Systems and methods for synchronizing time stamps
First Claim
1. In a system that includes a plurality of boxes, wherein each box includes a plurality of blades and each blade has one or more ports, wherein a domain includes a plurality of ports that are selected from the plurality of boxes, a method for synchronizing a time stamp counter of each port in the domain, the method comprising:
- generating a clock signal at a master box;
adjusting the clock signal to account for a delay;
sending the adjusted clock signal to a slave box such that the delay in the clock signal is reduced on the slave box and the clock signal on the slave box is substantially synchronized with the clock signal on the master box;
multiplying the clock signal on the master box and the adjusted clock signal at the slave box; and
driving time stamp counters for each port in each domain on the master box with the multiplied clock signal and for each port in each domain on the slave box with the adjusted and multiplied clock signal such that the time stamp counters for each port in each domain are substantially synchronized.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for synchronizing time stamp counters of ports in a domain and for starting, stopping and triggering the ports in the domain at substantially the same time. A master box is connected with at least one slave box and the ports on the connected boxes are logically grouped in domains. The master box generates a clock signal that is adjusted and distributed to the slave boxes. The clock signal thus received by the slave boxes drives a clock multiplier that in turn drives the time stamp counters of the ports in the domains across the respective boxes. The time stamps of ports within a domain are synchronized because they are driven by the clock signal from the master box. The ports in a particular domain can be started, stopped and triggered using control signals that are similarly distributed from the master box to the slave boxes.
104 Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a system that includes a plurality of boxes, wherein each box includes a plurality of blades and each blade has one or more ports, wherein a domain includes a plurality of ports that are selected from the plurality of boxes, a method for synchronizing a time stamp counter of each port in the domain, the method comprising:
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generating a clock signal at a master box;
adjusting the clock signal to account for a delay;
sending the adjusted clock signal to a slave box such that the delay in the clock signal is reduced on the slave box and the clock signal on the slave box is substantially synchronized with the clock signal on the master box;
multiplying the clock signal on the master box and the adjusted clock signal at the slave box; and
driving time stamp counters for each port in each domain on the master box with the multiplied clock signal and for each port in each domain on the slave box with the adjusted and multiplied clock signal such that the time stamp counters for each port in each domain are substantially synchronized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a system that includes a plurality of ports on one or more boxes, a method for synchronizing time stamp counters of each port in a domain, wherein the domain includes at least one port protocol and wherein some of the ports operate at a frequency that is different than other ports in the domain, the method comprising:
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identifying a master box and at least one slave box, wherein the master box and the at least one slave box are cascaded together;
disabling clock signals of the at least one slave box, wherein a clock signal from the master box is distributed to each slave box;
accounting for a delay in the clock signal at the master box and at each subsequent slave box with a clock adjuster, wherein the clock adjuster causes an output clock signal to precede an input clock signal such that the clock signal from the master box is substantially synchronized at each box;
multiplying the clock signal at the master box and each slave box;
driving time stamp counters of the ports in the domain with the multiplied clock signals of the master box and each slave box; and
starting and stopping the time stamp counters of the ports with a control signal such that the time stamp counters are synchronized within a range. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification