Wireless Timing Synchronization for Industrial Machine Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication systems do not effectively utilize timing synchronization signals for controlling precisely time-synchronized devices like industrial machines, as they rely on Ethernet networks rather than wireless links for timing synchronization.
Innovation Solution
A dual-interface user equipment (UE) receives timing synchronization signals over a cellular wireless link, synchronizes a local clock with a base station clock, and configures a timer function to transmit timing control signals to connected devices via a local wired interface, leveraging cellular timing synchronization for industrial machine control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless communication systems use traditional Ethernet networks for timing synchronization, then synchronization reliability is improved, but adaptability to wireless environments and ease of deployment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an air interface synchronization module as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between wireless communication and precision timing synchronization. This module receives timing synchronization signals over the air interface from a donor base station, converts them to PTP time, and provides synchronized timing to local communication networks, thereby enabling wireless-based PTP synchronization without requiring traditional Ethernet infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional wired Ethernet-based synchronization mechanism with a wireless air interface-based mechanism. Instead of using physical Ethernet connections and dedicated hardware for deterministic delay calculations, the system uses wireless timing synchronization signals and software-based PTP protocol implementation, eliminating the need for physical Ethernet infrastructure while maintaining synchronization capability.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated hardware support is implemented for deterministic delay calculations, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces dedicated hardware support for deterministic delay calculations with software-based processing. The air interface synchronization module implements PTP protocol and performs delay calculations using software algorithms rather than specialized hardware circuits, reducing device complexity while maintaining the precision needed for timing synchronization through careful software design and processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes general-purpose processors and software modules perform the function previously reserved for dedicated hardware. The air interface synchronization module, implemented as software, handles timing synchronization, delay calculation, and PTP protocol processing that traditionally required specialized hardware, thereby reducing overall system complexity and enabling broader deployment across different device types.
3Ease of operation
If wireless timing synchronization signals are used for industrial machine control, then ease of deployment is improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The air interface synchronization module serves as an intermediary that receives wireless timing synchronization signals and processes them through PTP protocol conversion. This intermediary layer compensates for wireless channel variations and timing jitter by implementing sophisticated delay measurement and compensation algorithms, thereby maintaining high precision even though the underlying wireless connection is inherently less stable than wired connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the synchronization system continuously monitors timing deviations and adjusts its operations accordingly. By measuring actual timing delays and using this information to compensate for future timing calculations, the system maintains high precision despite the variable nature of wireless channels, ensuring accurate synchronization for industrial applications.
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A first node (e.g., a user equipment (UE)) may receive a timing synchronization signal from a second node (e.g., a base station) over a cellular wireless communication link. In some aspects, the timing synchronization signal may indicate mapping information to synchronize the first node with the second node. The mapping information may be for synchronizing a first time of a first clock of the first node to a second time of a second clock of a second node. The first node may synchronize the first time of the first clock to the second time of the second clock based at least in part on the mapping information and the synchronization information. The first node may transmit a timing control based on a timing of the second clock to a device connected to the first node via a local wired interface.