Using a network frequency reference to augment timing Synchronization in a wireless base station

1. A method comprising:

at a base station:

deriving a local network frequency reference from an output of a local oscillator;

while in a first mode,

adjusting the local oscillator based on an external time epoch reference, and

when a network frequency reference received via a backhaul connection distinct from said external time epoch reference is available, determining frequency corrections to account for frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference; and

while in a second mode,

when the network frequency reference is available, adjusting the local oscillator based on:

i) the frequency corrections determined while in the first mode, and

ii) frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating in the second mode when the external time epoch reference is unavailable.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

determining frequency corrections comprises training a network clock model to predict frequency corrections that account for frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local frequency reference; and

adjusting the local oscillator while in the second mode comprises adjusting the local oscillator based on:

i) the network clock model; and

ii) frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference while in the second mode.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

while in the first mode,

training an oscillator model for a frequency drift of the local oscillator based on at least one of time and temperature; and

while in the second mode,

when the network frequency reference is unavailable, and the oscillator model has been sufficiently trained while in the first mode, adjusting the local oscillator based on the trained oscillator model;

otherwise, maintaining a last frequency correction applied to the local oscillator.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

training the oscillator model for the frequency drift of the local oscillator based on at least one of time and temperature comprises measuring a temperature of the local oscillator; and

adjusting the local oscillator based on the trained oscillator model while in the second mode comprises calculating frequency corrections for the local oscillator based on the measured temperature of the local oscillator using the trained oscillator model.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

training the oscillator model for the frequency drift of the local oscillator based on at least one of time and temperature comprises measuring an elapsed time while in the second mode; and

adjusting the local oscillator based on the trained oscillator model while in the second mode comprises calculating frequency corrections for the local oscillator based on the elapsed time while in the second mode using the trained oscillator model.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the local oscillator based on the external time epoch reference comprises:

receiving the external time epoch reference; and

phase-locking the local oscillator to the external time epoch reference.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein receiving the external time epoch reference comprises:

receiving a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal; and

recovering a GNSS timing signal from the GNSS signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein phase-locking the local oscillator to the external time epoch reference comprises:

deriving a local frequency reference from an output of the local oscillator;

determining phase corrections between the local frequency reference and the recovered GNSS timing signal; and

adjusting the local oscillator based on the phase corrections.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining frequency corrections to account for frequency offsets between the frequency reference and the local network frequency reference comprises recovering the network frequency reference from a backhaul network link.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

receiving the external time epoch reference further comprises receiving GNSS data from a backhaul network link; and

recovering the GNSS timing signal from the GNSS signal comprises recovering the GNSS timing signal from at least one of the GNSS signal and the GNSS data received from the backhaul network link.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining location information from the GNSS signal; and

determining a delay from a main base station using the location information.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein receiving the external time epoch reference comprises receiving a signal from another base station.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein receiving a signal from another base station comprises receiving a code division multiple access (CDMA) coded signal that is similar to a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal from another base station.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the base station is associated with a femtocell; and

receiving the signal from another base station comprises receiving the signal from a main base station.

16. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the base station operates in a time division duplexing mode; and

phase-locking the local oscillator to the external time epoch reference comprises using the external time epoch reference when the base station is not transmitting.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, while in the first mode, transmitting time stamp packets over a backhaul network link.

18. An apparatus associated with a base station, the apparatus comprising:

a network frequency reference component that while a network frequency reference is available recovers the network frequency reference;

an external time epoch receiver that while an external time epoch reference is available recovers the external time epoch reference; and

a local time base controller comprising a local oscillator and a frequency/time lock controller, wherein the local time base controller derives a local network frequency reference from an output of the local oscillator; and

while in a first mode, the frequency/time lock controller:

adjusts the local oscillator based on the external time epoch reference; and

when a network frequency reference received via a backhaul connection distinct from said external time epoch reference is available, determines frequency corrections to account for frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference; and

while in a second mode, the frequency/time lock controller adjusts the local oscillator when the network frequency reference is available, based on:

i) the frequency corrections determined while in the first mode, and

ii) the frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the apparatus operates in the second mode when the external time epoch reference is unavailable.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the frequency/time lock controller comprises a network clock model; and

while in the first mode, the frequency/time lock controller:

trains the network clock model to predict frequency corrections that account for frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference; and

adjusts the local oscillator based on the network clock model and the frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the frequency/time lock controller comprises an oscillator model; and

while in the first mode, the frequency/time lock controller:

trains the oscillator model for a frequency drift of the local oscillator based on at least one of time and temperature; and

while in the second mode, the frequency/time lock controller:

when the network frequency reference is unavailable, and the oscillator model has been sufficiently trained while in the first mode, adjusts the local oscillator based on the trained oscillator model;

otherwise, maintains a last frequency correction applied to the local oscillator.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the external time epoch receiver comprises:

an assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver that recovers the external time epoch reference by receiving at least one of:

a GNSS signal from at least one Global Navigation Satellite; and

GNSS data received from a backhaul network link; or

a portion of a wireless transceiver that the base station uses to communicate with mobile terminals and other base stations.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a base station to:

derive a local network frequency reference from an output of a local oscillator;

while in a first mode,

adjust the local oscillator based on an external time epoch reference, and

when a network frequency reference received via a backhaul connection distinct from said external time epoch reference is available, determine frequency corrections to account for frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference; and

while in a second mode,

when the network frequency reference is available, adjust the local oscillator based on:

i) the frequency corrections determined while in the first mode, and

ii) frequency offsets between the network frequency reference and the local network frequency reference.