Patent ID: 11923969
Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 7:
8. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality n of the clocks, wherein:
n is an integer such that n >1,
the nodes comprise n nodes each connected to one of the clocks each identified with an integer i such that 1≤i≤n, each of the clocks connected to the ith node identified as the ith clock having a clock rate τi varying as a function of time according to a drift ai;
one or more of the nodes connected to the ith node are identified with an integer k such that 1≤k≤i, each of the clocks connected to the kth node identified as the kth clock having a clock rate τk varying as a function of time according to a drift ak; and
the one or more computers:
implement a plurality of adjustable clocks each identified with the integer i or the integer k so that the ith adjustable clock is connected to the ith clock and one or more kth adjustable clocks are connected the ith adjustable clock, the ith adjustable clock having an adjustable clock rate {tilde over (τ)}i=ai+ui where ui is a control input and the kth adjustable clock having an adjustable clock rate {tilde over (τ)}k;
represent the network using a digraph comprising the plurality i of the nodes,
provide feedback comprising, at each of the i nodes:
receiving, at each of the communication event times, the {tilde over (τ)}k from each of the k adjustable clocks connected to the ith node according to the digraph;
updating, at the plurality of communication event times, the system state and a control variable ηi, wherein the control variable ηi is associated with Στ{circumflex over ( )}i−τ{tilde over ( )}k over all k nodes connected according to the digraph;
determining a time rate of change of the system state using a continuous-time linear function between the communication event times to obtain an estimate âi of the drift ai of the ith clock; and

at each of the communication event times and for one or more of the i clocks (1≤i≤n), determine the one of the corrective actions ui=ηi−âi+σ* applied to the clock rate τi of the ith clock that reduces the drift a, so as to converge the clock rate τi to the common clock rate a*.