Techniques for time transfer via signal encoding
Techniques for time transfer via signal encoding are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for time transfer via signal encoding comprising generating a time service ordered-set for inclusion in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, generating time service data for inclusion in the physical coding sublayer frame of the physical layer device, and transmitting the physical coding sublayer frame.
1. A method of transferring time information, comprising:
generating a time service ordered-set for inclusion in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, the time service ordered-set comprising at least one special code-group selected from unused special code-groups and indicating a presence of time service data following the time service ordered-set in the physical coding sublayer frame;
generating the time service data for inclusion in the physical coding sublayer frame; and
transmitting the physical coding sublayer frame including the time service ordered-set followed by the time service data.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time service ordered-set consists of a single special code-group.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time service ordered-set comprises an initial special code group selected from unused special code-groups followed by at least one additional code-group.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one additional code-group is selected from unused special code-groups.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one additional code-group comprises a data code-group.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data code-group has at least one of high bit transition density, disparity control, and coding distance.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the time service data comprises generating a transmit time stamp.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time service ordered-set indicates a type of the time service data.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the time service ordered-set in the physical coding sublayer frame; and
extracting the time service data from the physical coding sublayer frame.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating a receive time stamp to determine a receipt time of the time service data.
11. An apparatus for transferring time information, comprising:
a time service data generator configured to generate time service data;
an encoder configured:
to generate a time service ordered-set for inclusion in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, the time service ordered-set comprising at least one special code-group selected from unused special code-groups and indicating a presence of time service data following the time service ordered-set in the physical coding sublayer frame; and
to include the time service data in the physical coding sublayer frame following the time service ordered-set; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the physical coding sublayer frame including the time service ordered-set followed by the time service data.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the time service ordered-set consists of a single special code-group.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the time service ordered-set comprises an initial special code group selected from unused special code-groups followed by at least one additional code-group.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one additional code-group is selected from unused special code-groups.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one additional code-group comprises a data code-group.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the data code-group has at least one of high bit transition density, disparity control, and coding distance.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the time service data generator is configured to generate a transmit time stamp.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the time service ordered-set indicates a type of the time service data.
19. An apparatus for transferring timing information, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a time service ordered-set in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, the time service ordered-set comprising at least one special code-group selected from unused special code-groups and indicating a presence of time service data following the time service ordered-set in the physical coding sublayer frame;
a decoder configured to extract the time service data from the physical coding sublayer frame.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a time service data generator configured to generate a receive time stamp to determine a receipt time of the time service data.
21. A method of transferring time information using an encoder that encodes n bit bytes into m bit code words, m being greater than n, the method comprising:
generating a time service data indicator for inclusion in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, the time service data indicator comprising at least one m bit code word and indicating a presence of time service data following the time service data indicator in the physical coding sublayer frame;
generating the time service data for inclusion in the physical coding sublayer frame; and
transmitting the physical coding sublayer frame including the time service data indicator followed by the time service data.
22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
receiving the time service data indicator in the physical coding sublayer frame; and
extracting the time service data from the physical coding sublayer frame.
23. An apparatus for transferring time information, comprising:
a time service data generator configured to generate time service data;
an encoder configured to encode n bit bytes into m bit code words, m being greater than n, the encoder being further configured:
to generate a time service data indicator for inclusion in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, the time service data indicator comprising at least one m bit code word and indicating a presence of the time service data following the time service data indicator in the physical coding sublayer frame; and
to include the time service data in the physical coding sublayer frame following the time service data indicator; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the physical coding sublayer frame including the time service data indicator followed by the time service data.
24. An apparatus for transferring timing information, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a physical coding sublayer frame; and
a decoder configured to decode m bit code words into n bit bytes, m being greater than n, the decoder being further configured:
to detect a time service data indicator in the received physical coding sublayer frame, the time service data indicator comprising at least one m bit code word and indicating a presence of time service data following the time service data indicator in the physical coding sublayer frame; and
to extract the time service data from the received physical coding sublayer frame.