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US 7,397,823 B2Granted
Providing time synchronization across store-and-forward communication devices using protocol-enabled switches
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorGlenn R. Engel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for using protocol-enabled switches to provide time synchronization across store-and forward communication devices. A protocol-enabled switch according to the present techniques bypasses a store-and forward communication device for the purposes of time synchronization by merging timing packets into each subnet serviced by the store-and forward communication device, thereby avoiding the variable delays that may occur in the store-and forward communication device.
Claims20
A communication network, comprising:
- a plurality of subnets, wherein each subnet includes a plurality of nodes;
- a store-and-forward communication device having a set of subnet ports, wherein each port communicates with a corresponding subnet of the plurality of subnets, wherein one or more of the nodes synchronize a local time using a protocol that includes a set of timing packets that are ignored by the store-and-forward communication device;
- a protocol-enabled switch that provides the timing packets for each subnet according to the protocol;
- and
- a plurality of distribution devices, wherein each distribution device is associated with a corresponding subnet, and each distribution device includes a first relay port that is connected to the store-and-forward communication device and a second relay port that is connected to the protocol-enabled switch.
2 more elements
A communication network, comprising:
- a plurality of subnets, wherein each subnet includes a plurality of nodes;
- a store-and-forward communication device having a set of subnet ports, wherein each port communicates with a corresponding subnet of the plurality of subnets, wherein one or more of the nodes synchronize a local time using a protocol that includes a set of timing packets that are ignored by the store-and-forward communication device;
- a protocol-enabled switch that provides the timing packets for each subnet according to the protocol;
- a plurality of hubs, with each hub being connected to the store-and-forward communication device, the protocol-enabled switch, and a respective one of the plurality of subnets;
- and
- a plurality of distribution devices, wherein each distribution device is associated with a corresponding subnet, and each distribution device includes relay port that is connected to the associated hub.
3 more elements
A communication network, comprising:
- a plurality of subnets, wherein each subnet includes a plurality of nodes;
- a store-and-forward communication device having a set of subnet ports, wherein each port is associated with a corresponding subnet of the plurality of subnets, wherein one or more of the nodes synchronize a local time using a protocol that includes a set of timing packets that are ignored by the store-and-forward communication device;
- a protocol-enabled switch that provides the timing packets for each subnet according to the protocol;
- and
- a plurality of distribution devices, wherein each distribution device is associated with a corresponding subnet, and each distribution device includes relay port that is connected to protocol-enabled switch;
- wherein the protocol-enabled switch comprises a first plurality of ports, each of which are connected with a respective one of the subnet ports, and a second plurality of ports, each of which are connected with a respective distribution device.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.