System and method for synchronizing ground clocks

摘要

A system and method of synchronizing clocks within a system having a plurality of base stations, wherein each base station includes a frequency locked clock. A fast moving emitter transmits pulses that are received at each base station. A time of arrival for each pulse received by each base station is recorded and the recorded times of arrival are communicated to at least one of the other base stations. The clocks are synchronized as a function of the recorded times of arrival received from each base station.

主权项

1. A method of synchronizing a plurality of frequency-locked clocks, the method comprising:
transmitting a train of pulses from a satellite-based or aerial fast moving emitter to each of a plurality of stationary base stations in line-of-sight communication with the emitter, the train of pulses being periodic and having a period such that the base stations receive each pulse within a single period, the base stations including respective frequency-locked clocks, the frequency-locked clocks having frequencies determined by a common atomic transition; receiving the pulses at each base station; recording a time of arrival for each pulse received by each base station; communicating the recorded times of arrival to a processor; calculating, with the processor, a synchronization offset for each frequency-locked clock, as a function of:
the time of arrival for each pulse at each base station,a position of the emitter when transmitting each pulse, anda position of each base station; and synchronizing the frequency-locked clocks in response to the calculated synchronization offsets.