Using broadcast physical layer for one-way time transfer of universal coordinated time to receivers
AssigneeSinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Simon
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Abstract
Systems and methods for one-way time transfer using physical layer signaling are disclosed herein. According to some examples, a method includes generating timing information based on a clock of a transmitting device, where the timing information comprises a timestamp and metadata. The method further includes generating a preamble of a frame, where the preamble includes the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information. The method also includes forming a frame, where the frame comprises a bootstrap, the preamble, and a payload, and transmitting the frame to a receiver device. The one-way time transfer systems and methods of this disclosure can serve mobile devices that entail quick and reliable establishment of a clock.
Claims20
A broadcasting device, comprising:
- a clock;
- a memory storing program instructions;
- and
- a processor, upon executing the program instructions, configured to:
- generate timing information to be broadcast to a first receiver device based on the clock, wherein the timing information comprises a timestamp and metadata for the first receiver device;
- generate a preamble of a frame, the preamble comprising the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information for the first receiver device,
- wherein the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information for the first receiver device are located only in the preamble, and
- wherein the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information for the first receiver device are included in an L1 signaling of the preamble such that a second receiver device, not capable of recovering the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information for the first receiver device, ignores the timestamp and the metadata in the L1 signaling;
- form the frame, wherein the frame comprises a bootstrap, the preamble, and a payload;
- and
- initiate broadcasting the frame to the first and second receiver devices.
A monitoring device, comprising:
- a clock;
- a memory storing program instructions;
- and
- a processor, upon executing the program instructions, configured to:
- receive a frame from a transmitting device, wherein the frame comprises a bootstrap, a preamble, and a payload,
- recover first timing information from the frame, wherein the first timing information is for a first receiver device and comprises a timestamp and metadata located only at the preamble of the frame,
- wherein the timestamp and the metadata of the first timing information are included in an L1 signaling of the preamble such that a second receiver device, not capable of recovering the timestamp and the metadata of the first timing information, ignores the timestamp and the metadata in the L1 signaling;
- compare the first timing information with second timing information, wherein the second timing information is based on the clock of the monitoring device;
- and
- determine an error associated with the first timing information based on the comparison.
A receiver device, comprising:
- a clock;
- a memory storing program instructions;
- and
- a processor, upon executing the program instructions, configured to:
- receive a frame from a transmitting device, wherein the frame comprises a bootstrap, a preamble, and a payload,
- recover timing information from the frame, wherein the timing information comprises a timestamp and metadata located only at the preamble of the frame,
- wherein the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information are included in an L1 signaling of the preamble such that a second receiver device, not capable of recovering the timestamp and the metadata of the timing information, ignores the timestamp and the metadata in the L1 signaling;
- and
- adjust the clock of the receiver device based on the timing information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.