Realtime Oscilloscope for High-Precision Wireless Time Transfer
Abstract
Many modern communication and sensing applications rely on accurate timing, positioning, and uninterruptable navigation systems. High-precision time transfer and clock synchronization is critical for these systems. Traditional GPS although, providing fascinating performance, is not a reliable source at challenged environments. The weak GPS signal can be easily jammed and compromise the sensitive operation of advanced DoD systems. Similarly, in GPS denied areas or indoor environments the problem of localization and time keeping can compromise the operation of intelligent radio systems. In addition, the accuracy of GPS is not adequate for modern communication systems such as 5G and NextG communications. Therefore, it is highly critical to advance techniques with reliable and accurate time keeping and positioning capabilities. Wireless time transfer can provide a robust alternative for precise time keeping and relative positioning with-accuracy beyond what is achievable with existing GPS systems, while tolerant to interferers and jammers. Wireless time transfer is referred to the method of sending timing information and process of synchronizing the clocks of several radios through the wireless communications. Today#s modern systems such as 5G and next generation ranging applications including autonomous vehicles will rely on accurate timing and localization. To facilitate such research and hardware development precise time characterization tools are required. An oscilloscope is an equipment to capture and measure the signals of interest over time. The-waveforms of the measured signals are visually displayed with this instrument, and real-time signal processing can be performed for variety of functionalities. The instruments can analyze the performance of the signals with respect to variety of metrics in time domain, and in real time. It can also process and produce the similar information in frequency domain. Performance parameters such as timing jitter, delay estimation, eye diagrams, data constellation, spectrum analysis, channel equalization, short-term and long-term clock stability are some of the functionalities that can be measured and displayed by this instrument. The recorded data can be extracted and analyzed in computers for further processing. For instance, and relevant to the-research conducted in our lab, the quality of time transfer and synchronization can be analyzed using this type of equipment. This equipment can enable top notch research conducted in the areas of wireless and wireline communications such as 5G systems and next generation radar systems. MTP lab at ASU contains several frequency domain characterization equipment for wireless and wireline applications across the electromagnetic spectrum, and suitable for narrow band applications. Accurate time domain measurement tools such as real-time oscilloscope complements our characterization capabilities and enable advanced time keeping and time transfer measurements, as well as characterization of wideband signals used in modern wireless, wireline, and fiber optics communications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 11, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312763
Entities
People
- Saeed Zeinolabedinzadeh
Organizations
- Arizona State University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy