A High-Precision Progressive Time Synchronization Method
Qiang Li, Yueyan Qi, Gaigai Liu, Chen Wang, Jiaxin Yuan, Yingzi Zhang, Wenyi Liu · IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement · 2025
Precision time synchronization methods are critical for maintaining event order and data consistency among nodes in distributed measurement and control systems. However, microsecond-level time synchronization precision is no longer sufficient to meet the demand. As the number of devices increases, the time synchronization precision tends to degrade. This study proposes a high-precision progressive time synchronization method. The method integrates a progressive time synchronization approach with a clock frequency compensation algorithm, effectively mitigating the exponential growth of time offsets caused by an increasing number of devices. The algorithm was validated through simulation experiments and the construction of a test system. Experimental results demonstrate that, under conditions of an 80 MHz crystal oscillator frequency and a 13.11 ms sending interval, the maximum time offset between the fifth-hop child clock and the parent clock is only 70 ns. This nanosecond-level time synchronization method is capable of meeting the high-precision synchronization requirements of future distributed measurement and control systems.