Synchronizing clocks in a wireless system
AssigneeOpnt Holding B.V.
InventorsJeroen Cornelis Jean Koelemeij, James Moscoe Johnson, Jr.
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Abstract
Disclosed are methods, devices and systems for generating accurate timestamps for wireless communications signals that can be used to correct the clocks of base stations for wireless communications systems. A radio signal timestamping unit (RSTU) receives a wireless signal including timing information broadcast by a base station. The RSTU includes a local clock that is in communication with a high-precision time source and provides high-accuracy timing information to one or more base stations to maintain accurate clock synchronization among the plurality of base stations. The timing synchronization information can be determined at least in part based on the propagation delay of the wireless signals received at the RSTU.
Claims29
A radio signal timestamping unit (RSTU) for providing time synchronization for a wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations, the RSTU comprising:
- a receiver to receive a plurality of wireless messages from the plurality of base stations, each of the wireless messages broadcast from a corresponding base station and including a time value of the corresponding base station;
- a local clock operational to provide a current time value at the RSTU, the local clock synchronized to a time source;
- a processor and a memory having instructions stored thereupon, the processor coupled to the local clock, the instructions upon execution by the processor causing the processor to:
- generate a plurality of timestamps, each timestamp generated based on a local clock output value indicative of a reception time of one of the wireless messages from the plurality of wireless messages received at the RSTU, and
- based on each generated timestamp, determine clock synchronization information associated with each of the plurality of base stations;
- and
- a transmitter to communicate each of the clock synchronization information to the corresponding base station, wherein the clock synchronization information provided to a second base station of the plurality of base stations includes a timestamp indicative of a reception time of a wireless message from the second base station at the RSTU and a time value of the second base station included in the wireless message from the second base station, without providing a free-space propagation delay associated with travel time of the wireless message from the second base station to the RSTU.
A method of time synchronizing a wireless network including a radio signal timestamping unit (RSTU) and a plurality of base stations, the method comprising:
- receiving a plurality of wireless messages from the plurality of base stations, each of the wireless messages broadcast from a corresponding base station and including a time value of the corresponding base station;
- synchronizing a local clock operational to provide a current time value at the RSTU to a time source;
- generating a plurality of timestamps, each timestamp generated based on the local clock output and indicative of a reception time of one of the wireless messages from the plurality of wireless messages received at the RSTU,
- determining, based on each generated timestamp, clock synchronization information associated with each of the plurality of base stations;
- and
- transmitting each of the clock synchronization information to the corresponding base station, wherein the clock synchronization information provided to a second base station of the plurality of base stations includes a timestamp indicative of a reception time of a wireless message from the second base station at the RSTU and a time value of the second base station included in the wireless message from the second base station, without providing a free-space propagation delay associated with travel time of the wireless message from the second base station to the RSTU.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.