IP Library Granted Patent US 10,666,372
Granted Patent B2
US 10,666,372 · App. 16/022,517 · Granted May 26, 2020

Precision time protocol over cellular

Inventors: Satashu Goel (San Diego, CA); Peerapol Tinnakornsrisuphap (San Diego, CA); Rajat Prakash (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04J3/0667H04B7/0857H04J3/0682H04W56/0015H04W56/0055H04J3/0641H04W84/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,666,372
App. No.
16/022,517
Granted
May 26, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may obtain a timing synchronization signal from a base station over a cellular wireless communication link. The UE may configure, based at least in part on the timing synchronization signal, a timer function of the UE as a precision time protocol (PTP) server. The UE may configure a PTP announce message based on the timer function and, in some examples, one or more metrics of the cellular wireless communication link. The UE may transmit the PTP announce message over a local communication network.

Claims (56)

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

obtaining, by a user equipment (UE), a timing synchronization signal from a base station over a cellular wireless communication link;

configuring, based at least in part on the timing synchronization signal, a timer function of the UE as a precision time protocol (PTP) server;

configuring a PTP announce message based on the timer function;

configuring a time source field of the PTP announce message to indicate that the timing synchronization signal is based on the cellular wireless communication link; and

transmitting the PTP announce message over a local communication network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that no other PTP server exists on the local communication network; and

configuring the timer function of the UE as the PTP server is in response to the determination.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

configuring the PTP announce message comprises: setting a grandmaster priority of the UE to a priority value that is lower than a priority value associated with a second PTP server operating on the local communication network.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a timing signal over the local communication network according to the timer function of the UE.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

configuring the PTP announce message comprises: determining that at least one of one or more metrics of the cellular wireless communication link satisfies a threshold; and

the method further comprising configuring at least one of: a server accuracy field of the PTP announce message or a server class field of the PTP announce message based at least in part on the determination.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

configuring the PTP announce message is further based at least in part on one or more metrics of the cellular wireless communication link, and wherein the metrics of the cellular wireless communication link comprise at least one of: a received signal reference power (RSRP), a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINK), a received signal reference quality (RSRQ), a bandwidth parameter, a throughput parameter, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining the timing synchronization signal from the base station using at least one of: a primary synchronization signal, a secondary synchronization signal, a system information block, a positioning reference signal, or any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

synchronizing a cellular modem timer of the UE based at least in part on a timing signal obtained over the local communication network.

9. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for obtaining, by a user equipment (UE), a timing synchronization signal from a base station over a cellular wireless communication link;

means for configuring, based at least in part on the timing synchronization signal, a timer function of the UE as a precision time protocol (PTP) server;

means for configuring a PTP announce message based on the timer function and one or more metrics of the cellular wireless communication link;

means for configuring a time source field of the PTP announce message to indicate that the timing synchronization signal is based on the cellular wireless communication link; and

means for transmitting the PTP announce message over a local communication network.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

means for determining that no other PTP server exists on the local communication network; and

means for configuring the timer function of the UE as the PTP server is in response to the determination.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

configuring the PTP announce message comprises: setting a grandmaster priority of the UE to a priority value that is lower than a priority value associated with a second PTP server operating on the local communication network.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

means for providing a timing signal over the local communication network according to the timer function of the UE.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

configuring the PTP announce message comprises: determining that at least one of the one or more metrics of the cellular wireless communication link satisfies a threshold; and

the apparatus further comprising means for configuring at least one of: a server accuracy field of the PTP announce message or a server class field of the PTP announce message based at least in part on the determination.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:

the metrics of the cellular wireless communication link comprise at least one of: a received signal reference power (RSRP), a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR), a received signal reference quality (RSRQ), a bandwidth parameter, a throughput parameter, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

means for obtaining the timing synchronization signal from the base station using at least one of: a primary synchronization signal, a secondary synchronization signal, a system information block, a positioning reference signal, or any combination thereof.

16. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to:

obtain, by a user equipment (UE), a timing synchronization signal from a base station over a cellular wireless communication link;

configure, based at least in part on the timing synchronization signal, a timer function of the UE as a precision time protocol (PTP) server;

configure a PTP announce message based on the timer function and one or more metrics of the cellular wireless communication link;

configure a time source field of the PTP announce message to indicate that the timing synchronization signal is based on the cellular wireless communication link; and

transmit the PTP announce message over a local communication network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine that no other PTP server exists on the local communication network; and

configure the timer function of the UE as the PTP server is in response to the determination.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:

configuring the PTP announce message comprises: setting a grandmaster priority of the UE to a priority value that is lower than a priority value associated with a second PTP server operating on the local communication network.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2018
From: GOEL, SATASHU; TINNAKORNSRISUPHAP, PEERAPOL; PRAKASH, RAJAT
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 046634/0039 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62527605 · Jun 30, 2017
Related Publication 20190007151A1 · Jan 3, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,219,510 US 12,463,739