Time signal verification and distribution
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A time signal verification and distribution device, comprising:
- a time signal receiver for receiving time signals;
a time input in communication with the time signal receiver, configured to receive from the time signal receiver a first time signal from a first time source and a second time signal from a second time source;
a time signal quality module in communication with the time input, configured to determine a time quality of the first time signal and the second time signal;
a time signal difference module in communication with the time input, configured to calculate a difference between the first time signal and the second time signal, and compare the difference to a predetermined threshold;
a time signal output module in communication with the time signal quality module and the time signal difference module, configured to determine an output time signal based on the comparison and the determined time quality of the first time signal and the second time signal; and
a time signal output in communication with the time signal output module, configured to output the output time signal to a plurality of time signal consuming devices.
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Abstract
The time signal verification and distribution device disclosed herein verifies and distributes a time signal to consuming devices. The device determines a time quality status of a first and second time signal, calculates a difference between a first and a second time signal, and compares the difference to a predetermined threshold. Based on the time quality status and the comparison, the time signal verification and distribution device distributes a time signal to a plurality of time signal consuming devices. Exceeding the predetermined threshold may indicate a spoofing attack or other problem with the time signals.
129 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A time signal verification and distribution device, comprising:
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a time signal receiver for receiving time signals; a time input in communication with the time signal receiver, configured to receive from the time signal receiver a first time signal from a first time source and a second time signal from a second time source; a time signal quality module in communication with the time input, configured to determine a time quality of the first time signal and the second time signal; a time signal difference module in communication with the time input, configured to calculate a difference between the first time signal and the second time signal, and compare the difference to a predetermined threshold; a time signal output module in communication with the time signal quality module and the time signal difference module, configured to determine an output time signal based on the comparison and the determined time quality of the first time signal and the second time signal; and a time signal output in communication with the time signal output module, configured to output the output time signal to a plurality of time signal consuming devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A time signal communication system, comprising:
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a first receiver configured to receive a first time signal at a first location, and transmit the first time signal across a wide-area communications network; a second receiver configured to receive a second time signal at a second location remote from the first location; a time signal verification and distribution device in communication with the wide-area communications network and the second receiver, configured to receive the first time signal and the second time signal, the time signal verification and distribution device comprising; a time signal quality module in communication with the time input, configured to determine a time quality of the first time signal and the second time signal; a time signal difference module in communication with the time input, configured to calculate a difference between the first time signal and the second time signal, and compare the difference to a predetermined threshold; a time signal output module in communication with the time signal quality module and the time signal difference module, configured to determine an output time signal based on the comparison and the determined time quality of the first time signal and the second time signal; and
,a time signal output in communication with the time signal output module and the plurality of consuming devices, configured to output the output time signal to the plurality of consuming devices the plurality of consuming devices in communication with the time signal verification and distribution device, configured to receive and use the output time signal from the time signal verification and distribution device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a time signal receiver of a time distribution device, a first time signal; receiving, at the time distribution device, a second time signal; determining a time quality status of the first time signal and the second time signal; calculating a difference between the first time signal and the second time signal; comparing the difference to a predetermined threshold; distributing an output time signal to a plurality of consuming devices based on the determination of the time quality status of the first time signal and the second time signal and the comparison of the difference to the predetermined threshold, wherein the output time signal comprises one selected from the group consisting of the first time signal, the second time signal, and a holdover time.
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Specification