System and method for frequency synchronization in a wireless non-hierarchical network
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- receiving, by a first node in a wireless non-hierarchical network, a plurality of frequency synchronization messages from at least second and third nodes;
determining a frequency of the second node by comparing a difference between counter values contained in the frequency synchronization messages received from the second node to a difference between counter values of an oscillator of the first node that were saved at the time the frequency synchronization messages from the second node were received at the first node, wherein each of the counter values from the second node represents contents of a counter corresponding to an oscillator of the second node at the time one of the frequency synchronization messages was created at the second node;
determining a frequency of a third node using information contained in the frequency synchronization messages;
calculating an average frequency based on the frequency synchronization messages and the frequency of the second node and the third node;
calculating a control frequency based on the average frequency; and
setting the oscillator of the first node to the control frequency.
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for frequency synchronization in a non-hierarchical network. In one example, the method includes receiving, by a node in a wireless non-hierarchical network, frequency synchronization messages from other nodes. The method calculates an average frequency based on the frequency synchronization messages, calculates a control frequency based on the average frequency, and sets an oscillator of the node to the control frequency.
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25 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a first node in a wireless non-hierarchical network, a plurality of frequency synchronization messages from at least second and third nodes; determining a frequency of the second node by comparing a difference between counter values contained in the frequency synchronization messages received from the second node to a difference between counter values of an oscillator of the first node that were saved at the time the frequency synchronization messages from the second node were received at the first node, wherein each of the counter values from the second node represents contents of a counter corresponding to an oscillator of the second node at the time one of the frequency synchronization messages was created at the second node; determining a frequency of a third node using information contained in the frequency synchronization messages; calculating an average frequency based on the frequency synchronization messages and the frequency of the second node and the third node; calculating a control frequency based on the average frequency; and setting the oscillator of the first node to the control frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a first node operating at a first frequency from a second node operating at a second frequency in a wireless non-hierarchical network, first and second synchronization messages containing first and second values, respectively, corresponding to contents of a first counter of the second node at the time the first and second synchronization messages were created, wherein the contents of the first counter are regularly modified based on the second frequency; receiving, by the first node from a third node operating at a third frequency in the wireless non-hierarchical network, third and fourth synchronization messages containing third and fourth values, respectively, corresponding to contents of a second counter of the third node at the time the third and fourth synchronization messages were created, wherein the contents of the second counter are regularly modified based on the third frequency; storing the first, second, third, and fourth counter values with a value corresponding to contents of a third counter of the first node at approximately the time the first, second, third, and fourth synchronization messages are received, respectively, wherein the contents of the third counter are regularly modified based on the first frequency; calculating an average frequency of the second and third nodes based on the first, second, third, and fourth values in conjunction with the corresponding value of the contents of the third counter; feeding the average frequency into a control algorithm to calculate a control frequency; and setting the first frequency to the control frequency. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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determining, by a first node in a wireless non-hierarchical network, that a predefined trigger event has occurred; generating a frequency synchronization message containing a value corresponding to contents of a counter at the time the frequency synchronization message is generated, wherein the contents of the counter are regularly modified based on an oscillator frequency of the first node; transmitting the frequency synchronization message to a second node in the wireless non-hierarchical network, wherein the value of the counter in the frequency synchronization message is configured to be used by the second node to determine a frequency of the first node; and repeating the determining, generating, and transmitting steps in order to transmit a plurality of frequency synchronization messages to the second node, wherein a difference between values of the counter in the plurality of frequency synchronization messages is compared in the second node to a difference between counter values of an oscillator in the second node that are saved upon receipt at the second node of the plurality of frequency synchronization messages. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A device comprising:
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a wireless communications interface configured to communicate with other devices in a wireless non-hierarchical network; a controllable oscillator; a memory coupled to a processor; and a plurality of instructions stored in the memory for execution by the processor including instructions for; receiving a plurality of synchronization messages from at least a first of the other devices; determining a frequency of the first other device by comparing a difference between counter values contained in the synchronization messages received from the first other device to a difference between counter values associated with the controllable oscillator that were saved at the time the synchronization messages from the first other device were received, wherein each of the counter values from the first other device represents contents of a counter corresponding to an oscillator of the first other device at the time one of the frequency synchronization messages was created at the first other device; calculating an average frequency based on the synchronization messages and the frequency of the first other device; feeding the average frequency into a control algorithm to calculate a control frequency; and setting a frequency of the controllable oscillator to the control frequency. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification