Research Article
A Time Synchronization Scheme for Large Scale Low Earth Orbit Satellite Network
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-031-60347-1_35, author={Yue Xu and Tao Dong and Jie Yin and Zhihui Liu and Shichao Jin}, title={A Time Synchronization Scheme for Large Scale Low Earth Orbit Satellite Network}, proceedings={Mobile Multimedia Communications. 16th EAI International Conference, MobiMedia 2023, Guilin, China, July 22-24, 2023, Proceedings}, proceedings_a={MOBIMEDIA}, year={2024}, month={10}, keywords={Low Earth Orbit Satellite Networks Time Synchronization Time reference nodes Selection}, doi={10.1007/978-3-031-60347-1_35} }- Yue Xu
Tao Dong
Jie Yin
Zhihui Liu
Shichao Jin
Year: 2024
A Time Synchronization Scheme for Large Scale Low Earth Orbit Satellite Network
MOBIMEDIA
Springer
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-60347-1_35
Abstract
For the application of time synchronization of large-scale low earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks, we propose a time synchronization scheme for LEO Satellite Network based on the Iridium constellation. In this scheme, we select the time reference nodes with the least weighted clock hierarchies based on the changes in network topology. The time reference nodes selection scheme calculates the time reference nodes’ position in an approximately well-distributed method on each orbital plane. By weighting the nodes’ clock hierarchies, the time reference nodes with the least clock hierarchies are obtained. This scheme can comprehensively calculate one or multiple time slices to obtain the optimal time reference nodes. In the nodes selection of a single time slice, three time reference nodes for each of the six orbital planes of the Iridium constellation is set as an example in this scheme. In some time slices, it is possible to achieve the maximum clock level of 1 for all satellites. Additionally, the switching of time reference nodes affects the effect and efficiency of time synchronization between satellites, therefore, we also comprehensively consider the number of switching times of the time reference nodes. We calculated the value of switching times when the time reference nodes change during the next several time slots. Furthermore, while keeping the time reference nodes unchanged for a whole cycle, we obtained the optimal combination of time reference nodes.
