Patent ID: 7710981

Claim:
A method of generating a common time reference for a system including a plurality of system elements which are coupled to a time-reference loop, the method comprising acts of: determining, by each respective system element of the plurality of system elements, a time of arrival of a first signal transmitted to the respective system element in a first direction over the time reference loop; determining, by each respective system element of the plurality of system elements, a time of arrival of a second signal transmitted to the respective system element in a second direction over the time reference loop, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction; determining, by each respective system element of the plurality of system elements, an average time of arrival based on the time of arrival of the first signal at the respective system element and the time of arrival of the second signal at the respective system element; and employing, for each of the plurality of system elements, the average time of arrival determined for the respective system element as the common time reference for the respective system element.