Back to results
US 2014/0177656 A1Published application
TDMA Communications with Clock Synchronization
AssigneeInternational Electronic Machines Corp.
InventorsZahid F. Mian, Bruce P. McKenney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network of nodes communicating with a central node using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communications network is disclosed. Each node can synchronize an internal clock with an internal clock of the central node when entering the TDMA communications network using a packet received from the central node. Furthermore, each node can maintain synchronization using subsequent packets communicated in the TDMA communications network and a time slot assigned for the subsequent packet.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a plurality of nodes;
- and
- a central node, wherein the plurality of nodes communicate with the central node using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communications network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes synchronizes an internal clock with an internal clock of the central node using an arrival time of a first packet received from the central node and a timestamp included in the first packet during entry into the TDMA communications network, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes subsequently maintains synchronization between the internal clock of the node and the internal clock of the central node using an arrival time for a subsequent packet and a time slot assigned for the subsequent packet in the TDMA communications network.
A system comprising:
- a node configured to communicate with a central node using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communications network, wherein the node synchronizes an internal clock with an internal clock of the central node using a method comprising:
- synchronizing an arrival time of a first packet received from the central node and a timestamp included in the first packet during entry into the TDMA communications network;
- and
- maintaining synchronization between the internal clock of the node and the internal clock of the central node while communicating in the TDMA communications network using an arrival time for a subsequent packet and a time slot assigned for the subsequent packet in the TDMA communications network.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- synchronizing an internal clock of a node with an internal clock of a central node using a method comprising:
- the node synchronizing an arrival time of a first packet received by the node from the central node and a timestamp included in the first packet during entry of the node into a TDMA communications network;
- and
- the node maintaining synchronization between the internal clock of the node and the internal clock of the central node while communicating in the TDMA communications network using an arrival time for a subsequent packet and a time slot assigned for the subsequent packet in the TDMA communications network.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.