Radio Terminal Time Synchronization Without Beacons or Servers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radio terminals face challenges in maintaining synchronization when they cannot receive beacons due to movement or lack of connection to a time management server, leading to time deviations caused by crystal oscillator errors.
Innovation Solution
A radio terminal system that allows terminals to transmit and receive data to and from each other, correcting time based on the number of early and delayed reception data to synchronize without relying on external beacons or servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If radio terminals use crystal oscillators for timekeeping when beacons are unavailable, then the terminals can operate independently without external infrastructure, but time synchronization accuracy deteriorates due to secular change errors of several ppm/year
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where terminals exchange time data with neighboring terminals and calculate time deviations based on received data. This feedback loop allows terminals to correct their local timekeeping by comparing with others in the network, maintaining synchronization accuracy without relying on external beacons or servers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables terminals to perform self-service time synchronization by having them exchange time data autonomously with neighboring terminals. Each terminal acts as both a timekeeper and a time reference for others, creating a self-sustaining synchronization system that operates independently without external infrastructure.
2Measurement precision
If radio terminals periodically connect to time management servers for synchronization, then time synchronization accuracy is maintained, but power consumption increases and reliability decreases when connection is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for terminals to connect to external time management servers by enabling them to perform self-service synchronization. Terminals exchange time data with neighboring terminals in the network and autonomously calculate and apply time corrections, removing the energy-consuming periodic connections to external servers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of timekeeping and time synchronization into a distributed network system where multiple terminals collectively maintain synchronization. Instead of each terminal independently connecting to external servers, the terminals combine their resources to create a shared time reference system.
3Ease of operation
If radio terminals use crystal oscillators for timekeeping, then operational simplicity is maintained, but time deviation accumulates at several milliseconds per hour due to secular change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains operational simplicity by keeping crystal oscillators as the timekeeping source while adding a feedback mechanism. Terminals periodically exchange time data with neighbors and receive correction values, automatically applying adjustments without requiring manual intervention or complex operations from users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces neighboring terminals as intermediaries that facilitate time synchronization. Instead of directly correcting time based on external servers, terminals use intermediate time data exchanges with neighbors to indirectly achieve synchronization, maintaining simplicity while reducing time deviation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a radio terminal, a system, a method, and a program capable of time synchronization with other radio terminals. A radio terminal includes: a transmission unit that transmits transmission data to a plurality of other radio terminals between a first time and a second time after the first time; a reception unit that receives reception data from the plurality of other radio terminals between a third time before the first time and a fourth time after the second time; and a control unit that corrects a time of the radio terminal based on the number of the reception data received early between the third time and the first time and the number of the reception data received with a delay between the second time and the fourth time.