PTP Hardware Clock Synchronization Across Switched Communication Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing time synchronization methods using precision time protocol (PTP) face challenges in maintaining synchronization when communication interfaces (I/Fs) are switched due to failures, leading to prolonged synchronization loss.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus with multiple communication control units and a determination unit adjusts the hardware clocks using precision time protocol (PTP) to synchronize the time of both active and backup communication interfaces before and after switching, ensuring minimal time difference and continuous synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the client apparatus includes two communication I/Fs (main communication I/F and backup communication I/F) to maintain continuous communication, then the reliability of time synchronization is improved, but the time difference between PHCs in different communication I/Fs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The determination unit determines adjustment parameter values for synchronizing PHCs in backup communication I/Fs before the main communication I/F fails. This preliminary synchronization action ensures that when switching occurs, the time difference between PHCs is already minimized, preventing synchronization loss and maintaining continuous time synchronization reliability.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the client apparatus switches communication I/Fs to maintain continuous communication, then the continuity of communication is improved, but the time synchronization is lost during switching
Solution Approach 1:
The determination unit calculates and prepares adjustment parameter values for PHC synchronization in advance, before the communication I/F switch occurs. This preliminary preparation ensures that the PHC time adjustment can be executed immediately upon switching, maintaining continuous time synchronization without interruption to communication continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the communication state of each I/F and dynamically adjusts which PHC synchronization parameters are applied based on real-time feedback. When a failure is detected, the determination unit switches to using backup I/F PHC parameters, ensuring continuous synchronized communication without time synchronization loss.
3Ease of operation
If the client apparatus transfers time information about the current communication I/F to the backup communication I/F, then the time synchronization processing can continue, but the synchronization time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The determination unit proactively determines and applies adjustment parameter values to backup PHCs before the main communication I/F fails. This eliminates the need for time-consuming real-time synchronization transfers during failure events, as the backup PHCs are already pre-synchronized. The system achieves both operational continuity and minimized time loss by performing synchronization preparation in advance rather than reactively during failures.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication apparatus, which includes a plurality of communication control units each including a hardware clock, determines an adjustment parameter value to adjust a time of the hardware clock in a first communication control unit of the plurality of communication control units, where the first communication control unit is configured to communicate with a time distribution server. Based on a precision time protocol (PTP), the communication apparatus adjusts the time of the hardware clock in the first communication control unit using the adjustment parameter value, and adjusts a time of the hardware clock in at least one second communication control unit of the plurality of communication control units, using the adjustment parameter value, the first communication control unit being different from the second communication control unit.