# US 9,883,474 B2 · Ring-shaped synchronous network system and time slave station > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,474 B2 - Document ID: US9883474B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/891,987 - Filed: 2013-07-19 - Published: 2016-03-31 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-19 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Atsushi Yamada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883474B2 ## CPC - H04W 56/0035: {detecting errors in frequency or phase} - H04L 12/437: Ring fault isolation or reconfiguration {(for SDH/SONET ring networks H04J3/085)} - H04L 43/0847: {Transmission error} - H04L 43/0852: Delays - H04W 56/001: {Synchronization between nodes} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A time slave station includes a synchronization error detecting unit that includes: a CW synchronization error detecting counter that counts a synchronization correction cycle of a transmission path in which a frame is transmitted in a first direction; a CCW synchronization error detecting counter that counts a synchronization correction cycle of a transmission path in which a frame is transmitted in a second direction; a CW synchronization-enabled time period timer that counts a CW synchronization frame reception-enabled time period; a CCW synchronization-enabled time period timer that counts a CCW synchronization frame reception-enabled time period; a CW-based synchronization error determining unit that determines whether the CW synchronization frame is received in the CW synchronization frame reception-enabled time period; and a CCW-based synchronization error determining unit that determines whether the CCW synchronization frame is received during the CCW synchronization frame reception-enabled time period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A time slave station that is used in a ring-shaped synchronous network system to which a time master station and one or more time slave stations are connected so as to form a dual ring configuration via transmission paths and in which a synchronization correction cycle between the time master station and the time slave station is a natural number times a communication cycle with which the time master station and the time slave station periodically communicate with each other, the time slave station comprising: a processor comprising: a slave clock counter that counts the communication cycles; and a synchronization error detector that detects a synchronization error between the time master station and the time slave station, wherein the synchronization error detector includes: a first synchronization error detecting counter that counts the synchronization correction cycles of the transmission path in which a frame is transmitted in a first direction; a second synchronization error detecting counter that counts the synchronization correction cycles of the transmission path in which a frame is transmitted in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction; a first synchronization-enabled time period counter that counts a first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period that is a reception-enabled time period of a first synchronization frame transmitted in the first direction when a count value of the first synchronization error detecting counter reaches a first set value; a second synchronization-enabled time period counter that counts a second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period that is a reception-enabled time period of a second synchronization frame transmitted in the second direction when a count value of the second synchronization error detecting counter reaches a second set value; a first synchronization error determiner that determines whether the first synchronization frame is received during the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period; and a second synchronization error determiner that determines whether the second synchronization frame is received during the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The time slave station according to claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises a slave clock counter corrector that corrects the slave clock counter, wherein the synchronization error detector further includes: a first synchronization error detecting counter corrector that corrects the first synchronization error detecting counter; and a second synchronization error detecting counter corrector that corrects the second synchronization error detecting counter, wherein the slave clock counter corrector, the first synchronization error detecting counter corrector, and the second synchronization error detecting counter corrector respectively correct the slave clock counter, the first synchronization error detecting counter, and the second synchronization error detecting counter in response to a notification of a correction timing from the first synchronization error determiner or the second synchronization error determiner. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The time slave station according to claim 2, wherein the first synchronization error detecting counter corrector, when the notification of a correction timing is received from the first synchronization error determiner or when the synchronization correction cycle is counted, resets the first synchronization error detecting counter, and when the notification of a correction timing is received from the second synchronization error determiner, sets the count value of the first synchronization error detecting counter to a third set value, and the second synchronization error detecting counter corrector, when the notification of a correction timing is received from the second synchronization error determiner or when the synchronization correction cycle is counted, resets the second synchronization error detecting counter, and when the notification of a correction timing is received from the first synchronization error determiner, sets the count value of the second synchronization error detecting counter to a fourth set value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The time slave station according to claim 1, wherein the first set value, the second set value, the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, and the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period are equal in all the time slave stations constituting the ring-shaped synchronous network system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The time slave station according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization error detector further includes a non-reception error counter that counts a non-reception error when both a notification of a non-reception error of the first synchronization frame during the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period and a notification of a non-reception error of the second synchronization frame during the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period are received, the first synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a non-reception error to the non-reception error counter when the first synchronization frame is not received during the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, the second synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a non-reception error to the non-reception error counter when the second synchronization frame is not received during the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, and the non-reception error counter transmits a notification of error occurrence when the number of non-reception errors reaches a fifth set value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The time slave station according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization error detector further includes a desynchronization error counter that counts a desynchronization error when a notification of a desynchronization error is received by reception of the first synchronization frame outside the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period or a notification of a desynchronization error is received by reception of the second synchronization frame outside the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, the first synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a desynchronization error to the desynchronization error counter when the first synchronization frame is received outside the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, the second synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a desynchronization error to the desynchronization error counter when the second synchronization frame is received outside the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, and the desynchronization error counter transmits a notification of error occurrence when the number of desynchronization errors reaches a sixth set value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The time slave station according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped synchronous network system is an exclusive type ring-shaped synchronous network system that exclusively receives the first synchronization frame and the second synchronization frame or a simultaneous type ring-shaped synchronous network system that simultaneously receives the first synchronization frame and the second synchronization frame. