Patent ID: 7139923

Claim:
A method for synchronizing devices in an access network, the access network including a head end complex and a plurality of end nodes which utilize at least one upstream channel and at least one downstream channel for communicating with the head end complex, the access network further including a plurality of fiber nodes interposed between the head end complex and the plurality of end nodes, each fiber node being configured to communicate with the head end complex and the plurality of end nodes via the upstream and downstream channels, wherein at least a portion of the end nodes and fiber nodes each include local clock circuitry for generating a local clock signal, the method comprising: providing a common clock reference signal to the local clock circuitry in selected network devices to thereby cause each of the selected network devices to be synchronized to the common clock reference signal; wherein the common clock reference signal is distributed to the selected network devices including a distributed cable modern termination system (DCMTS) that resides external to the head end complex to thereby cause a local clock signal at the DCMTS to be synchronized to the common clock reference signal.