![Intel IXP45X Developer'S Manual Download Page 830](http://html1.mh-extra.com/html/intel/ixp45x/ixp45x_developers-manual_2073092830.webp)
Intel
®
IXP45X and Intel
®
IXP46X Product Line of Network Processors—Time Synchronization
Hardware Assist (TSYNC)
Intel
®
IXP45X and Intel
®
IXP46X Product Line of Network Processors
Developer’s Manual
August 2006
830
Order Number: 306262-004US
19.0
Time Synchronization Hardware Assist (TSYNC)
19.1
Overview
In a distributed control system containing multiple clocks, individual clocks tend to drift
apart. Some kind of correction mechanism is necessary to synchronize the individual
clocks to maintain global time, which is accurate to some requisite clock resolution. The
IEEE* 1588 standard defines a precision clock synchronization protocol for networked
measurement and control systems, including several messages used to exchange
timing information. The hardware assist logic required to achieve precision clock
synchronization using the IEEE 1588 standard depends on the implementation.
This document describes the hardware assist logic developed to achieve time
synchronization on Ethernet.
19.2
Block Diagram
The following diagram provides a programming model of the TSync block, showing
registers and interconnections.