Apparatus and method for providing synchronization of base-stations in a communication system

• US 6,308,077 B1
• Filed: 10/02/1992
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walsh, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US07/955,768
• Time in Patent Office: 3,308 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.2, 455/33.1, 455/51.1, 455/51.2, 455/54.1, 455/502, 455/503, 455/67.1, 455/67.6, 375/108, 375/109, 375/40, 375/356, 375/357, 375/358, 340/825.01, 331/49
• US Class Current: 455/503
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2125 Synchronisation

Abstract

A communication system (105) utilizes the global positioning system (GPS) to maintain a high degree of accuracy of synchronization of base-stations (115-116). When the GPS signal (106, 107, or 108) is absent, the communication system (105) employs an alternate signal (110-113), such as a WWVB, LORAN-C, and MSF signal, to provide redundant synchronization of the base-stations (115-116). To achieve the degree of synchronization accuracy provided by the GPS signal (106-108), the communication system (105) characterizes the alternate signal (110-113) by utilizing the GPS signal (106-108) when the GPS signal (106-108) is present. When the GPS signal (106-108) is absent, the characterized alternate signal is then employed such that synchronization of the base-stations (115-116) is transparent to the base-stations (115, 116). Use of the GPS signal (106-108) to characterize the alternate signal (110-113) also allows the characterized alternate signal to provide the same degree of accuracy as that of the GPS signal (106-108).

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing synchronization for a base-station in a communication system, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first clocking signal from a source external to the base station, the first clocking signal having a first frequency with a first stability and utilized for synchronization when available;

means for providing a second clocking signal having a second frequency with a second stability, the second stability being less than the first stability;

means for characterizing the second stability of the second clocking signal utilizing said first clocking signal to produce characterization information; and

means, coupled to said means for characterizing, for employing said second clocking signal and said characterization information for synchronization when said first clocking signal is absent.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first clocking signal is a global positioning system (GPS) clocking signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second clocking signal is a LOng RAnge Navigation (LORAN) clocking signal, a signal output from a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) or a spanline clock.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus provides synchronization between base-stations of a communication system.

5. A base-station in a communication system employing an apparatus for providing synchronization, the base-station comprising:

means for receiving a first clocking signal from a source external to the base station, said first clocking signal having a first clocking rate with a first stability;

means for receiving a second clocking signal having a second clocking rate with a second stability, the second stability being worse than the first stability;

means for improving the stability of said second clocking rate of said second clocking signal utilizing said first clocking rate by comparing said first clocking rate and said second clocking rate over a period of time and generating characterization information; and

means for employing said second clocking signal and said characterization information for synchronization when said first clocking signal is absent.

6. The base-station of claim 5 wherein said first clocking signal is a global positioning system (GPS) clocking signal.

7. The base-station of claim 5 wherein said second clocking signal is a LOng RAnge Navigation (LORAN) clocking signal, a signal output from a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) or a spanline clock.

8. The base-station of claim 5 wherein said first clocking signal provides greater synchronization accuracy than the second clocking signal having improved accuracy.

9. A cellular radiotelephone system requiring synchronization between base-stations, the base-stations being initially synchronized to one another by a global positioning system (GPS) signal having a known clocking rate, the cellular radiotelephone system comprising:

a first base-station employing means for receiving the GPS signal and means for receiving a low frequency (LF) signal transmitted by a LF transmitter, said LF signal having a clocking rate less than said known clocking rate of said GPS signal;

a second base-station employing means for receiving the GPS signal and means for receiving said LF signal transmitted by said LF transmitter;

means, at each base-station, for characterizing each received LF signal utilizing each received GPS signal to produce a signal having a time-transferred clocking rate;

means, when said GPS signal is removed, for employing said signal having a time-transferred clocking rate to provide the required synchronization between said base-stations.

10. The cellular radiotelephone system of claim 9 wherein said GPS signal provides greater synchronization accuracy than an un-characterized LF signal.

11. The cellular radiotelephone system of claim 10 wherein said means for employing further comprises means for employing said signal having a time-transferred clocking rate to provide synchronization accuracy as that of said GPS signal.

12. A method of providing synchronization for a base-station in a communication system, the method comprising:

comparing a first clocking signal received from a source external to the base station to an alternate clocking source;

characterizing, based on the step of comparing, the differences between said first clocking signal and said alternate clocking source to provide characterization information operable to improve the stability of said alternate clocking source; and

employing said alternate clocking source and said characterization information for synchronization when said first clocking signal is absent.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said step of comparing said first clocking signal and said alternate clocking source further comprises comparing either a frequency or phase of said first clocking signal and said alternate clocking source.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of employing further comprises the step of employing said second clocking signal having improved accuracy to provide synchronization accuracy as that of said first clocking signal.

15. An apparatus for providing synchronization comprising:

means for receiving a first clocking signal from a source external to the apparatus;

means for providing a second clocking signal, wherein the second clocking signal is less stable than the first clocking signal;

means for comparing the first clocking signal to the second clocking signal;

means for characterizing the second clocking signal based on the first clocking signal to generate characterization information operable for increasing the stability of the second clocking signal; and

means for employing the second clocking signal and the characterization information when the first clocking signal is absent.

16. An apparatus for providing synchronization comprising:

a receiver for receiving a first clocking signal from a source external to the apparatus;

a localized oscillator to provide a second clocking signal;

a microprocessor for digital filtering the first clocking signal to remove errors associated with the first clocking signal and for determining a change over time in the second clocking signal with respect to the first clocking signal; and

means for adjusting the second clocking signal based on the determined change over time when the first clocking signal is unavailable.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for adjusting the second clocking signal based on the determined change over time further comprises means for adjusting a frequency of the second clocking signal based on the determined change over time.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is coupled to a base-station of a cellular radiotelephone system.

19. A wireless communication system requiring synchronization between fixed stations, the wireless communication system comprising:

means, at a first fixed station, for receiving a clocking signal having a high stability and means for receiving a first clocking signal having a low stability;

means, at a second fixed station, for receiving the clocking signal having a high stability and means for receiving a second clocking signal having a low stability;

means, at each fixed station, for comparing each received first and second clocking signals having a low stability with the clocking signal having a high stability to produce comparison information;

means, when the clocking signal having a high stability is removed, for employing the clocking signal having a low stability and the comparison information to provide the required synchronization between the fixed stations.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 19 wherein the means for employing further comprises means for employing the clocking signal having a low stability and the comparison information to provide synchronization stability substantially as that of the clocking signal having a high stability.

21. The wireless communication system of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication system further comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular radiotelephone system, a time division multiple access (TDMA) cellular radiotelephone system or a paging system.