Autonomous Vehicle Clock Drift Correction for Comparable Timestamps
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Solution Overview
Problem
In complex systems like autonomous vehicles, clock drift occurs when clocks synchronize with a common master clock becomes unavailable, leading to divergent timestamps and potential operational errors.
Innovation Solution
The system monitors clock drift between clocks and corrects timestamps to ensure comparability, even when the common master clock is unavailable, by determining the clock drift value and applying it to adjust timestamps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If clocks in different devices are synchronized with a common master clock, then timestamp comparability is maintained, but system reliability deteriorates when the master clock becomes unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores clock drift values between device clocks before master clock failure occurs. When the master clock becomes unavailable, these pre-computed drift values are immediately applied to maintain timestamp comparability without requiring real-time master clock synchronization, thus ensuring both timestamp precision and system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary clock drift compensation mechanism that acts as a mediator between device clocks when the master clock is unavailable. Instead of directly synchronizing with the missing master clock, devices use the computed drift values as an intermediary reference to maintain relative time alignment and timestamp comparability.
2Productivity
If the system continues operation without master clock synchronization, then productivity is maintained, but measurement precision of timestamps deteriorates due to clock drift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical synchronization system (relying on continuous master clock signals) with a computational approach. Clock drift values are calculated and applied through software-based timestamp adjustment, allowing the system to maintain both operational continuity and timestamp accuracy without physical master clock connectivity.
3Measurement precision
If clock drift correction is implemented, then timestamp comparability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring and correction mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the clock drift compensation functionality from the central master clock system and implements it as a standalone computational module in each device. This extraction allows timestamp correction to be performed locally using pre-computed drift values, improving timestamp comparability while avoiding the complexity of a centralized monitoring and correction infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided techniques including a system, method, and computer-readable medium for clock drift monitoring and correction for autonomous vehicles. The method may include the steps of: determining that a first clock or a second clock of a vehicle is unable to synchronize with a common master clock of the vehicle according to a clock synchronization protocol, wherein the first clock and the second clock are associated with a first device and a second device of the vehicle respectively; and in response: determining a first value indicating a relative clock drift between the first clock and the second clock; determining a first time associated with data provided by the second device to the first device, the first time being determined according to the second clock; and determining a corrected first time according to the first clock based at least in part on the first value and the first time.