Dynamic mechanism on transparent clocks to facilitate exchange of unicast messages

A method for a TC node for a time-distribution system having multiple TT nodes and/or multiple TR nodes and at least the TC node, the method comprising the TC node handling delay-request and delay-response messages, wherein the TC node:

• receives a unicast delay-request message transmitted by a TR node of the time-distribution system;
• updates a mapping table based on the unicast delay-request message;
• modifies the unicast delay-request message;
• forwards the modified unicast delay-request message towards a TT node of the time-distribution system;
• receives a unicast delay-response message transmitted by the TT node;
• modifies the unicast delay-response message based on information in the mapping table;
• and
• forwards the modified unicast delay-response message towards the TR node.

A given node for a time-distribution system having multiple time transmitter (TT) nodes and/or multiple time receiver (TR) nodes and at least one intervening transparent clock (TC) node, the given node comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing instructions that, upon being executed by the at least one processor, cause the given node at least to handle delay-request and delay-response messages, wherein:
• a TR node of the time-distribution system is configured to unicast a delay-request message towards a TT node of the time-distribution system;
• the TC node is configured to:
• receive the unicast delay-request message;
• update a mapping table based on the unicast delay-request message;
• modify the unicast delay-request message;
• and
• forward the modified unicast delay-request message towards the TT node;
• the TT node is configured to:
• receive the unicast delay-request message;
• and
• unicast a corresponding delay-response message towards the TC node;
• the TC node is configured to:
• receive the unicast delay-response message;
• modify the unicast delay-response message based on information in the mapping table;
• and
• forward the modified unicast delay-response message towards the TR node;
• and
• the given node is one of the TT node, the TR node, and the TC node.