PET Imaging List-Mode Data Synchronization via Software Clock

The system divides the synchronization function into two parts: a master data acquisition board that generates the reference clock signal, and slave data acquisition boards that use software-based time synchronization. This segmentation eliminates the need for a physical backplane clock distribution network while maintaining synchronization precision, thereby improving system flexibility and scalability.

The patent replaces the mechanical/hardware-based clock distribution network on the backplane with a software-based time synchronization mechanism. The master board sends time synchronization signals through standard communication interfaces, and slave boards use software algorithms to achieve precise time alignment, substituting physical connectivity with software-controlled timing.

The patent introduces a software-based time synchronization protocol as an intermediary between the master and slave data acquisition boards. Instead of directly transmitting the reference clock signal through cables (which causes delay, decay, and noise), the system transmits timing information through software layers that can compensate for transmission errors and maintain signal integrity.

The slave data acquisition boards create local copies of the reference clock signal using their own local clock sources, synchronized to the master board's timing. This copying approach allows each slave board to generate its own clean, noise-free clock signal while maintaining synchronization with the master, avoiding the degradation that occurs when the master's clock signal is transmitted through cables.