Synchronization for cellular telecommunications network
First Claim
1. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
- a master timing unit located at a control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit the first parameter being a first time stamp value t1 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is transmitted from the initiating timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit, the second parameter being a second time stamp value t2 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is received at the responding timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit uses the first parameter and the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Synchronization is effected in a cellular telecommunications network (20) between a master timing unit (60) located at control node (30) of the network and a slave timing unit (STU) located either at the control node or a controlled node, e.g., base station (22), of the network. In accomplishing the synchronization, one of the master timing unit or the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter (t1) to the other of the timing units which serves as a responding timing unit. In response, the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message which includes at least second parameter (t2) and preferably a third parameter (t3) to the initiating timing unit. The initiating unit uses e.g., parameters extracted from the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit. When the master timing unit is the initiating timing unit, the master timing unit transmits the synchronization adjustment value in a synchronization updating command message to the slave timing unit.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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a master timing unit located at a control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit the first parameter being a first time stamp value t1 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is transmitted from the initiating timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit, the second parameter being a second time stamp value t2 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is received at the responding timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit uses the first parameter and the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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a master timing unit located at a control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit determines a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit by using the first parameter and the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message and by comparing the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message with a predicted second parameter. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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17. The network of claim 16, wherein the synchronization adjustment value is determined as t2-predicted−
- t2.
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18. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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a master timing unit located at a control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit determines a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit by using the first parameter and the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message and by comparing the first parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message with predicted first parameter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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21. The network of claim 20, wherein the synchronization adjustment is determined as t1-predicted−
- t1.
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22. A method of operating cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter from an initiating timing unit to a responding timing unit, the initiating timing unit being one of a master timing unit located at control node of the network and a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit, the first parameter being a first time stamp value t1 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is transmitted from the initiating timing unit;
sending from the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit, and in response to the synchronization analysis command message, a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter, the second parameter being a second time stamp value t2 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is received at the responding timing unit;
using, at the initiating time unit, the first parameter and the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
using the synchronization analysis response message to determine whether a slave counter value maintained by a slave counter in the slave timing unit is within a predetermined range of a master counter value maintained by a master counter in the master timing unit; and
if the slave counter value is not within the predetermined range of the master counter value, sending from the master timing unit a set slave counter command message for loading a value related to the master counter value in the slave counter.
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31. The method of claim 30, further comprising, if the slave counter value is not within the predetermined range of the master counter value, the steps of:
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sending from the master timing unit a series of synchronization analysis command messages to the slave timing unit;
using a corresponding series of synchronization analysis return messages to determine a mean value of the round trip delay (RTD).
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32. The method of claim 22, further comprising
transmitting, from the initiating timing unit, a series of synchronization analysis command messages; -
responsively sending, from the responding timing unit, a corresponding series of synchronization analysis response messages; and
performing at least one of filtering and averaging of parameter values ascertained from the synchronization analysis response messages to determine an appropriate synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit.
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33. The method of claim 22, further comprising including in the synchronization analysis response message both the first parameter and the second parameter.
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34. A method of operating cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter from an initiating timing unit to a responding timing unit, the initiating timing unit being one of a master timing unit located at control node of the network and a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
sending from the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit, and in response to the synchronization analysis command message, a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter;
determining, at the initiating time unit, a synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit by using the first parameter and the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message and by comparing the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message with a predicted second parameter. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
including in the synchronization analysis message sent by the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit a third time stamp value t3 related to the time at which the synchronization analysis response message is sent from the responding timing unit; and
determining at the initiating timing unit a fourth time stamp value t4 indicative of a time of reception of the synchronization a analysis response message at the initiating timing unit; and
determining the predicted second time stamp value t2-predicted using the following relation;
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37. The method of claim 36, wherein the synchronization adjustment value is determined as t2-predicted−
- t2.
