Time transfer in impulse radio networks
Chee-Cheon Chui, Robert A. Scholtz · IEEE Transactions on Communications · 2009
The synchronization of clocks at physically separated network nodes requires timed signal exchanges between the nodes. Ultra-wideband (UWB) impulse signals potentially provide the means for doing this very accurately, but unlike narrowband signals, pulse signals are more naturally suited to time-division multiple-access (TDMA) schemes. In this work, we describe TDMA time-transfer schemes that estimate the mappings from a master node's clock time into slaves' clock times based on specific wireless measurements. We propose an optimal approach to distribution of UWB transmissions between those that perform alignment of nodes' clock rates and those that determine clock offsets. Analytical equations for the timing error variances are derived and our results suggest a possible lower bound for time-transfer error using UWB impulse signals.