UE PTP Grandmaster Clock for 5G TSN Resource Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G NR, face inefficiencies in resource utilization and processing requirements for time-sensitive networking (TSN) due to the consumption of over-the-air resources and processing power in timestamping and relaying Precision Time Protocol (PTP) messages across the network.
Innovation Solution
Enabling User Equipment (UE) and Device-Side Time Sensitive Networking Translator (DS-TT) to operate as a Precision Time Protocol (PTP) grand master clock, allowing them to indicate capability, receive parameters, and generate and transmit PTP messages with network-corrected time to downstream devices, thereby reducing resource consumption and processing overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If PTP messages are timestamped and relayed across the network through base stations and core network elements, then time synchronization is achieved, but over-the-air resources and processing power are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the PTP grandmaster clock functionality from the network infrastructure (base stations and core network elements) and places it directly in the UE. This removes the need for PTP messages to be relayed through multiple network elements, eliminating the processing power consumption and over-the-air resource usage associated with network-based timestamping and relaying, while maintaining time synchronization accuracy through direct generation of PTP messages by the UE
Solution Approach 2:
The UE is enabled to autonomously generate and transmit PTP messages using its own clock as a grandmaster clock, without requiring network infrastructure support for PTP message relay. This self-service approach allows the UE to perform time synchronization independently, eliminating the processing overhead and resource consumption that would otherwise be required by network elements
2Measurement precision
If PTP messages are relayed across the network, then time information is distributed to downstream devices, but over-the-air resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the PTP grandmaster clock functionality from the network infrastructure and places it in the UE. This enables the UE to generate PTP messages locally without requiring uplink transmissions to base stations for timestamping, thereby eliminating the over-the-air resource consumption associated with network-based PTP message relay while maintaining time synchronization accuracy
3Productivity
If UE is enabled to operate as PTP grand master clock, then resource consumption is reduced, but capability indication and parameter configuration are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the UE indicate its PTP grandmaster clock capability during initial communication setup with the network, and by having the network provide necessary PTP parameters to the UE in advance. This preliminary configuration enables the UE to autonomously generate PTP messages without requiring complex runtime negotiations or additional signaling, thus achieving high resource utilization efficiency while managing device complexity through upfront setup
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3
AI summary
Apparatus, methods, and computer-readable media for facilitating time synchronization functionality at user equipment are disclosed herein. An example method for wireless communication at a first device includes transmitting, to a second device, capability information indicating that the first device is capable of operating as a PTP grand master clock. The example method also includes receiving, from the second device, one or more PTP parameters based on the capability information indicating that the first device is capable of operating as a PTP grand master clock. Additionally, the example method includes generating, based on the one or more PTP parameters received from the second device, a first PTP message including time information. Further, the example method includes transmitting the first PTP message including the time information to one or more downstream devices in communication with the first device.