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38. A method of operating cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter from an initiating timing unit to a responding timing unit, the initiating timing unit being one of a master timing unit located at control node of the network and a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
sending from the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit, and in response to the synchronization analysis command message, a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter;
determining, at the initiating time unit, a synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit by using the first parameter and the second parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message and by comparing the first parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message with a predicted first parameter. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
including in the synchronization analysis message sent by the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit a third time stamp value t3 related to the time at which the synchronization analysis response message is sent from the responding timing unit; and
determining at the initiating timing unit a fourth time stamp value t4 indicative of a time of reception of the synchronization analysis response message at the initiating timing unit; and
determining the predicted first time stamp value t1-predicted using the following relation;
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41. The method of claim 40, wherein the synchronization adjustment value is determined as t1-predicted−
- t1.
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42. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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a master timing unit located at control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit, the second parameter indicative of a time at which the synchronization analysis command message was received at the responding timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit uses the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit.
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43. A method of operating cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter from an initiating timing unit to a responding timing unit, the initiating timing unit being one of a master timing unit located at control node of the network and a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
sending from the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit, and in response to the synchronization analysis command message, a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter indicative of when the synchronization analysis command message was received at the responding timing unit;
using the synchronization analysis response message at the initiating timing unit to determine a synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit.
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44. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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a master timing unit located at control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit uses the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit; and
wherein the initiating timing unit determines the synchronization updating value by comparing the second parameter included in tie synchronization analysis response message with a predicted second parameter. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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a master timing unit located at control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit;
wherein the first parameter is a first time stamp value t1 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is transmitted from the initiating timing unit and the second parameter is a second time stamp value t2 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is received at the responding timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit uses the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit;
wherein the synchronization analysis response message sent by the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit includes a third time stamp value t3 related to the time that the synchronization analysis response message is sent from the responding timing unit, wherein the initiating timing unit determines a fourth time stamp value t4 indicative of a time of reception of the synchronization sequence response message at the initiating timing unit, and wherein the predicted second time stamp value t2-predicted is determined as;
- View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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a master timing unit located at control node of the network;
a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network;
wherein one of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit serves as an initiating timing unit for transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter to a responding timing unit, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
wherein in response to the synchronization analysis command the responding timing unit sends a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter to the initiating timing unit;
wherein the initiating timing unit uses the synchronization analysis response message to determine a synchronization adjustment for the slave timing unit; and
wherein the initiating timing unit determines the synchronization updating value by comparing the first parameter included in the synchronization analysis response message with a predicted first parameter. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51)
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51. The network of claim 50, wherein the synchronization adjustment value is determined as t1-predicted−
- t1.
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52. A method of operating cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter from an initiating timing unit to a responding timing unit, the initiating timing unit being one of a master timing unit located at control node of the network and a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
sending from the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit, and in response to the synchronization analysis command message, a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter;
using the synchronization analysis response message at the initiating timing unit to determine a synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit;
wherein the first parameter is a first time stamp value t1 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is transmitted from the initiating timing unit and the second parameter is a second time stamp value t2 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is received at the responding timing unit;
including in the synchronization analysis message sent by the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit a third time stamp value t3 related to the time at which the synchronization analysis response message is sent from the responding timing unit; and
determining at the initiating timing unit a fourth time stamp value t4 indicative of a time of reception of the synchronization analysis response message at the initiating timing unit; and
determining the predicted second time stamp value t2-predicted using the following relation;
- View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A method of operating cellular telecommunications network comprising:
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transmitting a synchronization analysis command message including a first parameter from an initiating timing unit to a responding timing unit, the initiating timing unit being one of a master timing unit located at control node of the network and a slave timing unit located at the control node or a controlled node of the network, the responding timing unit being the other of the master timing unit and the slave timing unit;
sending from the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit, and in response to the synchronization analysis command message, a synchronization analysis response message including a second parameter;
using the synchronization analysis response message at the initiating timing unit to determine a synchronization adjustment value for the slave timing unit;
wherein the first parameter is a first time stamp value t1 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is transmitted from the initiating timing unit and the second parameter is a second time stamp value t2 related to the time that the synchronization analysis command message is received at the responding timing unit;
including in the synchronization analysis message sent by the responding timing unit to the initiating timing unit a third time stamp value t3 related to the time at which the synchronization analysis response message is sent from the responding timing unit; and
determining at the initiating timing unit a fourth time stamp value t4 indicative of a time of reception of the synchronization analysis response message at the initiating timing unit; and
determining the predicted first time stamp value t1-predicted using the following relation;
- View Dependent Claims (55)
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Specification