IEEE 1588 - Precision Time Protocol Software

Software for rapid deployment of IEEE 1588-compliant devices

IEEE 1588 is a clock synchronization protocol to deliver accurate timing at sensors, data collectors, recorders and other network-connected devices. It operates over a standard Ethernet-TCP/IP network without the need for a parallel timing system or separate physical distribution system. When using hardware hardware-assisted time stamping, accuracy can be within the nanosecond range.

IEEE 1588 is ideal for almost any application that can benefit from precise time synchronization. Some of these include distributed motion control systems, sensor networks, instrumentation and test, turbine control systems, audio/visual systems, time-stamped data logging, GPS time coordination, sequence of events measurements, systems with scheduled outputs or synchronized actuation, power generation, and telecom.

RTXCptp software is designed to help you quickly and easily develop an IEEE 1588-compliant device. The software development kit includes all of the software you need, delivered as source code. And all of the Ethernet-TCP/IP stack integration is already done for you--we deliver RTXCptp as a project within a development tool environment with a sample application ready to run.

RTXCptp supports both version 1 (20002) and version 2 (2008) of the IEEE 1588 protocol.

RTXCptp features include

• Ordinary clock, which has a single Precision Time Protocol (PTP) port in a domain and maintains the timescale used in the domain. It may also serve as a clock master or may synchronize to another clock as a slave.
• Boundary clock which regenerates the PTP message, eliminating earlier path delays. It has multiple PTP ports, with each PTP port providing access to a separate PTP communication path. Used to eliminate fluctuations produced by routers and other network elements.
• Transparent clock that adjusts the correction field in the sync and delay_req event messages.
• Unicast Messaging
• Best Master algorithm to select the best Grandmaster
• One step / two step support
• Peer-to-peer and end-to-end delay mechanism
• Interface to PTP management messages
• Simple API for interfacing the application
• Optimized filter algorithms for the usage in standard Ethernet networks with high bus loads
• Supports message intervals for up to 2048 packets per second for each message type.
• Fully integrated with RTXC software (RTOS and TCP/IP networking software)

Additional services and support

Quadros Systems provides an annual support and maintenance plan. This gives you access to our engineering team for incident support and provides product updates.

Quadros Systems offers a one-day training course that focuses on interfaces, processes and data flows in the IEEE 1588 software. There is also opportunity for your team to discuss specific questions about adapting the software to your environment.

Engineering services

Quadros Systems can help you build and maintain an embedded software foundation with a low risk, time-efficient methodology for configuring and integrating these products. See the Engineering Services section of this site or ask your sales representative for more information.