Precise Time-Scale System

Reliable and highly accurate national, global or

regional timing reference

Venkatesan (Ramki) Ramakrishnan

Director, Marketing and Business Development
Government Segment
April 23, 2013

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 Concept of Time

Identification when:
• An event occurs
• Duration of an event
• Interval between events
Three concepts that relate to time are:
• Date: A reference point represented by the exact time-of-
day and, often day and year, that indicates when an event
occurred
• Interval: The duration or elapsed time between two instants
or subsequent events
• Synchronization: Refers to two clocks set to the same time
or two events happening at the same instant of time
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 What is Time Scale and Types
• Time scale is an agreed upon measuring system for counting time
• Time Scales Types
Astronomical: GMT Greenwich Mean Time
UT1 Universal Time (polar corrections)

Atomic: TAI International Atomic Time

GPS GPS System Time

Atomic - with periodic adjustments:

UTC Coordinated Universal Time
UTC(USNO) UTC per US Naval Observatory
UTC(NIST) UTC per US National Institute of
Standards and Technology
Zulu or Z Same as UTC (military, aviation)

Time scales are based on agreements between humans

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 What is UTC Time Scale
USNO (US) NIST (US) NPL (UK) PTB (Germany) CRL (Japan)

Atomic Atomic Atomic Atomic Atomic

Clock Clock Clock Clock Clock

ENSEMBLE AVERAGE BIPM*

International Atomic Time
(TAI)
International Earth
Rotation Service (IERS)
BIPM*
Coordinated Universal Time
Add leap seconds to UTC
correct for Earth’s rotation

BIPM Circular T
Report

National Metrology Institute

(NMI)
UTC(k)
*BIPM – Bureau of Weights and Measures Radio, Telephone, Network,
Satellite Dissemination of UTC(k)

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 Clocks Critical for Time Keeping

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 Timing Keeping by Clock Types

BIPM International Atomic Time Component

Clocks by Weight

12% 1% 5071A
Cesium
Maser

Others

H-Maser(s)

87%
Time-Scale System

Cesium Based on BIPM Annual Report 2011

99% of world time keeping powered by Cesium and Masers

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 What is Precise Time-Scale System

UTC(k)
5MHz
Cesium (5071A)
BIPM

5MHz Correction

Precise Time-Scale System

H-Maser(s)

The frequency stability of Symmetricom’s clocks enables high

resolution measurements ensuring the accuracy of the world’s time

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 How Does a Time Scale Work

• Step 1
Measure the time differences between all the clocks and the reference
clock
• Step 2
Use a Kalman filter to estimate the time, frequency, and aging
differences between all the clocks and the reference clock
• Step 3
Apply the time scale algorithm (KAS-2*) to calculate the corrections to
the reference clock’s time, frequency, and aging in order to render it
equal the time scale
*KAS-2 Symmetricom Patented Time Scale Algorithm
• Step 4
Connect a synthesizer to the reference clock and steer the output of
the synthesizer to approximate the time scale using corrections from
step 3

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 Precise Time-Scale System Description

• Server with RAID & Ethernet

• Real Time Clock
– Networking
– Hitless switch capability
– Control & Monitor
– Clock steering device
– Storage
– GNSS receiver
– IRIG-B, 1PPS, 5MHz
• Modular Measurement System
– 8 channel measurement
– Database

• Multiple clocks support

• Keyboard & Monitor
– Cesium
– External Hydrogen Maser

• Battery charger, batteries, and

UPS for total power backup

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 Baseline Precise Time-Scale System

Consists of:
• Equipment rack
• One 5071A high performance cesium standard
• 8 channel measurement hardware with database
server
• Real-time clock with chassis mainframe and modules
• UTC recovery, steering, common view, monitor and
control software
• LCD monitor
• Keyboard
• Battery backup unit
• System integration and packaging
• On-site installation and training

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 Precise Time-Scale System Block Diagram

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 Precise Time-Scale System Key Functions

• Generates timing outputs synced to UTC using a GNSS

receiver
• Option to incorporate multiple clocks to optimize
availability
• Measurement system to provide clock time differences
• Distributes the real-time clock: 5MHz, 1PPS and IRIG-B
• Uses a time-scale algorithm to combine the clocks into
one output
• Archives data for review
• Performs GNSS common view time transfer using BIPM
procedure
• Automatically prepares BIPM reports

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 Precise Time-Scale Key System Specifications

Phase Noise
• Frequency Accuracy: Offset Freq (Hz) 5 MHz (dBc/Hz) 10 MHz (dBc/Hz)
+1x10-14 for 10 day 1 -106 -100
average after 60 days of 10 -136 -136
continuous operation 100 -151 -145
1KHz -156 -151
10 KHz, 100 KHz -160 -154

Short-Term Stability (ADEV)

• Frequency Holdover: Ƭ (s) σY(Ƭ)
+1x10-13 for 30 days over 1 5x10-12
the full temp range 10 3.5x10-12
100 8.5x10-13
1k 2.7x10-13
10k 8.5x10-14
100k 2.7x10-14
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 Precise Time-Scale System
Features and Benefits
• Features
– State-of-the-art UTC generation
– Support for participaton with BIPM
– User friendly GUI and Database for archiving
• Performance
– Frequency accuracy + 1x10-14
– Time accuracy of + 10 ns RMS to UTC
• Customer Benefits
– Less than 1 year to full UTC participation
– Performance on par with the best national laboratories due to time
scale algorithm from Symmetricom
– Reduced complexity and ease of integration

