Wireless Device Time Synchronization via Software Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in achieving precise time synchronization between wireless devices without relying on costly hardware, as software implementations often result in poor precision, leading to noticeable unsynchronization issues in audio playback systems.

Innovation Solution

A method for time synchronization between wireless devices that computes and filters time differences during data packet transmission, applies smoothing processing to obtain an average time difference, and adjusts system time to achieve high precision synchronization without additional hardware, using broadcast or multicast data packets to avoid transmission errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If hardware implementation is used for time synchronization, then time synchronization precision is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime synchronization precisionVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces hardware-based time synchronization mechanisms with a software-based solution that uses data packet transmission timing and computational algorithms (validity filtering and smoothing processing) to achieve precise time synchronization between wireless devices, thereby eliminating the need for expensive additional hardware while maintaining high synchronization precision of less than 1ms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the approach from hardware parameter adjustment to software parameter processing by computing time differences based on data packet transmission timestamps, applying validity filtering to remove abnormal data, and using smoothing processing to calculate average time differences, thereby achieving precise synchronization through parameter computation rather than hardware modification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If software implementation is used for time synchronization, then cost is reduced, but time synchronization precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidtime synchronization precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the computing device continuously monitors time differences between itself and remote devices, applies validity filtering to identify and remove abnormal time difference data, performs smoothing processing on valid data to calculate average time differences, and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust system time, thereby achieving high precision synchronization through iterative software-based correction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies excessive processing actions to software time synchronization by implementing multiple layers of data processing (validity filtering followed by smoothing processing) on time difference measurements, which compensates for the inherent imprecision of software-based timing and achieves synchronization precision comparable to hardware solutions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3157295B1Method for time synchronization between wireless devices, wireless device and wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 GOERTEK INC
  • EP3157295B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3157295B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3157295B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The present disclosure discloses a method for time synchronization between wireless devices, a wireless device, and a wireless communication system. The method comprises: obtaining a time difference corresponding to a single synchronization operation between a first wireless device and a second wireless device; performing validity filtering to the time difference corresponding to the single synchronization operation, and extracting valid time difference data; performing smoothing processing on valid time difference data corresponding to multiple times of the single synchronization operation within a preset time period, and obtaining an average time difference of the second wireless device relative to the first wireless device within the preset time period; adjusting system time of the second wireless device based on the obtained average time difference at an interval of the preset time period, so as to make the second wireless device time-synchronized with the first wireless device. The technical solution according to the present disclosure implements highly precise time synchronization between wireless devices in a software manner independent of hardware.