IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,644,350
Granted Patent B2
US 8,644,350 · App. 13/679,672 · Granted Feb 4, 2014

Packet-based timing measurement

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,644,350
App. No.
13/679,672
Granted
Feb 4, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A slave communication device may transmit a packet to the master communication device, with the packet including a transmission time field and a correction field. The transmission time field may contain a value indicative of an approximate time of transmission of the packet by the slave communication device, and the correction field may contain a value indicative of a difference between the approximate time of transmission and an actual time of transmission of the packet by the slave communication device.

Claims (29)

1. A method of determining a time of transit of a packet over a communication network, comprising:

providing a physical layer portion of a slave communication device a packet including a value indicating an approximate time of transmission of the packet by the slave communication device;

having the physical layer portion of the slave communication device insert a correction value into the packet, the correction value indicating a difference between the approximate time of transmission and an actual time of transmission of the packet by the slave communication device;

transmitting, by the physical layer portion of the slave communication device, the packet to a master communication device;

receiving, by the slave communication device, a responsive packet from the master communication device, the responsive packet including a time value indicating a time of receipt of the packet by the master communication device and an indication of the correction value; and calculating the time of transit by the packet over the communication network using the approximate time of transmission, the indication of the correction value, and the time of receipt by the master communication device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating the time of transit is performed in a higher layer of the slave communication device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the higher layer is a media access controller (MAC).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the packet sent by the physical layer portion of the slave communication device comprises a delay request message.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the responsive packet received by the master communication device comprises a delay request message.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master communication device and slave communication device follow precision time protocol (PTP).

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the physical layer portion does not retain information of the actual time of transmission after transmission of the packet transmission time information.

8. A network communication device for determining a time of transit for a packet over a communication network, comprising:

at least one port for transmitting and receiving network packets;

a higher layer configured to provide packets to a physical layer, at least some of the packets including a value indicating an approximate time of transmission of the packet by the communication device; and

the physical layer configured to insert a correction value in at least some of the packets the correction value indicating a difference between the approximate time of transmission and the actual time of transmission of the packet by the communication device, to transmit the packet over a communication network to a master communication device, to receive responsive packets from the master communication device, at least some of the responsive packets including a time value indicating a time of receipt of the packet by the master communication device and the correction value.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the higher layer is a media access controller.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the physical layer portion is an integrated circuit.

11. A method for determining a time of transit for a packet over a communication network, comprising:

receiving from a media access controller (MAC) by a packet physical layer portion of a slave communication device, the packet including a value indicating an approximate time of transmission of the packet by the slave communication device;

modifying a correction field of the packet to indicate a difference between the approximate time of transmission and an actual time of transmission of the packet by the slave communication device;

transmitting the packet from the physical layer portion of the slave communication device over a communication network to a master communication device;

receiving, by the slave communication device, a responsive packet from the master communication device, the responsive packet including a time value indicating a time of receipt of the packet by the master communication device and the correction value; and

calculating the time in transit of the packet over the communication network using the approximate time of transmission, the correction value, and the time of receipt by the master communication device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the correction value is a time value measurement.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the packet sent by the physical layer portion of the slave communication device comprises a delay request message.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the packet sent by the master communication device comprises a delay response message.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the physical layer portion of the slave device does not retain transmission time information.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the correction value is further corrected for resident time in a device on the communication network.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the calculation is performed in a higher layer of the slave communication device.

Assignments (19)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2018
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.), INC.; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; MICROSEMI SOC CORP.; MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP; MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS
Reel/Frame 046251/0391 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2017
From: MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 042523/0577 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2016
From: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC. (F/K/A LEGERITY, INC., ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (V.N.) INC., CENTELLAX, INC., AND ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.); MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION (F/K/A SYMMETRICON, INC.); MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION); MICROSEMI SOC CORP. (F/K/A ACTEL CORPORATION); MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP (F/K/A ADVANCED POWER TECHNOLOGY INC.); MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS (F/K/A AML COMMUNICATIONS, INC.)
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037691/0697 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-ANALOG MIXED SIGNAL GROUP, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SOC CORP., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION), A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-MEMORY AND STORAGE SOLUTIONS (F/K/A WHITE ELECTRONIC DESIGNS CORPORATION), AN INDIANA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037558/0711 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 13, 2015
From: VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; LLIU100 ACQUISITION CORP.
To: MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 035651/0708 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 29, 2015
From: MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035532/0925 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2013
From: KRISTOFFERSEN, ARNE; TERSTRUP, MORTEN
To: VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031292/0799 →