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 Precise Time-Scale User Interface & Database

Web-Based User Interface

• Configure MMS
• Manage Clocks
• Retrieve and manipulate Data
• Add User Accounts
Database (includes Manager) Web Interface for database and measurement systems

• 10 years of data storage capacity

• TCP/IP interface to MMS w/listener process
• Every sec data from MMS is sent
to listener for data processing and storing

RAID 5 120 GB Disk Array 120

• 4 On-line striped for 360 GB actual storage Clock Steering GUI with estimated offset from UTC

• 1 Auto-failover hot spare

Front Panel of Database w/RAID 5 disk array

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 Precise Time-Scale System
Sample Performance

• Performance vs. UTC

UTC - UTC(lab)
15
2 August 2007
10 through
11 June 2008
5

ns 0 RMS = 5 ns

-5 Mean = 2.5 ns

-10
54300 54400 54500 54600 54700

MJD

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 Performance of a 6-Cesium Time Scale
(Upgrade Option)

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 Performance of a 3-Maser Time Scale
(Upgrade Option)

UTC(lab)

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 Effect of Additional Cesium Clocks

• Precise Time-Scale can achieve

better performance with additional
clocks:
– Availability
– Better stability
– Redundancy

• Cesium maintains specified accuracy 5071A Cesium clock

for life of instrument
– Long term autonomous operation

Quartz or Rubidium not suitable since they exhibit frequency drift

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 Effect of Maser Clock to the System

• Adding an active Hydrogen Maser

to the system improves the stability
of the time scale

• Symmetricom’s Maser has a

reputation for its excellent long
term stability, reliability and long
life

MHM-2010 active
hydrogen Maser

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 Precise Time-Scale System Service Offering

Standard Services
• System design, integration and testing
• System packaging and documentation
• On-site installation and training
• Rack, monitor, keyboard and cables
Optional Services
• Site survey and verification
• Customer-witnessed factory acceptance testing
• Extended warranty and in-country support
• System spares program
• Software and systems support 24x7
• BIPM contribution and timekeeping consulting
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 Precise Time-Scale System Configuration

SINGLE-STRING TURNKEY TIMESCALE SYSTEM

1 090-00xxx-000 (System SINGLE-STRING TURNKEY TIMING SYSTEM consisting of:
part number assigned One 5071A-C001 Cesium clock, System 2000 Real Time
at the time of Clock/Modules, 8 Channel Measurement (MMS) unit, Battery
orderplacement by back-up equipment, Misc System components, UTC
project Team) Recovery, Steering, Common view, Monitor & Control SW in a
single rack. System Design, Integration and Test included.
System Packaging and Documentation included. On-Site
Installation and Training included

Available OPTIONS
1 Customer-Witnessed Factory Acceptance Test, 2 Days On-
Site Boulder CO
2 Engineering - Customer Site Facility Infrastructure Verification
Visit, 2 Days (Site consulting)
3 1 Year Extended HW Warranty (Time Scale HW except
Cesium)
4 Essential System Spares
5 Post Installation SW and System Support per Year
6
Comprehensive In-Country Extended HW Warranty Per Year
7 BIPM Hook-up and Time Keeping Consulting
8 Add 5071A-C001 High Performance Cesium Clock
9 Add MHM2010 Active Hydrogen Maser
10 Add LPN option to MHM2010 Active Hydrogen Maser

Contact Symmetricom Sales Representative to get more information

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 Custom Configurations Options

• Dual redundant Time scale chain

• Support for more than 6 clocks

• More extensive Time & Frequency I/O including NTP/PTP

• TWTT SATRE modem integration into the system

• Other custom configurations

Symmetricom can provide a custom Time-Scale system configuration

if any of the functions above are needed

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 Precise Time-Scale System Key Take Aways

• Affordable time scale system for international markets

– Base system includes RTC/Measurement HW, SW and one Cesium clock
– System integration, Installation and Training included
– Optional support services available
– Option to add two additional Cesium clocks to the rack
– Can use existing 5071A and Symmetricom Maser in the lab
• Key customer benefits
– Lower total cost of ownership
– High reliability
– Affordable price point with options to grow
– Proven support services
– Reduced complexity and ease of operation
– Ability to participate in the BIPM time scale quickly

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 Summary
Presenter Profile:
Ramki Ramakrishnan is currently
employed as the Director of • Symmetricom® is the worldwide leader
Marketing and Business in precise timing solutions
Development in Symmetricom. He is
responsible for developing a business
strategy and executing them to serve • Over 25 installations of KAS-2 time scale
the customers in Government algorithm in continuous operation
Aerospace/Defense and Metrology
markets worldwide. He has been with worldwide
Symmetricom for over 10 years in a
variety of key marketing and • Lower total cost of ownership time scale
management roles, and he spent 17
years in various technical marketing system
and management functions in
Hewlett Packard and Agilent • Easy to use, easy to upgrade time scale
Technologies prior to joining
Symmetricom. He has a bachelor’s system that is also customizable
degree in Physics and an advanced
degree in Electronics and
Telecommunications engineering
• Over forty years of heritage in the timing
from Anna University, India. Ramki solutions market
can be reached at
[email protected]

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 Thank You

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