Apparatus for providing system clock synchronized to a network universally

• US 20050135530A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Jae Jeong, Jung, Hae Won, Kim, Young Sun, Joo, Bheom Soon
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/376
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0012 by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for providing a system clock synchronized to a network universally. The apparatus includes a network synchronization reference signal generating unit that outputs a reference signal for network synchronization; a network synchronization controller that generates a first control voltage that allows a first clock pulse to be in synchronization with the reference signal for network synchronization; an OVCXO that generates the first clock pulse by application of the first control voltage; a system synchronization reference signal generator that generates reference signals for system synchronization; a system synchronization controller that generates a second control voltage that allows the system clock to be in synchronization with the reference signal for system synchronization; a VCO that generates a second clock pulse by application of the second control voltage; and a system clock generator that outputs the system clock. Accordingly, it is possible to apply to systems requiring network synchronization.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating a system clock in synchronization with a network, comprising:

a network synchronization reference signal generator receiving at least one reference signal from a communications network, selecting one of the received reference signal, frequency-dividing the selected reference signal, and outputting a reference signal for network synchronization;

a network synchronization controller receiving the reference signal for network synchronization and a first clock pulse, and generating a first control voltage that allows the first clock pulse to be in synchronization with the reference signal for network synchronization;

an ovenized voltage-controlled crystal oscillator (OVCXO) generating the first clock pulse whose phase and frequency are changed by application of the first control voltage;

a system synchronization reference signal generator receiving the first clock pulse, frequency-dividing the first clock pulse, and generating different reference signals for system synchronization according to types of systems, the reference signal for system synchronization being used for synchronizing the system clock;

a system synchronization controller receiving the reference signal for system synchronization and the system clock, and generating a second control voltage that allows the system clock to be in synchronization with the reference signal for system synchronization;

a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) generating a second clock pulse whose phase and frequency are changed by application of the second control voltage; and

a system clock generator receiving the second clock pulse, frequency-dividing the second clock pulse, and outputting the system clock.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network synchronization controller comprises:

a network synchronization comparison signal generator receiving the first clock pulse and a predetermined set value for frequency dividing, frequency-dividing the first clock pulse using the set value for frequency dividing, and outputting a comparison signal for network synchronization;

a digital phase/frequency detector receiving the reference signal for network synchronization and the comparison signal for network synchronization, and detecting and outputting digital values corresponding to differences in phase and frequency between the reference signal for network synchronization and the comparison signal for network synchronization;

a dual-port random access memory storing and outputting the digital values;

a controller receiving the digital voltage values from the dual-port random access memory, outputting digital values for controlling the OVCXO such that the phase and frequency of the comparison signal for network synchronization are equivalent to the phase and frequency of the reference signal for network synchronization, and outputting the set value for frequency dividing; and

a digital-to-analog converter receiving the digital value for the OVCXO control voltage, and converting the digital value into the first control voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system synchronization controller comprises:

a system synchronization comparison signal generator receiving the system clock, frequency-dividing the system clock, and outputting a comparison signal for system synchronization;

an analog phase/frequency detector receiving the reference signal for system synchronization and the comparison signal for system synchronization, and detecting and outputting analog values corresponding to differences in phase and frequency between the reference signal for system synchronization and the comparison signal for system synchronization; and

a low-pass filter performing one of low-pass filtering and integrating of the differences in phase and frequency, and outputting the second control voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the OVCXO has frequency characteristics of 5 MHz or 10 MHz and has a precision of 1×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to 5×

10<sup>−

10</sup> Hz according to a hierarchy of a system in the network, the system including the apparatus for generating the system clock in synchronization with the network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage-controlled oscillator has frequency characteristics of several GHz and a frequency deviation of 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> to 1×

10<sup>−

4</sup>.