A control method and a time aware bridge device for a seamless Precision Time Protocol (PTP) are provided. The control method includes: utilizing the time aware bridge device to pre-configure a first control signal source as a master control signal source, and pre-configure a second control signal source as a backup control signal source; utilizing the time aware bridge device to determine whether one or more packets from the master control signal source conform to at least one predetermined rule to generate a determination result; and selectively configuring the second control signal source as the master control signal source according to the determination result.

Provided are a clock synchronization method performed between communication nodes included in a communication network, the clock synchronization method comprises receiving a synchronization source signal through any one of remaining communication nodes except for an uppermost communication node included in the communication network, generating a reference clock for clock synchronization from the received synchronization source signal and transmitting the generated reference clock through a first path including at least a portion reverse to a second path through which a downlink signal is transmitted in the communication network.

Present disclosure describes the techniques for regaining synchronization between the RPD and the PTP server, without resetting RPD, in the event of run time-phase jump experienced at RPD. To do so, said technique discloses identifying a run time phase jump event at a remote Physical device (RPD) and initiating an Upstream Channel Descriptor (UCD) refresh procedure to reconnect the RPD with Precision Time Protocol (PTP) server.

Embodiments of a method and device are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for synchronizing a slave clock in a Time Sensitive Network (TSN) that includes multiple Precision Time Protocol (PTP) clock domains is disclosed. The method involves determining parameters related to multiple PTP clock domains, assigning domain-specific weights to the multiple PTP clock domains based on the determined parameters, generating a control signal for a clock parameter using the domain-specific weights assigned to the multiple PTP clock domains, and adjusting the clock parameter of a slave clock in response to the control signal.

The Digital Time Processing over Time Sensitive Networks (DTP TSN) disclosed herein is contributing methods, systems and circuits for using a Precision Time Protocol (PTP) such as IEEE 1588 for distributing a master time secured by a master unit to slave units by utilizing slave clocks recovered from PTP messages and/or compatible with them data receiver clocks for maintaining a local slave time which is increased to a local master time by adding to it an estimate of a transmission delay derived by processing PTP messages, wherein such distribution of the master time includes filtering out phase noise of a timing referencing signals communicated by PTP messages in order to produce accurate timing implementing signals such as the slave clock, local slave time and local master time.

A self-organizing mesh network and protocol, herein identified as the HSN Mesh or Self-Expanding Mesh (SEM), enables dynamic addition and subtraction of mesh nodes by allowing nodes to claim a conflict-free slot for transmission. Slot allocation will not be fixed or predetermined and will be performed in a decentralized manner that suits the existing SEM mesh structure which does not have any strict hierarchy or central coordinator nodes. The dynamic slot allocation strategy will allow the seamless expansion of the mesh. The disclosed self-organizing mesh is: a distributed self organizing mobile mesh network; highly reliable and resilient mesh through redundant connections and built in self-discovery; and a peer to peer network with flat hierarchy, meaning no need for central hub or coordinator node. Distributed slot reusability ensures efficient slot allocation. synchronized mesh allows to deploy time critical applications

A method may include (1) preparing, at a slave device, a request message that identifies an initial time-to-live value, (2) sending the request message to a plurality of candidate master devices, (3) receiving, at the slave device from one of the candidate master devices, a reply message that identifies a number of hops between the slave device and the one of the candidate master devices, (4) receiving, at the slave device from another one of the candidate master devices, another reply message that identifies another number of hops between the slave device and the another one of the candidate master devices, and then (5) synchronizing a clock of the slave device with a clock of the one of the candidate master devices due at least in part to the number of hops being less than the another number of hops. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

A communication method includes receiving, by a terminal device, first clock source information. The first clock source information corresponds to clock source information of a wireless communication system. The first clock source information indicates that a fifth generation (5G) system clock is useable as a clock source. The method further includes sending, by the terminal device, the first clock source information to an adjacent device.

A network element includes circuitry configured to receive information related to clock distribution from Precision Time Protocol (PTP) messages from an upstream network element, determine a delta between a network clock from the information and a Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC), and transmit the delta in PTP messages to downstream network elements. The circuitry can be further configured to receive a configuration of a clock class of a clock at the network element, and transmit the clock class in the PTP messages with the delta. The clock class can be one of A, B, C, and D from G.8273.2 or G.8273.4.

A method, performed by a network entity, of performing time sensitive communication (TSC) includes: establishing a first protocol data unit (PDU) session with a first user equipment (UE) and a second PDU session for a second UE; receiving, from the first UE, an announce message obtained from a first time sensitive network (TSN) node; configuring, based on the announce message, a port state of the network entity; and transmitting, to the second UE or a second TSN node, the announce message.