Method and apparatus for synchronization of periodic signals

An apparatus for synchronizing one or more unrelated reference signals in time, comprising

• a master sync generator adapted to accept an absolute time reference as an input, compring a counter for counting elapsed time fron an initial time point and encoding a value representing said elapsed time into a master reference signal output by the master sync generator, and
• at least one slave sync generator comprising
• an input connected to said master reference signal,
• a decoder connected to said input to decode time code data encoded in said master reference signal,
• a counter connected to said decoder and synchronized to said time code data,
• a generator for generating a slave reference signal comprising time code data comprising the instantaneous value of said counter at the next defined synchronizing event for said slave reference signal, and
• an output connected to said generator.

A system for synchronizing one or more signals, comprising

• (a) a master sync generator comprising
• an input connected to an absolute time reference source,
• a counter connected to said input and synchronized to said absolute time reference source,
• a generator for generating a refernnce signal,
• an encoder connected to said counter and said generator to encode time code data comprising the instantaneous value of said counter corresponding to the next defined synchronizing event into said reference signal to create a master reference signal, and
• an output connected to said generator to output said master reference signal, said master sync generator being adapted to generate an output signal in which said time code data is encoded, and
• (b) a slave synchronizing generator for receiving said master reference signal from said master sync generator, comprising software for decoding the encoded time code data to synchronize said one or more unrelated timing signals.