Two-way master-slave double-chain networks: limitations imposed by linear master drift for second order PLLs as slave nodes

• Published in: IEEE communications letters Vol. 9; no. 9; pp. 829 - 831
• Main Authors: Piqueira, J.R.C., Castillo-Vargas, S.A., Monteiro, L.H.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.09.2005; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: ANSI standards; Applied sciences; Automation; Clocks; Constraining; Control systems; Dynamical systems; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency; Master-slave; Networks; Phase locked loops; Switching; Switching and signalling; Switching theory; Synchronous digital hierarchy; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunication control; Telecommunication network topology; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Time signals; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); Performance evaluation; Second order; topology; Telecommunication switching; Systems theory; Dynamical system; phase-error; Clock; Steady state; Nodes; Digital transmission; Phase locked loop; Case study; frequency-error; master-slave; Telecommunication system; synchronous state; Free-running frequency; phase-locked loops; Switching system; Digital switching
• ISSN: 1089-7798; 1558-2558
• DOI: 10.1109/LCOMM.2005.1506717

Distribution of precise time signals among the nodes of a network is a fundamental requirement for digital transmission and switching systems in telecommunication and control. Cideciyan et al., (1987) conjectured that two-way master-slave (TWMS) networks present, in the general case, a better performance than one-way master-slave (OWMS) considering the long term linear master frequency drift. In this work we study the TWMS case using dynamical system theory showing that, due to the effects of long-term clock instabilities, the steady-state frequency-error is unstable for a number of slaves higher or equal than four, limiting the use of this kind of architecture.