Method of synchronizing two electronic devices of a wireless link, in particular of a mobile telephone network and system for implementing this method

• US 8,811,558 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-Blink
• Original Assignee: E-Blink
• Inventors: Rolland, Alain, Blanc, Stphane, Plumecoq, Jean-Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Shuwang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bolourchi, Nader
• Application Number:
  US13/874,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20130243142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 375/362, 375/354
• US Class Current: 375/362
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0008 Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/04 Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals H04L7/0075 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of synchronizing two electronic devices connected by a wireless link with at least one path including a transmission channel and a reception channel. The two devices are included in a network, such as a mobile telephone network. Synchronization information is transmitted directly from one electronic device to the other, as a clock pilot signal, via the channels. After recovery, the clock pilot signal is used for synchronization of a reference frequency of the receiving electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing first and second electronic devices connected by a wireless transmission link for transmission of electrical signals over a path including a transmission channel and a reception channel, the first and second electronic devices being included in a network comprising a relay antenna and a radio communication bay, to each of which one of the first and second electronic devices is connected, the method comprising:

transmitting synchronization information directly from the first electronic device to the second electronic device as a clock pilot signal via the transmission and reception channels over paths of the wireless transmission link;

modulating a digital value onto the clock pilot signal, the digital value being a value of a counter designated to count frequency of sending a pilot signal and wherein the value is used to modulate the pilot signal to generate the clock pilot signal, wherein the synchronization information contains a frame comprising information in addition to the digital value of the clock pilot signal, wherein the information within the flame is selected from any of alarm data, control data, and one or more communication protocols; and

using the clock pilot signal, after recovery, for synchronization of a reference signal of the second electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1, including transmitting the clock pilot signal in digital form.

3. The method according to claim 2, including establishing, in the first electronic device, a digital value of the clock pilot signal, modulating the digital value on the clock pilot signal, and transmitting the clock pilot signal, modulated by the digital value, to the second electronic device.

4. The method according to claim 3, including modulating, on the clock pilot signal, the frame comprising information in addition to the digital value of the clock pilot signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless transmission link comprises the path including the transmission channel and the reception channel, and

the direct transmission of the clock pilot signal from the first electronic device to the second electronic device occurs over both of the transmission and reception channels.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission link comprises a plurality of paths, each path including a transmission channel and a reception channel, and the direct transmission of the clock pilot signal from the first electronic device to the second electronic device occurs over a plurality of adjacent transmission channels.

7. A system for synchronizing first and second electronic devices connected by a wireless link for transmission of electrical signals over a path including a transmission channel and a reception channel, the first and second electronic devices being included in a network comprising a relay antenna and a radio communication bay, to each of which one of the first and second electronic devices is connected, the system comprising:

the first electronic device to transmit synchronization information directly to the second electronic device as a clock pilot signal via the transmission and reception channels over paths of the wireless link, comprising;

a modulator circuit to modulate a digital value onto the clock pilot signal, the digital value being a value of a counter designated to count frequency of sending a pilot signal and wherein the value is used to modulate the pilot signal to generate the clock pilot signal, wherein the synchronization information contains a frame comprising information in addition to the digital value of the clock pilot signal, wherein the information within the frame is selected from any of alarm data, control data, and one or more communication protocols; and

use the clock pilot signal, after recovery, for synchronization of a reference signal of the second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device comprises a local oscillator component generating the reference signal, which is controlled by a first comparator means in response to the clock pilot signal received for synchronization of the reference signal.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the second electronic device comprises an analog-digital converter, a control component of the local oscillator component that comprises a second counter that counts the clock pilot signal and a third counter that counts the reference signal and a second comparator means for comparing counts of the second and third counters, and the local oscillator component is controlled by a signal established by the second comparator means.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein, in the case of a high pilot frequency signal, the second electronic device comprises a mixer having an oscillator controlled by the local oscillator component generating the reference signal.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein means for modulating the clock pilot signal with the digital value of the clock pilot signal and the second electronic device comprises demodulator means.