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.

A system for load-testing a cloud radio access network (C-RAN) is provided. The system includes at least one radio point (RP), each being configured to exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with at least one user equipment (UE). The system also includes a baseband controller communicatively coupled to the at least one RP via a front-haul ETHERNET network. The front-haul ETHERNET network includes at least one switch; and a testing device that is time-synchronized to the baseband controller and the at least one RP. The testing device is configured to receive at least one packet from each of the at least one RP. The testing device is also configured to replicate each of at least some of the received packets to produce a respective replicated packet. The testing device is also configured to transmit at least one replicated packet to the baseband controller.

Aspects of the disclosure provide for an apparatus. In some examples, the apparatus includes a clock generator, a clock data recovery (CDR) circuit, a state machine, and an adder. The clock generator is configured to determine a sampling clock based on a received input clock and a clock offset. The CDR circuit is configured to determine a phase of the input clock and determine CDR codes based on the determined phase and sampled data. The state machine is configured to record a first CDR code of the CDR codes at a first time, record a second CDR code of the CDR codes at a second time subsequent to the first time, and determine a calibrated offset based on the first CDR code and the second CDR code. The adder is configured to determine the clock offset according to the CDR codes and the calibrated offset.

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 and system for enhanced time synchronization with lesser delay and jitter, from a gateway of a network or an external standard time source, over the internet, in a traditional network, including SDN, by NTP clients like newly added devices, spawned VMs and the like, by automatic deployment of the distributed NTP service through DHCP and DNS servers by spawning NTP demons (ntpd), according to the time synchronization requests received, thereby offloading the NTP functionality of the gateway and decreasing NTP traffic.

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.

The present disclosure relates to a 5G or pre-5G communication system to be provided in order to support higher data transmission rates than 4G communication systems such as LTE. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, disclosed is a method for a time-sensitive networking (TSN) application function device of a mobile communication system to report a delay time of the mobile communication system to a TSN server, wherein a residence time based on a grand master (GM) clock of the mobile communication system is received from a UE communicating with a first TNS node, and a packet delay budget (PDB) based on a clock of the mobile communication system is received from a user plane function (UPF) device that communicates with a second TSN node. The PDB is the time it takes to transmit packets or messages between the UE and a UPF, and bridge delay information based on a TSN clock is delivered to the TSN server on the basis of such information.

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.

The present invention relates to a method for determining a synchronization accuracy of a time synchronization of a first communication unit. A time request is sent via a communication channel at a corresponding instant of time of transmission from the first communication unit to a second communication unit. The method comprises receiving a time response at the first communication unit, the time response providing a synchronization time information for the second communication unit. The synchronization accuracy is determined based on the instant of time of transmission and the instant of time of reception.