Method for aligning and/or synchronising meter values of at least two devices, device, and arrangement of devices

A device for aligning counter values of at least two devices including at least a first device and a second device, comprising:

• a receive facility for forwarding reference counter values of a reference counter of at least the second device, to a counter-value alignment unit of the first device at receive times,
• a counter facility for transferring a receive counter value to the counter-value alignment unit at each of the receive times, and
• the counter-value alignment unit for assigning at least one reference counter value to the receive counter value at each of the receive times for a purpose of the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices;
• wherein:
• the receive facility receives the reference counter values from at least one correction data stream of at least the second device,
• the at least one correction data stream comprises location coordinate data for at least the second device,
• location coordinates are used in ascertaining transfer time or signal travel time between at least the first and second devices and for the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices,
• a counter memory unit of the first device stores historical values and/or predicted values for the counter values of the first device, and
• an output unit outputs control signals for device-internal and/or device-external provision of synchronization signals.

A system for aligning counter values of at least two devices including at least a first device and a second device, comprising:

• a receive facility of the first device at receive times forwards reference counter values of a reference counter of at least the second device, to a counter-value alignment unit of the first device,
• a counter facility of the first device transfers a receive counter value to the counter-value alignment unit at each of the receive times,
• for a purpose of the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices, the counter-value alignment unit assigns at least one, reference counter value to the receive counter value at each of the receive times;
• wherein:
• the receive facility receives the reference counter values from at least one correction data stream of at least the second device,
• the at least one correction data stream comprises location coordinate data for at least the second device,
• location coordinates are used in ascertaining transfer time or signal travel time between at least the first and second devices and for the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices,
• a counter memory unit of the first device stores historical values and/or predicted values for the counter values of the first device,
• an output unit outputs control signals for device-internal and/or device-external provision of synchronization signals, and
• the first device has:
• a first receive facility for forwarding the reference counter values of at least the second device to the counter-value alignment unit of the first device at the receive times,
• a first counter facility for transferring the receive counter value to the counter-value alignment unit at each of the receive times,
• a first counter-value alignment unit for assigning the reference counter value to the receive counter value at each of the receive times for the purpose of the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices;
• and
• the second device has:
• a second receive facility for forwarding reference counter values to a second counter-value alignment unit of the second device at the receive times,
• a second counter facility for transferring the receive counter value to the second counter-value alignment unit at each of the receive times,
• the second counter-value alignment unit for assigning the reference counter value to the receive counter value at each of the receive times for the purpose of the aligning of the counter values.

A system for aligning counter values of at least two devices including at least a first device and a second device comprising:

• a receive facility of the first device at receive times forwards reference counter values of a reference counter of at least the second device, to a counter-value alignment unit of the first device,
• a counter facility of the first device transfers a receive counter value to the counter-value alignment unit at each of the receive times,
• for a purpose of the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices, the counter-value alignment unit assigns at least one, reference counter value to the receive counter value at each of the receive times;
• wherein:
• the receive facility receives the reference counter values from at least one correction data stream of at least the second device,
• location coordinates are used in ascertaining transfer time or signal travel time between at least the first and second devices and for the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices,
• an output unit sets transmit times for data packets of an output data stream, wherein the transmit times are set using the reference counter value, which is shared and mutually aligned between the at least two devices,
• for a purpose of coordinating a time of transmission of different data streams from different devices of the at least two devices, the output unit sets the transmit times by a channel access protocol known to the different devices,
• first reference counter values in the counter memory unit of the first device tally with the reference counter values of the second device within a specified tolerance measure in a nanosecond range, so that a synchronized timebase is available for the at least two devices for facilitating high-precision time-synchronization, and
• the first device has:
• first receive facility for forwarding the reference counter values of at least the second device to a first counter-value alignment unit of the first device at first receive times,
• a first counter facility for transferring a first receive counter value to the first counter-value alignment unit at each of the first receive times,
• the first counter-value alignment unit for assigning a first reference counter value to the first receive counter value at each of the first receive times for the purpose of the aligning of the counter values of at least the first and second devices;
• and
• the second device has:
• a second receive facility for forwarding third reference counter values of a third device to a second counter-value alignment unit of the second device at second receive times,
• a second counter facility for transferring a second receive counter value to the second counter-value alignment unit at each of the second receive times,
• the second counter-value alignment unit for assigning a second reference counter value to the second receive counter value at each of the second receive times;
• and
• the third device has:
• a third receive facility for forwarding the reference counter values of the reference counter of the second device to a third counter-value alignment unit of the third device at third receive times,
• a third counter facility for transferring a third receive counter value to the third counter-value alignment unit at each of the third receive times,
• the third counter-value alignment unit for assigning a reference counter value to a receive counter value at each of the third receive times of the third device.