Patent · US Active

Differential time synchronization of intelligent electronic devices

US8082367B2 · kind B2 · utility

29Cited by
7References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 23, 2009
Grant dateDec 20, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 26, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04J3/0638
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a utility monitoring system, a network of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), including a master IED that receives master clock information from a global positioning system, includes a differential time synchronization (DTS) algorithm for automatically adjusting the corresponding clocks of each of the IEDs to be synchronized with the master clock information. A controller coupled to the network communicates instructions to the IEDs to collect frequency variation data. A known data alignment algorithm determines a point of alignment between two sets of frequency variation data, and the controller determines based on the data alignment algorithm output a time differential representing a time offset between the IED's clock and the master clock information. The time differential is communicated to the target IED, which advances or retards its clock based on the time differential.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.