Multisensor Time Synchronization

Avtec proposes a technique that uses the structure of tactical communications systems to provide a reliable and precise relative time and range synchronization between the participating platforms. This technique uses an unbiased balanced timing messaging system to determine the clock offsets and relative range between a reference platform and an associated vehicle. In addition, by tracking the offsets and the magnitudes of the offset corrections, the frequency difference between the sensor local oscillators can be determined. This method is mostly implemented in the sensor and communications system processing and has minimal impact on the hardware. Similarly, for the synchronizing sensors on a single platform, we take the same approach but use the internal platform bus for maintaining the coherence. Although seemingly similar to a packet driven tactical communications systems, the network bus presents several different issues, one of which is latency. In this study we will investigate and provide a preliminary proof of concept for our proposed techniques for the two cases: across multiple platforms and within a single platform. In addition, we will devise interfaces needed so that the time and frequency synchronization can be integrated with internal platform network buses and external tactical communications networks.