Patent · US Active

Device and method for time synchronization in a communication network

US8670491B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

2References

16Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

Chongning Na · Beijing, CN
Dragan Obradovic · Ottobrunn, DE
Ruxandra Scheiterer · Geretsried, DE
Guenter Steindl · Cham, DE
Philipp Wolfrum · Munich, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Sep 15, 2010
Grant date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 5, 2032

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH04J3/0673
WIPO fieldTelecommunications
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A device and method for time synchronization in a communication network, wherein a virtual clock is produced by a controller in each network node based on the PROFINET-Standard and/or the Precision Transparent Clock Protocol. In contrast to known methods for estimating the time, the time of the virtual clock does not undergo sudden changes. The virtual clock includes a controlled, continuous path. As a result, the virtual clock is particularly suitable for time-critical applications. Here, the estimation of the time of a reference clock is improved by 18-35%. Accordingly, a markedly greater number of network nodes may be synchronized with a predetermined level of accuracy for the time synchronization.

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