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The time slave station according to claim 2, wherein the slave clock counter corrector corrects the slave clock counter in response to the synchronization frame received later among the first synchronization frame and the second synchronization frame. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The time slave station according to claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises a synchronization frame reception-enabled time period setter that sets the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period and the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period for all the time slave stations constituting the ring-shaped synchronous network system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The time slave station according to claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises: a communication cycle duration setter that sets the communication cycle; and a synchronization correction cycle setter that sets the synchronization correction cycle. ### Claim 11 A ring-shaped synchronous network system to which a time master station and one or more time slave stations are connected so as to form a dual ring configuration via transmission paths and in which a synchronization correction cycle between the time master station and the time slave station is a natural number times a communication cycle with which the time master station and the time slave station periodically communicate with each other, wherein the time master station includes: a synchronization signal inputter that receives an input of a synchronization signal from an external device; a first synchronization frame transmitter that, when the synchronization signal is received, transmits a first synchronization frame, which is transmitted in a first direction along the transmission path, with the synchronization correction cycle; and a second synchronization frame transmitter that, when the synchronization signal is received, transmits a second synchronization frame, which is transmitted in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the transmission path, with the synchronization correction cycle, the time slave station includes: a first frame receiver that receives a frame from the transmission path in which the frame is transmitted in the first direction; a second frame receiver that receives a frame from the transmission path in which the frame is transmitted in the second direction; and a processor comprising: a slave clock counter that counts the communication cycles; and a synchronization error detector that detects a synchronization error between the time master station and the time slave station, the synchronization error detector includes: a first synchronization error detecting counter that counts the synchronization correction cycles of the transmission path in which a frame is transmitted in the first direction; a second synchronization error detecting counter that counts the synchronization correction cycles of the transmission path in which a frame is transmitted in the second direction; a first synchronization-enabled time period counter that counts a first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period which is a reception-enabled time period of the first synchronization frame when a count value of the first synchronization error detecting counter reaches a first set value; a second synchronization-enabled time period counter that, when a count value of the second synchronization error detecting counter reaches a second set value, counts a second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period that is a reception-enabled time period of the second synchronization frame; a first synchronization error determiner that determines whether the first synchronization frame is received during the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period by the first frame receiver; and a second synchronization error determiner that determines whether the second synchronization frame is received during the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period by the second frame receiver. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The ring-shaped synchronous network system according to claim 11, wherein the time master station further includes a processor comprising a synchronization frame reception-enabled time period setter that sets the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period and the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period for all the time slave stations constituting the ring-shaped synchronous network system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The ring-shaped synchronous network system according to claim 11, wherein the processor of the time master station further includes: a communication cycle duration setter that sets the communication cycle; and a synchronization correction cycle setter that sets the synchronization correction cycle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The ring-shaped synchronous network system according to claim 11, wherein in the time slave station, the synchronization error detector further includes a non-reception error counter that counts a non-reception error when both a notification of a non-reception error of the first synchronization frame during the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period and a notification of a non-reception error of the second synchronization frame during the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period are received, the first synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a non-reception error to the non-reception error counter when the first synchronization frame is not received during the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, the second synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a non-reception error to the non-reception error counter when the second synchronization frame is not received during the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, and the non-reception error counter transmits a notification of error occurrence when the number of non-reception errors reaches a fifth set value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The ring-shaped synchronous network system according to claim 11, wherein in the time slave station, the synchronization error detector further includes a desynchronization error counter that counts a desynchronization error when a notification of a desynchronization error is received by reception of the first synchronization frame outside the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period or a notification of a desynchronization error is received by reception of the second synchronization frame outside the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, the first synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a desynchronization error to the desynchronization error counter when the first synchronization frame is received outside the first synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, the second synchronization error determiner transmits the notification of a desynchronization error to the desynchronization error counter when the second synchronization frame is received outside the second synchronization frame reception-enabled time period, and the desynchronization error counter transmits a notification of error occurrence when the number of desynchronization errors reaches a sixth set value.