Method and arrangement for transferring a time of day value between network elements

1. An arrangement for transferring a time of day value from a first network element to a second network element via a data communications network wherein a first phase reference signal is available to the first network element and a second phase reference signal, which is phase locked relative to said first phase reference signal, is available to the second network element, the arrangement including:

in said first network element, a first processor unit which is arranged to create a difference variable that is adapted to indicate the difference between the timing phases of said time of day value and said first phase reference signal and to write said difference variable in a data unit which is to be sent to said second network element, and

in said second network element, a second processor unit which is arranged to read said difference variable from said data unit and to create an estimate of said time of day value based on said difference variable and the timing phase of said second phase reference signal.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said data unit is a correction field of a synchronization message according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said first network element is adapted to receive said first phase reference signal from a satellite and said second network element is adapted to receive said second phase reference signal from said satellite.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said first network element is adapted to receive said first phase reference signal from said data communications network and said second network element is adapted to receive said second phase reference signal from said data communications network.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said data unit is one of the following: a part of a payload data field of an IP (Internet Protocol) package, and a payload data field of an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) cell.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said first network element is arranged to send said first phase reference signal to said data communications network and said second network element is arranged to receive said first phase reference signal from said data communications network, said second phase reference signal being said first phase reference signal received from said data communications network.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said second processor unit is arranged to determine that period of said second phase reference signal which corresponds to said difference variable, using a synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein said synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages is a synchronization procedure according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

9. A network element adapted to send a data unit defining a time of day value to a data communications network, the network element including a processor unit which is arranged to:

create a difference variable that is adapted to indicate the difference between the timing phases of said time of day value and the phase reference signal available to said network element, and

write said difference variable in said data unit.

10. A network element according to claim 9 , wherein said data unit is a correction field of a synchronization message according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

11. A network element according to claim 9 , wherein said processor unit is additionally arranged to:

read the value comprised in the data unit received from said data communications network, and

create an estimated time of day value based on the value read from said second data unit and the timing phase of said phase reference signal.

12. A network element according to claim 9 , wherein said network element is arranged to receive said phase reference signal from a satellite.

13. A network element according to claim 9 , wherein said network element is arranged to receive said phase reference signal from said data communications network.

14. A network element according to claim 9 , wherein said network element is arranged to send said phase reference signal to said data communications network.

15. A network element according to claim 9 , wherein the network element is one of the following: an IP (Internet Protocol) router, an Ethernet switch, a base station of a mobile telephone network, and an MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) switch.

16. A network element according to claim 9 , wherein said network element is arranged to perform a synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages with another network element.

17. A network element according to claim 16 , wherein said synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages is a synchronization procedure according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

18. A network element adapted to receive a data unit defining a time of day value from a data communications network, the network element including a processor unit which is arranged to:

read the value comprised in said data unit, and

create said time of day value based on the value read from said data unit and the timing phase of the phase reference signal available to said network element.

19. A network element according to claim 18 , wherein said data unit is a correction field of a synchronization message according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

20. A network element according to claim 18 , wherein said network element is arranged to receive said phase reference signal from a satellite.

21. A network element according to claim 18 , wherein said network element is arranged to receive said phase reference signal from said data communications network.

22. A network element according to claim 18 , wherein the network element is one of the following: an IP (Internet Protocol) router, an Ethernet switch, a base station of a mobile telephone network, and an MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) switch.

23. A network element according to claim 18 , wherein said processor unit is arranged to determine that period of said phase reference signal which corresponds to the value read from said data unit, using a synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages.

24. A network element according to claim 23 , wherein said synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages is a synchronization procedure according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

25. A method for transferring a time of day value from a first network element to a second network element via a data communications network, wherein a first phase reference signal is available to the first network element and a second phase reference signal, which is phase locked relative to said first phase reference signal, is available to the second network element, the method comprising:

creating, in said first network element, a difference variable indicating the difference between the timing phases of said time of day value and said first phase reference signal,

writing said difference variable in a data unit in said first network element,

transferring said data unit from said first network element to said second network element via said data communications network,

reading said difference variable in said second network element from said data unit, and

creating an estimate of said time of day value in said second network element based on said difference variable and the timing phase of said second phase reference signal.

26. A method according to claim 25 , wherein said data unit is a correction field of a synchronization message according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

27. A method according to claim 25 , wherein in said first network element, said first phase reference signal is received from a satellite, and in said second network element, said second phase reference signal is received from said satellite.

28. A method according to claim 25 , wherein in said first network element, said first phase reference signal is received from said data communications network, and in said second network element, said second phase reference signal is received from said data communication network.

29. A method according to claim 25 , wherein said data unit is one of the following: a part of a payload data field of an IP (Internet Protocol) package, and a payload data field of an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) cell.

30. A method according to claim 25 , wherein said first phase reference signal is sent from said first network element to said data communications network and said first phase reference signal is received from said data communications network to said second network element, said second phase reference signal being said first phase reference signal received from said data communications network.

31. A method according to claim 25 , wherein that period of said phase reference signal which corresponds to said difference variable, is determined in said second network element using a synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages.

32. A method according to claim 31 , wherein said synchronization procedure based on timestamp messages is a synchronization procedure according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

33. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program when executed on a computer causes the computer to operate for creating a data unit that defines a time of day value, the computer program including:

programmable means for controlling a programmable processor unit to create a difference variable that is adapted to indicate the difference between the timing phases of said time of day value and the phase reference signal available to said programmable processor unit, and

programmable means for controlling said programmable processor unit to write said difference variable in said data unit.

34. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 33 , wherein the computer program further includes:

programmable means for controlling said programmable processor unit to read the value contained in a second data unit, and

programmable means for controlling said programmable processor unit to create an estimated time of day value based on the value read from said second data unit and the timing phase of said phase reference signal.

35. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 33 , wherein said data unit is a correction field of a synchronization message according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.

36. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 34 , wherein said second data unit is a correction field of a synchronization message according to the IEEE1588v2 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) protocol.