Adaptive precision timing control in a communication system

摘要

Methods, devices, and computer program products facilitate establishing timing synchronization between two network entities. The timing information is exchanged between a slave device and a master device at the discretion of the slave device. The exchange of timing information can, therefore, be conducted adaptively based on the needs of the salve device. The timing information is also exchanged using fewer messages, thereby reducing network traffic, reducing overhead and facilitating synchronization acquisition.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
transmitting one or more requests from a slave device to a master device in a communication network, each request having a corresponding request transmit initiation time and a request reception time; in response to each of the transmitted requests, receiving, at the slave device, a melded response from the master device, each melded response having a corresponding response transmit initiation time and a response reception time, wherein each melded response comprises a first value representing the request reception time and a second value representing the response transmit initiation time; estimating, at the slave device, a synchronization parameter value and determining a confidence level associated with the synchronization parameter value in accordance with the request transmit initiation time, the request reception time, the response reception time and the response transmit initiation time; and if the confidence level falls outside an acceptable range, adjusting clock parameters at the slave device to establish a timing synchronization between the slave device and the master device.