Method and system for synchronizing a network of RF devices

• US 20070178921A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Cutler, Robert, Engel, Glen, Edison, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0638 Clock or time synchronisation among nodes; Internode synchronisation synchronization for ring networks H04L12/422; data switching networks with synchronous transmission H04L12/43

Abstract

A network of RF devices is connected to a central processing device and a common network clock. The central processing device and the RF devices exchange timing information in order to synchronize the network of RF devices to a common time defined by the common network clock.

Claims

1. An RF device for use in a network of RF devices, comprising:

a network controller connected to a network connection; and

a time controller operable to exchange timing information with the network controller and synchronize a receiver clock to a common time using the exchanged timing information.

2. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the RF device comprises an RF receiver.

3. The RF device of claim 2, wherein the exchanged timing information is used as a frequency reference for the RF receiver.

4. The RF device of claim 2, further comprising:

a downconverter connected to an antenna;

a digitizer connected to the downconverter;

a memory connected to the digitizer;

a digital signal processing device connected to the memory and the time controller; and

a device controller connected to the digital signal processing device and the network controller.

5. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the RF device comprises an RF emitter.

6. The RF device of claim 5, further comprising:

an upconverter connected to an antenna;

a digital-to-analog converter connected to the upconverter;

a memory connected to the digital-to-analog converter;

a digital signal processing device connected to the memory and the time controller; and

a device controller connected to the digital signal processing device and the network controller.

7. The RF device of claim 1, wherein the time controller is operable to synchronize the receiver clock to the common time with a timing accuracy of at least 50 nanoseconds and a standard deviation of less than 30 nanoseconds.

8. A network, comprising:

a central processing device; and

a plurality of RF devices each connected to the central processing device through one or more network connections, wherein each RF device includes a network controller configured to exchange timing information with the central processing device and a time controller configured to synchronize a receiver clock to a common time using the exchanged timing information.

9. The network of claim 8, further comprising a common network clock.

10. The network of claim 8, wherein the common network clock is integrated within one RF device in the plurality of RF devices.

11. The network of claim 8, wherein the common network clock is integrated within the central processing device.

12. The network of claim 8, wherein the central processing device comprises a computing device.

13. The network of claim 8, wherein one or more RF devices in the plurality of RF devices comprise an RF receiver.

14. The network of claim 8, wherein one or more RF devices in the plurality of RF devices comprise an RF emitter.

15. A method for synchronizing a network of RF devices to a common time defined by a common network clock, wherein the network of RF devices are connected to a central processing device, the method comprising:

exchanging timing information between the central processing device and each of the RF devices in the network of RF devices; and

synchronizing a receiver clock in each RF device in the network of RF devices to a common time using the exchanged timing information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting data to and from an RF device in the network of RF devices over one or more wired network connections.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting data to and from an RF device in the network of RF devices over one or more wireless network connections.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising using the exchanged timing information as a frequency reference for at least one of the RF devices in the network of RF devices.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the network of RF devices comprise a network of RF receivers.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the network of RF devices comprise a network of RF emitters.