Variable Delay Cellular Network Timing Synchronization
AssigneeDISH Wireless L.L.C.
InventorsMehdi Alasti, Lin-Nan Lee, Khalid Al-Mufti, David Zufall, Sourabh Gupta
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Abstract
Various arrangements for performing timing synchronization in a variable link propagation delay environment, such as a non-terrestrial cellular network system, are presented. A master clock system and slave clock system can exchange timing messages. Wireless communication can be used for communication between the slave clock system and the master clock system. A correction factor, which can be based at least in part of ephemeris data, can be calculated. This correction factor can then be used in determining an offset between the master and slave clock systems.
Claims20
A non-terrestrial cellular network system, comprising:
- a radio unit (RU) located on a satellite configured to orbit the earth;
- a slave clock system, comprising a slave clock, located on the satellite, that performs timing for the RU;
- a distributed unit (DU), located at a ground station, wherein the ground station communicates wirelessly with the satellite;
- a satellite gateway system, comprising a master clock system, wherein the master clock system is configured to:
- transmit a first timing message to the slave clock system, wherein the first timing message comprises a first timestamp indicative of a first transmission time;
- receive a second timing message from the slave clock system;
- record a first reception time at which the second timing message was received from the slave clock system;
- calculate a correction factor for the slave clock system located on the satellite;
- and
- transmit a third timing message to the slave clock system that indicates the calculated correction factor and the first reception time.
A method for performing timing synchronization in a variable link propagation delay environment, the method comprising:
- transmitting, by a master clock system, a first timing message to a slave clock system, wherein:
- the first timing message comprises a first timestamp indicative of a first transmission time;
- the slave clock system is remotely located from the master clock system;
- and
- wireless communication is used for communication between the slave clock system and the master clock system;
- receiving, by the master clock system, a second timing message from the slave clock system;
- recording, by the master clock system, a first reception time at which the second timing message was received from the slave clock system;
- calculating, by the master clock system, a correction factor;
- and
- transmitting, by the master clock system, a third timing message to the slave clock system that indicates the calculated correction factor and the first reception time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.