Method for time synchronization of devices in a control network

A method for time synchronizing one or more devices in an automation environment using a first device, the one or more devices being connected through a control network, wherein the first device comprises information of a topology of the control network, the method comprising:

• selecting, by the first device, a second device in the control network, based on the information of the topology of the control network;
• sending, by the first device, a first set of packets to the second device, wherein the first set of packets includes at least one timestamp;
• receiving, by the first device, a first set of delay requests corresponding to the first set of packets;
• sending, by the first device, a first set of delay responses to the second device corresponding to the first set of delay requests;
• determining, by the second device, a first set of forward times and a first set of backward times, based on the first set of packets and the first set of delay responses, respectively;
• determining, by the second device, a first minimum forward time from the first set of forward times and a first minimum backward time from the first set of backward times;
• determining, by the second device, a first correction factor, from the first minimum forward time and the first minimum backward time, corresponding to a first instance of time synchronization;
• applying, by the second device, the first correction factor to a clock provided at the second device and storing the first correction factor at the first device;
• and
• correcting a time instance of an event logged by the second device based on the first correction factor.