Time Synchronization System Grandmaster Priority Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
In time synchronization systems, the addition of a time master with higher priority than the existing grandmaster without synchronization can cause time synchronization deviations, as the system selects the new time master as the grandmaster, disrupting the initial synchronization.
Innovation Solution
A time synchronization system where time masters hold and manage time information, with a management master requesting and updating priorities, ensuring the grandmaster maintains the highest priority, preventing changes even when a time master with higher priority is added, by using priority request and notification frames to stabilize the grandmaster selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a time master with higher priority is added to the system after operation starts, then the system can utilize better time sources, but time synchronization deviation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing the grandmaster selection and time synchronization before any time masters are added to the system. The patent implements a startup phase where the initial grandmaster is selected and locked, preventing subsequent changes even when higher priority time masters are added later. This preliminary establishment of synchronization parameters ensures system stability while allowing adaptability through controlled reevaluation only under specific conditions.
2Productivity
If the system allows dynamic grandmaster selection based on priority, then the system can optimize time sources, but system stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic grandmaster selection mechanism that operates in two distinct phases: a startup phase where dynamic selection occurs to optimize time sources, and an operational phase where the selected grandmaster is locked to maintain system stability. The system dynamically evaluates time master priorities during initialization but then transitions to a stable state where changes are prevented, thus achieving both optimization and stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the grandmaster priority is changed when a higher priority time master is added, then the best time source is utilized, but time synchronization deviation is caused
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by preemptively preventing priority changes that would cause synchronization deviation. When a time master with higher priority is added to the system after operation has commenced, the patent implements a protective mechanism that blocks the priority update and grandmaster reselection, thereby counteracting the potential harmful effect of synchronization disruption before it can occur.
Data Source
AI summary
A time synchronization system includes time masters and a management master. The management master includes a management master priority requester that transmits to each time master a priority request frame and a management master highest priority processor that transmits, to a time master holding a priority that is the highest among priorities of the time masters, a highest priority notification frame for changing the priority to the highest priority. Each of the time masters includes a time master priority responder that transmits to the management master a priority response frame after receiving the priority request frame from the management master (and a time master highest priority processor that changes the priority thereof to the highest priority when the highest priority notification frame is received from the management master. The grandmaster transmits, to each time master, a time notification frame for synchronization of a time of the time master.