Method, apparatus, and system for synchronization

• US 9,807,717 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wu, Lichang, Zhao, Hu
• Primary Examiner(s): Gidado, Rasheed
• Application Number:
  US14/610,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20150139071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus, and a system for synchronization. The method includes the following steps executed by a first device: sending clock information acquiring request to a second device through an Antenna Interface Standards Group AISG interface; receiving a clock signal from the second device through the AISG interface; and performing synchronization according to clock information of the clock signal. The first device is a base station and the second device is an antenna line device, or the first device is an antenna line device and the second device is a base station.

Claims

1. A method for synchronization, comprising,

sending, by a first device, a clock information acquiring request to a second device through an Antenna Interface Standards Group (AISG) interface an AISG protocol, the AISG protocol comprising a first command that indicates the clock information acquiring request, and the clock information acquiring request requesting information for performing clock synchronization;

receiving, by the first device in response to the clock information acquiring request, a clock signal from the second device through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, the clock signal carrying clock information for performing the clock synchronization, and the AISG protocol comprising a second command that indicates the clock information carried by the clock signal;

performing synchronization according to the clock information received using the AISG protocol, wherein the first device is a base station and the second device is an antenna line device, or the first device is an antenna line device and the second device is a base station;

before sending clock information acquiring request to the second device,

sending a device capability acquiring request to the second device through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, the AISG protocol comprising a third command indicating the device capability acquiring request, and the device capability acquiring request requesting whether the second device can provide clock information for performing the clock synchronization; and

receiving device capability information from the second device through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, wherein the device capability information indicates whether the second device is capable of providing the clock information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the clock signal is a pulse signal or a group of pulse signals, wherein the group of pulse signals carries a time packet.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

before sending the clock information acquiring,

sending a clock source information query request to the second device through the AISG interface; and

receiving clock source information from the second device through the AISG interface.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the clock source information includes a time at which the clock signal reaches the first device, information about a connecting pin of the first device and the second device, period information, information about whether a time packet is carried, clock source precision information, clock source state information, or a clock information validity mark.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein receiving the clock signal comprises receiving the clock signal from the second device through the AISG interface at the time at which the clock signal reaches the first device.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein performing the synchronization comprises performing time delay compensation based on the clock information received from the second device, so as to perform clock synchronization or performing time synchronization according to the time packet and the clock information validity mark in the received clock source information of the second device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending the clock information acquiring request comprises periodically sending the clock information acquiring request.

8. A method for synchronization, comprising:

receiving, by a second device, a clock information acquiring request from a first device through an Antenna Interface Standards Group (AISG) interface using the an AISG protocol, the AISG protocol comprising a first command that indicates the clock information acquiring request, and the clock information acquiring request requesting information for performing clock synchronization;

sending, by the second device in response to the clock information acquiring request, a clock signal to the first device through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, wherein the clock signal carries clock information so that the first device can perform clock synchronization according to the clock information, wherein the AISG protocol comprises a second command that indicates the clock information carried by the clock signal, and wherein the first device is a base station and the second device is an antenna line device, or the first device is an antenna line device and the second device is a base station;

before receiving the clock information acquiring request,

receiving a device capability acquiring request from the first device through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, the AISG protocol comprising a third command indicating the device capability acquiring request, and the device capability acquiring request requesting whether the second device can provide clock information for performing the clock synchronization; and

sending device capability information to the first device through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, wherein the device capability information indicates that the second device is capable of providing the clock information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the clock signal is a pulse signal or a group of pulse signals that carries a time packet.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

before receiving the clock information acquiring request from a first device,

receiving, through the AISG interface, a clock source information query request sent by the first device; and

sending clock source information to the first device through the AISG interface.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the clock source information comprises a time at which the clock signal reaches the first device, information about a connecting pin of the first device and the second device, period information, information about whether a time packet is carried, clock source precision information, clock source state information, or a clock information validity mark.

12. A first synchronization apparatus comprising:

a transmitter that includes an Antenna Interface Standards Group (AISG) interface, wherein the transmitter is configured to send a clock information acquiring request to a second synchronization apparatus through the AISG interface using an AISG protocol, wherein the AISG protocol comprises a first command that indicates the clock information acquiring request, and the clock information acquiring request requests information for performing clock synchronization;

a receiver configured to receive a clock signal from the second synchronization apparatus through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, wherein the clock signal carries clock information for performing the clock synchronization, and the AISG protocol comprises a second command that indicates the clock information carried by the clock signal, and wherein the clock information is received through an AISG cable;

a processor, configured to perform synchronization according to the clock information received using the AISG protocol;

the transmitter is further configured to send a device capability acquiring request to the second synchronization apparatus through the AISG interface using an the AISG protocol, the AISG protocol comprising a third command indicating the device capability acquiring request, and the device capability acquiring request requesting whether the second synchronization apparatus can provide clock information for performing the clock synchronization; and

the receiver is further configured to receive device capability information from the second synchronization apparatus through the AISG interface using the AISG protocol, wherein the device capability information indicates whether the second synchronization apparatus is capable of providing the clock information.

13. The first synchronization apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first synchronization apparatus is a base station and the second synchronization apparatus is an antenna line device, or the first synchronization apparatus is an antenna line device and the second synchronization apparatus is a base station.

14. The first synchronization apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the receiver receives the clock signal from the second synchronization apparatus specifically by receiving a pulse signal or a group of pulse signals from the second synchronization apparatus, wherein the group of pulse signals carries a time packet.

15. The first synchronization apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the transmitter is further configured to send a clock source information query request to the second synchronization apparatus through the AISG interface;

and

the receiver is further configured to receive clock source information from the second synchronization apparatus through the AISG interface.

16. The first synchronization apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the clock source information comprises a time at which the clock signal reaches the first synchronization apparatus, information about a connecting pin of the first synchronization apparatus and the second synchronization apparatus, period information, information about whether a time packet is carried, clock source precision information, clock source state information, or a clock information validity mark.

17. The first synchronization apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the clock signal from the second synchronization apparatus through the AISG interface at the time at which the clock signal reaches the first synchronization apparatus.