Management of synchronization network
DC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operating a synchronization network that includes a plurality of nodes, wherein reference clocks are distributed to each node in the synchronization network, the method comprising:
- at each of the nodes, storing a table that includes a most recent status of the synchronization network, said network synchronization status including, for all of the nodes in the network, information indicating a primary synchronization reference for each node, whether each node has one or more secondary synchronization references, a priority indication for each of the synchronization references for each node, succession of nodes through which each synchronization reference can be traced from each node to the reference, and an indication of which reference is currently being used by each node;
detecting a change in synchronization status at a first node in the synchronization network;
at the first node, updating the table to represent a first updated status of the synchronization network; and
using a synchronization network management protocol to distribute the first updated status from the first node to other nodes in the synchronization network.
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Abstract
Operation of a synchronization network that includes a number of nodes and reference clock distribution logic includes, at each of the nodes, storing a table that represents a most recent status of the synchronization network. Reference clocks are then distributed to each node in the synchronization network. If a change in synchronization status occurs at a node in the synchronization network, this change is detected. The table at the node is updated to represent an updated status of the synchronization network. Then, a synchronization network management protocol is used to distribute the updated status to other nodes in the synchronization network. Other nodes may change their status in response to receipt of the updated information, and information about these additional updates are distributed throughout the synchronization network in a similar manner, thereby facilitating control of the synchronization network.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of operating a synchronization network that includes a plurality of nodes, wherein reference clocks are distributed to each node in the synchronization network, the method comprising:
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at each of the nodes, storing a table that includes a most recent status of the synchronization network, said network synchronization status including, for all of the nodes in the network, information indicating a primary synchronization reference for each node, whether each node has one or more secondary synchronization references, a priority indication for each of the synchronization references for each node, succession of nodes through which each synchronization reference can be traced from each node to the reference, and an indication of which reference is currently being used by each node;
detecting a change in synchronization status at a first node in the synchronization network;
at the first node, updating the table to represent a first updated status of the synchronization network; and
using a synchronization network management protocol to distribute the first updated status from the first node to other nodes in the synchronization network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
at a second node in the synchronization network, changing the synchronization information for the second node in response to receiving the first updated status generated by the first node;
at the second node, updating the table to include a second updated status of the synchronization network; and
using the synchronization network management protocol to distribute the second updated status from the second node to other nodes in the synchronization network.
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3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
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receiving the first updated status in an integrated synchronization network management network node;
generating by the integrated synchronization network management network node, one or more synchronization network control commands in response to the first updated status; and
using the synchronization network management protocol to distribute the one or more synchronization network control commands from the integrated synchronization network management network node to one or more targeted nodes in the synchronization network.
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4. The method of claim 1 wherein the table includes a supervision result for each node in the network, said supervision result indicating a quality level of at least one synchronization parameter.
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5. A method of maintaining synchronization configuration status information in a synchronization network that includes a first node and second node, the method comprising:
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periodically sending a first “
Sync Hello”
packet from the first node to the second node, wherein the first “
Sync Hello”
packet includes most recent information about synchronization status of the first node;
periodically sending a second “
Sync Hello”
packet from the second node to the first node, wherein the second “
Sync Hello”
packet includes most recent information about synchronization status of the second node;
detecting in the first node, a failure of a synchronization link between the first node and a primary synchronization source for the first node; and
sending a “
Sync Link State Update”
packet from the first node to the second node, wherein the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet includes information about the failure of the synchronization link between the first node and the primary synchronization source for the first node.- View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
in response to receipt of the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet in the second node, sending a “
Sync Link State Acknowledgment”
packet from the second node to the first node.
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7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:
initializing a third node in the synchronization network, said initializing step including sending a “
Sync Link State Request”
packet from the third node to the first node to update the synchronization configuration status information for the synchronization network.
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8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
in response to receipt of the “
Sync Link State Request”
packet from the third node, sending a “
Sync Link State Update”
packet from the first node to the third node, wherein the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet includes information about the synchronization status of the first node.
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9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:
in response to receipt of the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet in the third node, sending a “
Sync Link State Acknowledgment”
packet from the third node to the first node.
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10. A method of configuring a first node in a synchronization network, the method comprising:
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sending a configuration packet from a central management network node to the first node, wherein the configuration packet includes one or more synchronization configuration commands;
in the first node, carrying out the one or more synchronization configuration commands, and generating therefrom an updated synchronization status for the first node;
sending a “
Sync Link State Update”
packet from the first node to the central management network node, wherein the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet includes the updated synchronization status for the first node; and
in response to receipt of the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet in the central management network node, sending a “
Sync Link State Acknowledge”
packet from the central management network node to the first node acknowledging receipt of the updated synchronization status for the first node.
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11. A method of updating a database in a first node in a synchronization network, the method comprising:
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populating the database in the first node with synchronization information for the first node;
sending a “
Sync Hello”
packet from the first node to a second node in the synchronization network, said “
Sync Hello”
packet including information about the synchronization status of the first node;
in response to receipt of the “
Sync Hello”
packet in the second node;
updating a database in the second node with the information about the synchronization status of the first node; and
sending a first “
Sync Database Description”
packet from the second node to the first node, wherein the first “
Sync Database Description”
packet includes information about the synchronization status of the second node; and
in the first node, updating the database with the information about the synchronization status of the second node. - View Dependent Claims (12)
acknowledging receipt of the first “
Sync Database Description”
packet in the first node by sending a second “
Sync Database Description”
packet from the first node to the second node.
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13. An apparatus for operating a synchronization network that comprises a plurality of nodes and logic that distributes reference clocks to each node in the synchronization network, the apparatus comprising:
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at each of the nodes, logic that stores a table that includes a most recent status of the synchronization network, said network synchronization status including, for all of the nodes in the network, information indicating a primary synchronization reference for each node, whether each node has one or more secondary synchronization references, a priority indication for each of the synchronization references for each node, a succession of nodes through which each synchronization reference can be traced from each node to the reference, and an indication of which reference is currently being used by each node;
logic that detects a change in synchronization status at a first node in the synchronization network;
at the first node, logic that updates the table to represent a first updated status of the synchronization network; and
logic that uses a synchronization network management protocol to distribute the first updated status from the first node to other nodes in the synchronization network. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
at a second node in the synchronization network, logic that changes the synchronization information for the second node in response to receiving the first updated status generated by the first node;
at the second node, logic that updates the table to include a second updated status of the synchronization network; and
logic that uses the synchronization network management protocol to distribute the second updated status from the second node to other nodes in the synchronization network.
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15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:
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logic that receives the first updated status in an integrated synchronization network management network node;
logic in the integrated synchronization network management network node that generates one or more synchronization network control commands in response to the first updated status; and
logic that uses the synchronization network management protocol to distribute the one or more synchronization network control commands from the integrated synchronization network management network node to one or more targeted nodes in the synchronization network.
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16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the table includes a supervision result for each node in the network, said supervision result indicating a quality level of at least one synchronization parameter.
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17. An apparatus for maintaining synchronization configuration status information in a synchronization network that includes a first node and a second node, the apparatus comprising:
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logic that periodically sends a first “
Sync Hello”
packet from the first node to the second node, wherein the first “
Sync Hello”
packet includes most recent information about synchronization status of the first node;
logic that periodically sends a second “
Sync Hello”
packet from the second node to the first node, wherein the second “
Sync Hello”
packet includes most recent information about synchronization status of the second node;
logic in the first node that detects a failure of a synchronization link between the first node and a primary synchronization source for the first node; and
logic that sends a “
Sync Link State Update”
Packet from the first node to the second node, wherein the “
Sync Link State Update”
Packet includes information about the failure of the synchronization link between the first node and the primary synchronization source for the first node.- View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
logic in the second node that sends a “
Sync Link State Acknowledgment”
packet from the second node to the first node in response to receipt of the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet by the second node.
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19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:
logic in a third node in the synchronization network that initializes the third node, including sending a “
Sync Link State Request”
packet from the third node to the first node to update the synchronization configuration status information for the synchronization network.
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20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:
logic in the first node that sends a “
Sync Link State Update”
packet from the first node to the third node in response to receipt of the “
Sync Link State Request”
packet from the third node, wherein the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet includes information about the synchronization status of the first node.
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21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:
logic in the third node that sends a “
Sync Link State Acknowledgment”
packet from the third node to the first node in response to receipt of the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet in the third node.
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22. An apparatus for configuring a first node in a synchronization network, the apparatus comprising:
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logic in a central management network node that sends a configuration packet from the central management network node to the first node, wherein the configuration packet includes one or more synchronization configuration commands;
in the first node, logic that carries out the one or more synchronization configuration commands, and generates therefrom an updated synchronization status for the first node;
logic that sends a “
Sync Link State Update”
packet from the first node to the central management network node, wherein the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet includes the updated synchronization status for the first node; and
logic in the central management network node that sends a “
Sync Link State Acknowledge”
packet from the central management network node to the first node acknowledging receipt of the updated synchronization status for the first node in the “
Sync Link State Update”
packet.
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23. An apparatus for updating a database in a first node in a synchronization network, the apparatus comprising:
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logic in the first node that populates the database in the first node with synchronization information for the first node;
logic that sends a “
Sync Hello”
packet from the first node to a second node in the synchronization network, said “
Sync Hello”
packet including information about the synchronization status of the first node;
logic in the second node that updates a database in the second node with the information about the synchronization status of the first node and sends a first “
Sync Database Description”
packet from the second node to the first node in response to receipt of the “
Sync Hello”
packet, wherein the first “
Sync Database Description”
packet includes information about the synchronization status of the second node; and
in the first node, logic that updates the database with the information about the synchronization status of the second node. - View Dependent Claims (24)
logic in the first node that acknowledges receipt of the first “
Sync Database Description”
packet in the first node by sending a second “
Sync Database Description”
packet from the first node to the second node.
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeProduction Resource Group LLC
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Original AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
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InventorsRuffini, Stefano
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Primary Examiner(s)Tran, Congvan
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Application NumberUS09/706,727Time in Patent Office1,232 DaysField of Search455/502, 455/402, 455/418, 455/428-439, 455/26.1, 455/78, 455/560, 455/191.3, 455/445, 370/351, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 370/358, 370/360US Class Current455/502CPC Class CodesH04J 3/0641 Change of the master or ref...H04J 3/0658 Clock or time synchronisati...
