Time Synchronization Method and Apparatus

A time synchronization method, comprising:

• determining, by a boundary device of an upstream network side, a time synchronization offset from a time domain of a third-party network, wherein the time synchronization offset is a time offset between a time domain of the upstream network and the time domain of the third-party network, and wherein boundary devices in an entire network are all boundary clock (BC) devices;
• and
• delivering, by the boundary device of the upstream network side, a synchronization packet carrying the time offset to a boundary device of the third-party network side such that the boundary device of the third-party network side transparently transmits the synchronization packet to a boundary device of a downstream network side, and the boundary device of the downstream network side performs time synchronization with the boundary device of the upstream network side according to the time synchronization offset.

A time synchronization method, comprising:

• receiving, by a boundary device of a downstream network side, a synchronization packet that carries a time synchronization offset, from a boundary device of an upstream network side, and is transparently transmitted by a boundary device of a third-party network side, wherein the time synchronization offset is a time offset between a time domain of the upstream network and a time domain of the third-party network, and wherein boundary devices in an entire network are all boundary clock (BC) devices;
• and
• performing, by the boundary device of the downstream network side, time synchronization with the boundary device of the upstream network side according to the time synchronization offset.

A time synchronization device, comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a synchronization packet carrying a time synchronization offset delivered by a boundary device of an upstream network side, wherein the time synchronization offset is a time offset between a time domain of the upstream network and a time domain of a third-party network;
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the receiver and configured to transparently transmit the synchronization packet carrying the time synchronization offset to a boundary device of a downstream network side such that the boundary device of the downstream network side performs time synchronization with the boundary device of the upstream network side according to the time synchronization offset.

A time synchronization boundary clock (BC) device, comprising:

• a processor configured to determine a time synchronization offset from a time domain of a third-party network, wherein the time synchronization offset is a time offset between a time domain of an upstream network and the time domain of the third-party network;
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to deliver a packet carrying the time offset to a boundary device of the third-party network side such that the boundary device of the third-party network side transparently transmits the packet to a boundary device of a downstream network side, and the boundary device of the downstream network side performs time synchronization with a boundary device of the upstream network side according to the time synchronization offset.

A time synchronization boundary clock (BC) device, comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a synchronization packet carrying a time synchronization offset, from a boundary device of an upstream network side, and is transparently transmitted by a boundary device of a third-party network side, wherein the time synchronization offset is a time offset between a time domain of the upstream network and a time domain of the third-party network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to perform time synchronization with the boundary device of the upstream network side according to the time synchronization offset.