Patent ID: 7327699

Claim:
A method for synchronizing a remote clock to a central clock, the method comprising the steps of: providing a central clock and a remote clock at separate locations; connecting the central clock and the remote clock via a bi-directional, two-way satellite communication link; bi-directionally transmitting and receiving time signals between the central clock and the remote clock via a satellite; the central clock and the remote clock determining a measurement data, by the central clock determining a first time difference between the local time of the remote clock and the time of the central clock when the central clock receives a time signal carrying the local time of the remote clock, and by the remote clock determining a second time difference between the local time of the central clock and the time of the remote clock when the remote clock receives a time signal carrying the local time of the central clock; each of the central clock and the remote clock intermittently exchanging the measurement data and system related correction data including bi-directionally transmitting and receiving the determined first time difference and the determined second time difference between the central clock and the remote clock via the satellite; and synchronizing the remote clock in state and rate to the central clock based on the bi-directionally transmitted and received first and second time signals, on the measurement data including the bi-directionally transmitted and received first and second time differences and on system related corrections exchanged between the central and remote clocks.