Systems and methods for synchronizing the internal clocks of a plurality of processor modules
First Claim
1. In a multiprocessor system comprising a plurality of processor modules, each one of the plurality of processor modules comprising an internal clock, a method for maintaining a substantially consistent running clock for the multiprocessor system, the method comprising:
- (a) designating one processor module to be a master processor module having a master internal clock;
(b) designating each other processor module to be a slave processor module having a slave processor module internal clock; and
(c) synchronizing each slave processor module internal clock by, for each slave processor module, (i) requesting, by the slave processor module at a first time according to the slave processor module internal clock, a current time according to the master internal clock;
(ii) receiving, by the slave processor module at a second time according to the slave processor module internal clock, the current time according to the master internal clock;
(iii) computing, by the slave processor module, an expected time by using at least the first time according to the slave processor module internal clock and the second time according to the slave processor module internal clock;
(iv) determining, by the slave processor module, whether the expected time differs from the received current time according to the master internal clock; and
(v) upon determining that the expected time differs from the received current time according to the master internal clock, correcting, by the slave processor module, the slave processor module internal clock.
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Abstract
In a multiprocessor system that includes a plurality of processor modules, each one of which includes its own internal clock, one of the plurality of processor modules is designated as a master processor module having a master internal clock. Each other processor module is designated as a slave processor module having a slave processor module internal clock. Each slave processor module synchronizes its internal clock with the master internal clock.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a multiprocessor system comprising a plurality of processor modules, each one of the plurality of processor modules comprising an internal clock, a method for maintaining a substantially consistent running clock for the multiprocessor system, the method comprising:
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(a) designating one processor module to be a master processor module having a master internal clock;
(b) designating each other processor module to be a slave processor module having a slave processor module internal clock; and
(c) synchronizing each slave processor module internal clock by, for each slave processor module, (i) requesting, by the slave processor module at a first time according to the slave processor module internal clock, a current time according to the master internal clock;
(ii) receiving, by the slave processor module at a second time according to the slave processor module internal clock, the current time according to the master internal clock;
(iii) computing, by the slave processor module, an expected time by using at least the first time according to the slave processor module internal clock and the second time according to the slave processor module internal clock;
(iv) determining, by the slave processor module, whether the expected time differs from the received current time according to the master internal clock; and
(v) upon determining that the expected time differs from the received current time according to the master internal clock, correcting, by the slave processor module, the slave processor module internal clock. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A multiprocessor system for maintaining a substantially consistent running clock, comprising:
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a master processor module comprising a master internal clock; and
at least one slave processor module comprising a slave processor module internal clock, the at least one slave processor module configured to;
(a) request, at a first time according to the slave processor module internal clock, a current time according to the master internal clock;
(b) receive, at a second time according to the slave processor module internal clock, the current time according to the master internal clock;
(c) compute an expected time by using at least the first time according to the slave processor module internal clock and the second time according to the slave processor module internal clock;
(d) determine whether the expected time differs from the received current time according to the master internal clock; and
(e) correct, upon determining that the expected time differs from the received current time according to the master internal clock, the slave processor module internal clock.
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Specification