Time-locking method for stations which form part of a local star network, and local star network for performing the time-locking method

Claim 1

In a local communication network which has a star structure and which comprises a plurality of stations, each station having a clock and being connected to a central node which comprises a coupler, the exchange of messages between said stations of said network being organized at the level of said coupler in successive frames of time division time slots, each station being allocated to at least one time slot in each frame; a time-locking method for enabling each station to transmit its message in its allocated time slot, such method comprising: an initialization phase in which an arbitrary one of said stations serves as a master station which transmits a synchronizing signal for phase locking said clocks of all of said stations; a measuring phase in which each station individually determines its own forward and return propagation time for a message from said station to said coupler and back from said coupler to said station, such measuring phase comprising, for each individual station, the steps of: (a) transmission of a word by such station to said coupler and simultaneously starting a time counter; (b) reception and retransmission of such word by said coupler back to such station; (c) reception of said retransmitted word by such station and simultaneously stopping said time counter; and (d) storing in such station the measured forward and return word propagation time as indicated by said time counter; and a time-locking phase which comprises: (e) transmission by said arbitrary one station of a synchronization word to said coupler; (f) reception and retransmission of said synchronization word by said coupler to each of said stations; (g) reception of said retransmitted synchronization word by each of said stations; and (h) transmission by each station of its message after a time delay following the synchronization word received thereby which is advanced in accordance with the measured forward and return word propagation time between said station and said coupler, whereby the message transmitted by each station is inserted in the time slot allocated to such station.