform time measurement across the system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If slave devices use internal counters with different references, then each device can operate independently, but it becomes difficult to compare log data across multiple slave devices
Solution Approach 1:
The master device provides continuous time synchronization feedback to slave devices by periodically transmitting timing signals. This feedback mechanism ensures that all slave devices maintain synchronized time references while preserving their operational independence, enabling accurate comparison of log data across devices.
3Reliability
If existing time synchronization methods are used, then time can be synchronized between master and slave devices, but the data accuracy for recording log data is not effectively addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary time synchronization by having the master device transmit timing signals to slave devices before log data recording begins. This preliminary action ensures that all devices are synchronized to the same time reference, thereby guaranteeing the accuracy of subsequently recorded log data.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is adapted to acquire more useful log data. A master device (4) includes a timer element (45), adapted to acquire a moment; an instruction sending element (421), adapted to synchronize a moment measured by a slave timer element (14) of slave devices (1-3) with a moment acquired by the timer element (45) according to a time synchronization instruction containing moment information corresponding to the moment acquired by the timer element (45); and a slave log receiving element (423), adapted to receive slave logs (131).