Distributed timing recovery for a distributed communication system

Claim 1

Apparatus for use in a multinode system of the type in which each node receives, from each other node to which each is directly connected, (a) a clock signal and (b) an associated input timing priority number (TPN), and in which each node transmits, to said each other node, (a) the particular received clock signal having the lowest associated TPN and (b) an output TPN, the TPNs being such that, at any particular time, the clock signal from a particular node, a current one of a plurality of master nodes becomes distributed to each of the other nodes as a current master clock signal, each of said plurality of master nodes being prioritized in accordance with an assigned master priority number, the higher priority node having the lower master priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest master priority number, said apparatus including, at each individual one of said plurality of master nodes of the system: means for operating said individual node in a master mode in which its output TPN is a predetermined number which is a function of a predetermined mastr priority number assigned to that node, means for operating said individual node in a mode other than said master mode in which its output TPN is a function of the TPN associated with said particular received clock signal, means for switching said individual node to its master mode upon the disappearance of said current master clock signal from said system, and means responsive to the receipt of a TPN which is smaller than said TPN predetermined number for thereafter switching said individual node back to its other than said master mode, whereby said multinode system converges to a stable state in which an operative one of said master nodes having the highest priority operates in its master mode as said current master node and each other of said master nodes operates in its other than said master mode.

Claim 5

An apparatus for controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest priority number, comprising: means for interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; means for transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; means for activating one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said multinode system; means for including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is predefined number and M is the priority number of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; means for operating all others of said nodes, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmitting the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; means for operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; means for controlling the timing of each node, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and means for controlling the timing of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing another one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having higher priority to control the timing of said system upon said other one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes becoming operational.

Claim 6

An apparatus for controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest priority number, comprising: means for interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; means for transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; means for activating one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said multinode system; means for including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is predefined number and M is the priority number of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; means for operating all others of said nodes, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmitting the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; means for operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; means for controlling the timing of each node, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and means for controlling the timing of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing another one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having higher priority to control the timing of said system upon said other one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes becoming operational.

Claim 10

An apparatus for controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest master priority number, comprising: means for interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; means for transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; means for activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; means for including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is a predefined number M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; means for operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmit the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; means for operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; means for controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and means for controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said system.

Claim 11

An apparatus for controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest master priority number, comprising: means for interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; means for transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; means for activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; means for including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is a predefined number M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; means for operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmit the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; means for operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; means for controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and means for controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said system.

Claim 14

An apparatus of controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said multinode system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the higher priority number with the highest priority node having the highest priority number, comprising: means for interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; means for transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; means for activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; means for including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+a-i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where a and i are predefined numbers and M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; means for operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by subtracting the number i from the received TPN and transmit the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; means for operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; means for controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and means for controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being greater than M*N+a-2*i thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said multinode system.

Claim 15

An apparatus of controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said multinode system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the higher priority number with the highest priority node having the highest priority number, comprising: means for interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; means for transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; means for activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; means for including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+a-i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where a and i are predefined numbers and M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; means for operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by subtracting the number i from the received TPN and transmit the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; means for operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; means for controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and means for controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being greater than M*N+a-2*i thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said multinode system.

Claim 18

A method for of controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest priority number, said method comprising the steps of: (1) interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; (2) transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; (3) activating one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; (4) including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is a predefined number M is the priority number of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; (5) operating all others of said nodes, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmitting the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; (6) operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs; (7) controlling the timing of each node, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the selected TPN to said controlled node; and (8) controlling the timing of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitting over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing another one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having higher priority to control the timing of said system upon said other one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes becoming operational.

Claim 19

A method for of controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest priority number, said method comprising the steps of: (1) interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; (2) transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; (3) activating one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; (4) including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is a predefined number M is the priority number of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; (5) operating all others of said nodes, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmitting the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; (6) operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs; (7) controlling the timing of each node, other than said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the selected TPN to said controlled node; and (8) controlling the timing of said one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitting over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing another one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having higher priority to control the timing of said system upon said other one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes becoming operational.

Claim 23

A method for controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest priority number, said method comprising the steps of: (1) interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; (2) transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; (3) activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; (4) including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is predefined number and M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; (5) operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmitting the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; (6) operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; (7) controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and (8) controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said system.

Claim 24

A method for controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the lower priority number with the highest priority node having the lowest priority number, said method comprising the steps of: (1) interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; (2) transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; (3) activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; (4) including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where i is predefined number and M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; (5) operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by adding the number i to the received TPN and transmitting the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; (6) operating each node that receives more than a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; (7) controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and (8) controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being less than M*N thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said system.

Claim 27

A method of controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the higher priority number with the highest priority node having the higher priority number, said method comprising the steps of: (1) interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; (2) transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; (3) activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; (4) including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+a-i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where a and i are predefined numbers and M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; (5) operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by subtracting the number i from the received TPN and transmit the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; (6) operating each node that receives more tha a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; (7) controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and (8) controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being greater than M*N+a-2*i thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said system.

Claim 28

A method of controlling the timing of each node in a multinode system wherein a clock source in one of a plurality of prioritized master nodes provides a reference clock signal for all other nodes in said system and the higher priority node of said plurality of prioritized master nodes has the higher priority number with the highest priority node having the higher priority number, said method comprising the steps of: (1) interconnecting each of said nodes to one or more other ones of said nodes via links; (2) transmitting clock signals between each of said nodes directly interconnected by any one of said links; (3) activating said plurality of prioritized master nodes to each provide reference clock signals for controlling the timing of said system; (4) including a timing priority number (TPN) of M*N+a-i in the clock signals sent from each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes to all of said nodes directly connected to each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes by any one of said links where a and i are predefined numbers and M is the priority number of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes and N is equal to the number of links in the shortest path between the most distant nodes where distance is measured by counting the number of links between nodes; (5) operating all others of said nodes, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, that receives a TPN so that all others of said nodes alter the received TPN by subtracting the number i from the received TPN and transmit the altered TPN with clock signals to each node to which it is directly connected by any one of said links; (6) operating each node that receives more tha a single TPN, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, to select one of said received TPNs as a preferred received TPN; (7) controlling the timing of each node, other than said plurality of prioritized master nodes, from clock signals transmitted over the link that applies the preferred TPN to said controlled node; and (8) controlling the timing of each of said plurality of prioritized master nodes from clock signals transmitted over a connected link upon the TPN received from said connected link being greater than M*N+a-2*i thereby allowing the one of said plurality of prioritized master nodes having the highest priority to gain control of the timing of said system.