JPS63238611A - Time synchronizing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To synchronize with high accuracy and with high reliability the time between plural information processors, by duplicating a clock pulse supplied to other plural information processors from a time synchronizing device. CONSTITUTION:When a basic part 17 cannot supply a clock pulse 15 due to a faulted power source, a logical fault, etc., information processors 9, 10 can be operated, while holding a synchronization continuously, by switching a clock pulse operated by a built-in timer, from the clock pulse 15 supplied from the basic part 17 to a backup use clock pulse 21 supplied from a backup part 18. Although the basic part 17 and the backup part 18 are placed in the same device, both a logical part and a power source part are independent completely, therefore, even if a fault is generated, it does not exert an influence at all on others. In such a way, a time synchronization of high accuracy can be obtained in accordance with a system which requires high reliability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a time synchronization device, and more particularly to a time synchronization device for synchronizing time information between a plurality of information processing devices.

Prior Art When a highly reliable system is configured by multiple information processing devices, these information processing devices I! It is necessary to match time information between II devices, and a time synchronization device is used for this purpose. By supplying time information and clock pulses from this time synchronization device to a clock circuit built in the information processing devices, time synchronization is achieved between the information processing devices.

Therefore, if the supply of clock pulses generated from the time synchronization device stops for some reason, the clock circuits built into each information processing device will operate based on their own clocks, and the It becomes impossible to achieve time synchronization. Therefore, it has the disadvantage that it cannot support systems that require highly accurate time synchronization and high reliability.

Purpose of the Invention Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and its purpose is to accurately and reliably determine the time between multiple information processing devices. An object of the present invention is to provide a time synchronization device that can perform synchronization.

According to the present invention, there is provided a time synchronization device for synchronizing time information between a plurality of information processing devices, comprising means for generating a clock signal, and time information for generating time information using the clock signal. The present invention is characterized by comprising a generating means, a means for distributing the above-mentioned clock signal and time information to the information processing apparatus, and a backup means for generating a clock signal for variation and distributing it to the information processing apparatus, respectively. A time synchronization device is obtained.

Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The figure is a block diagram of an embodiment of a time synchronization device according to the present invention. The time synchronization device 1 of this embodiment is composed of a basic section 17 and a backup section 18. Basic part 17
and the backup section 18, both the logic section and the power supply section are composed of separate circuits.
It can be turned off.

The basic part 17 includes a high-precision oscillator 2, a frequency dividing circuit 3 that divides the fundamental frequency signal output from the oscillator 2, a divided clock pulse 15, and the same! 1 signal 16 to other devices, a clock circuit 5 that ticks time by frequency-divided or clock pulses 15, and a clock circuit 5 that sends time information from the clock circuit 5 to other devices. The time information sending circuit 6 compares the time information of the clock circuit 5 with the time signal 14 from the external clock 8 and instructs the frequency dividing circuit 3 to make corrections in order to synchronize with the accurate time of the external clock 8. It is composed of a correction circuit 7.

Further, the backup section 18 is composed of a backup oscillator 19 that generates a pulse equivalent to the clock pulse 15, and a backup clock sending circuit 20 that sends out a backup zero clock pulse 21 to other devices.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. A plurality of information processing devices 9 and 10 and an external clock 8 are connected to the time synchronization device 1 (in this embodiment, for simplicity, two
(one information processing device is shown). Further, the time synchronization device 1 is divided into a basic section 17 and a backup section 18. The basic frequency signal emitted from the oscillator 2 in the basic part 17 is divided by the frequency dividing circuit 3 into a frequency increase clock pulse 15 and a synchronization signal 16 suitable for the clock circuit 5 and the information processing device 9, 10, respectively. . The frequency-divided clock pulse 15 and synchronization signal @16 are sent to the information processing devices 9 and 10, respectively, via the clock pulse synchronization signal sending circuit 4.

The clock pulse 15 frequency-divided by the frequency dividing circuit 3 operates the clock circuit 5, and the time information is supplied to the information processing devices 9 and 10 via the time information sending circuit 6, respectively.

Clock pulses generated by a backup oscillator 19 in the backup unit 18 are sent to the information processing devices 9 and 10, respectively, by a backup clock pulse sending circuit 20. When the information processing devices 9 and 10 start operating, the time information 13 supplied from the time synchronization device 1 is taken into a built-in timer at the timing when a synchronization signal is received, and the counter in the timer is cleared. Further, the clock pulses 11 supplied from the time synchronization device 1 count up the counters of the timers built in the information processing devices 9 and 10 to keep time of seconds or less. In this way, the information processing devices 9 and 10 can be synchronized up to a time of less than a second.

When the basic unit 17 is unable to supply the clock pulse 15 due to a power failure, logic failure, etc., the information processing device 9.10 receives a clock pulse from the basic unit 17 to operate the built-in timer. By switching from 1 to 21 to the backup clock pulse 21 supplied from the backup unit 18, operation can be continued while maintaining synchronization. Even though the basic section 17 and the backup section 18 are in the same device, the logic section and the power supply section are completely independent, so even if a failure occurs, it will not affect the others at all.

The time signal 14 from the external clock 8 and the time information from the clock circuit 5 are compared in the time correction circuit 7 to calculate an error, and the frequency dividing circuit 3 is instructed to fast-forward or slow-forward the clock pulse to correct the error. give a signal to do so. This controls the phase of the clock pulse, making it possible to correct the time information.

As described in detail, according to the present invention, the clock pulses supplied from the time synchronization device to a plurality of other information processing devices are
This has the effect that even if the basic part of the time synchronization device is unable to supply clock pulses due to a failure, each information processing device can maintain time synchronization using clock pulses from the backup part. be.

In addition, by not adding complex functions to the backup section and using only the minimum functions, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, make it compact and highly reliable, and system that requires high reliability at minimum cost. Another advantage is that highly accurate time synchronization can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figure is a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention. Explanation of symbols of main parts 1...Time synchronization device 2... Oscillator 3...Backup oscillator 5... Timing circuit 9.10... Information processing device 17...Basic part

Claims (1)

[Claims] A time synchronization device for synchronizing time information between a plurality of information processing devices, comprising means for generating a clock signal, time information generation means for generating time information based on the clock signal, and the clock signal and the time. A time synchronization device comprising means for distributing information to each of the information processing devices, and backup means for generating a backup clock signal and distributing it to each of the information processing devices.