Multiple mode aircraft clock synchronization

Abstract

Abstract A SYSTEM FOR SYNCHRONIZING AIRCRAFT CLOCKS TO AN ESTABLISHED MASTER TIME, THE CLOCKS HAVING VARYING DEGREES OF STABILITY AND THESE DEGREES ESTABLISHING DIFFERENT MODES OF LOCAL OPERATION, DEPENDING UPON MOMENTARY ESTIMATES OF LOCAL CLOCK ACCURACY, AND THE DIFFERENT MODES INCLUDING GRADUATED RATES OF CLOCK CORRECTION, AS WELL AS THE SELECTION OF TIME SLOTS IN DIFFERENT SERIES DESIGNATED FOR OCCUPANCY BY AIRCRAFT HAVING ESTIMATED CLOCK ERRORS OF DIFFERENT MAGNITUDES, THE SYSTEM INCLUDING AN ASYNCHRONOUS BACK-UP MODE OCCUPIED BY AIRCRAFT WHOSE CLOCKS ARE ENTIRELY OUT OF SYNCHRONIZATION. THE SYSTEM FURTHER INCLUDES MEANS FOR SELECTING UNOCCUPIED SLOTS, FOR ESTABLISHING COARSE SYNCHRONIZATION IN ONE MODE, FOR THEN PROCEEDING BY PROPORTIONAL CLOCK CORRECTION TO MODES OF HIGHER DEGREES OF CYNCHRONIZATION, AND FOR CHANGING TO APPROPRIATE OTHER UNOCCUPIED TIME SLOTS AND REDUCING THE MAGNITUDE OF SUBSEQUENT CLOCK CORRECTIONS AS A RESULT OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE DEGREE OF CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION.

Inventors

• 👤 William V Scott
• 👤 William T Lennon Jr

Bibliographic Details