A Network Time Interface M-Module for Distributing GPS-Timeover LANs

  • Authors:
  • Ulrich Schmid;Johann Klasek;Thomas Mandl;Herbert Nachtnebel;Gerhard Cadek;Nikolaus Kerö

  • Affiliations:
  • McMaster University, Department of Computing and Software, Faculty of Engineering, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada;McMaster University, Department of Computing and Software, Faculty of Engineering, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada;Technische Universität Wien, Dept. of Automation, Treitlstra\'mbox{\'ss} e 1, A-1040 Vienna, Austria.;Technische Universität Wien, Dept. of Automation, Treitlstra\'mbox{\'ss} e 1, A-1040 Vienna, Austria.;Technische Universität Wien, Dept. of Automation, Treitlstra\'mbox{\'ss} e 1, A-1040 Vienna, Austria.;Technische Universität Wien, Dept. of General Electrical Engineering and Electronics, Gu\'mbox{\'ss} hausstra\'mbox{\' ...

  • Venue:
  • Real-Time Systems - Selected papers from IFAC/IFIP workshops on real-time programming
  • Year:
  • 2000

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of our Network Time Interface(NTI) M-Module, which facilitates high-accuracy time distributionin LAN-based distributed real-time systems. Built around ourcustom UTCSU VLSI chip, it hosts all the hardware support requiredfor interval-based external clock synchronization: A high-resolutionstate- and rate-adjustable clock, local accuracy intervals, interfacesto GPS receivers, and various timestamping features. Maximumnetwork controller and CPU independence ensures that the availableNTI prototype can be employed in virtually any COTS-based systemwith MA-Module interface. Our experimental evaluation shows thattime distribution with \mus-accuracy is possibleeven in Ethernet-based system architectures, provided that theavailable configuration parameters are suitably chosen to copewith the various hidden sources of timing uncertainty.