Secondary Clock Frequency Detection for Time Accuracy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining accurate time in electronic control systems and computing devices when updates from a reference clock are interrupted or compromised, particularly in high-precision applications like telecommunications, power distribution, and financial trading, is challenging due to issues like holdover and frequency compromise detection.
Innovation Solution
Deriving a high-quality secondary reference frequency from secondary clocks to detect holdover and compromise situations, allowing for the use of network-delivered time signals to synchronize and correct local clock frequencies, even when the primary reference clock is unavailable or compromised.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a local clock is synchronized to an external reference clock, then accurate time can be maintained during normal operation, but the system becomes vulnerable when the reference clock is unavailable or compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a secondary clock as an intermediary time source that bridges the gap between the local clock and the primary reference clock. When the reference clock becomes unavailable or compromised, the secondary clock serves as a mediator to maintain time synchronization, allowing the system to adapt to reference clock failures while preserving time accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes a secondary clock as a backup time source before the reference clock fails. This beforehand cushioning ensures that when the primary reference clock becomes unavailable or compromised, the system already has a prepared alternative to maintain accurate time, preventing time drift without requiring real-time decision-making during failure conditions.
2Measurement precision
If the system relies solely on the reference clock for time synchronization, then device complexity is minimized, but the system cannot detect frequency changes or compromises in the reference clock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the secondary clock continuously monitors and compares its time measurements with the reference clock. This feedback loop enables the system to detect frequency changes and potential compromises in the reference clock by identifying discrepancies between the two time sources, thereby improving measurement precision through comparative analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains a copy of the time-keeping function through the secondary clock, which replicates the time measurement capability independently of the reference clock. This copying approach allows the system to compare multiple time sources and detect anomalies without significantly increasing overall device complexity, as the secondary clock serves both as backup and monitoring mechanism.
3Reliability
If high-precision time requirements are imposed on the system, then time accuracy is improved, but the system becomes more sensitive to reference clock interruptions and compromises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by switching between different time source configurations based on system conditions. When the reference clock is available and reliable, the system uses high-precision synchronization parameters. When interruptions or compromises are detected, the system changes parameters to rely on the secondary clock, thereby maintaining time accuracy while reducing vulnerability to reference clock failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes the secondary clock as a protective measure against reference clock failures. This beforehand cushioning creates a safety buffer that protects the high-precision time requirements from being compromised by reference clock interruptions, ensuring continuous accurate timekeeping regardless of reference clock availability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, time consumer systems, and computer program products for maintaining accurate time on an ideal clock of a timing device are disclosed. The method includes receiving time information from a local clock, a reference clock, and one or more secondary clocks. The method further includes calculating frequencies for the local clock, the reference clock, and the one or more secondary clocks. The method further includes comparing the calculated frequencies of the reference clock to the calculated frequencies of the one or more secondary clocks. The method further includes detecting a holdover and/or a compromise situation based on the comparison. The method further includes syntonizing the ideal clock to one or more of the calculated frequencies.