Patent ID: 7343437
Filing Date: 2008-03-11
Classification: G05B,H04J

Abstract:
1. A synchronization method for time synchronizing at least two slave units which are controlled by a master unit, and two signal lines each going through each slave unit exactly once in opposite order, the signal lines being configured so that a signal sent by the master unit passes through all of the slave units on at least one of the signal lines and returns to the master unit, the method comprising: determining a signal throughput time required by a signal transmitted by the master unit until it returns; reporting the signal throughput time to all of the slave units; transmitting at least one control signal by the master unit to all of the slave units as a reference signal so that each slave unit receives the at least one control signal via both signal lines, wherein each of the slave units performs the following: reading out the time counter contents when the time counter contents which have been added up correspond to a reported signal throughput time; and determining a time correction parameter for each of the slave units with respect to each signal line based on at least one read-out counter content, the slave units performing the time synchronization taking into account the time correction parameters.