Anonymous time synchronization method
First Claim
1. For use with a communication network including a node which maintains a local time scale and a reference time source which maintains a reference time scale, a method for synchronizing the local time scale with the reference time scale comprising the steps of:
- receiving synchronization messages broadcast from the reference time source according to a predetermined protocol, at least two of the synchronization messages containing a reference time stamp denoting a time of a respective event according to the reference time scale;
associating local time stamp marks with the received synchronization messages, the local time stamp marks denoting respective events of reception of the synchronization messages according to the local time scale, the step of associating being performed in accordance with the predetermined protocol, thereby defining temporal relationships between certain ones of the reference time stamps of the synchronization messages and certain ones of the local time stamp marks;
identifying a first time, which is one of a local time stamp mark and a reference time stamp from one of the synchronization messages, and second and third times, which are the other of local time stamp marks and reference time stamps from two of the synchronization messages, the first, second, and third times being identified in accordance with the defined temporal relationships between the events denoted by the times, such that the event denoted by the first time falls between the events denoted by the second and third times;
determining a difference between the first time and a time related to the second and third times; and
updating the local time scale to compensate for the difference between the first time and the time related to the second and third times.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for synchronizing a local time maintained at a node within a network architecture with a reference time. Bursts of synchronization messages containing reference time stamps are transmitted over a network or communication link according to a predetermined protocol. A node to be synchronized receives and time stamps the messages. Thus, times according to a first time scale and a second time scale are obtained, and the protocol defines temporal relationships between certain ones of the times. In accordance with the predetermined protocol, the node determines a difference between a first time according to one of the time scales and a time related to second and third times according to the other time scale. The node then updates its local time based on the difference between the first time and the related time. This synchronization method provides a well-defined upper bound of synchronization error, and allows the nodes receiving the messages to synchronize their internal times based only on information contained in the received messages and their internally, generated local time stamp marks. Therefore, no "round trip" or handshaking messages are necessary to define the needed temporal relationships between the times according to the first and second scales. Thus, it is not necessary that the reference time source know the identities of the nodes which synchronize themselves based on the messages. The node also maintains a global precision value, which estimates its time synchronization error, by resetting the value when the node is synchronized, and updating the value as the node operates. Responsive to the global precision exceeding various thresholds, the node requests resynchronization or sends synchronization messages based on its internal time.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. For use with a communication network including a node which maintains a local time scale and a reference time source which maintains a reference time scale, a method for synchronizing the local time scale with the reference time scale comprising the steps of:
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receiving synchronization messages broadcast from the reference time source according to a predetermined protocol, at least two of the synchronization messages containing a reference time stamp denoting a time of a respective event according to the reference time scale; associating local time stamp marks with the received synchronization messages, the local time stamp marks denoting respective events of reception of the synchronization messages according to the local time scale, the step of associating being performed in accordance with the predetermined protocol, thereby defining temporal relationships between certain ones of the reference time stamps of the synchronization messages and certain ones of the local time stamp marks; identifying a first time, which is one of a local time stamp mark and a reference time stamp from one of the synchronization messages, and second and third times, which are the other of local time stamp marks and reference time stamps from two of the synchronization messages, the first, second, and third times being identified in accordance with the defined temporal relationships between the events denoted by the times, such that the event denoted by the first time falls between the events denoted by the second and third times; determining a difference between the first time and a time related to the second and third times; and updating the local time scale to compensate for the difference between the first time and the time related to the second and third times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification