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Session P2a: Time Transfer Over Comms and Unconventional Methods

PicoRanger^TM: A Miniature Access Point for Exploring Wireless Clock Distribution Algorithms with Internet of Things
Wil Myrick, ENSCO
Location: Beacon B
Date/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 24, 8:35 a.m.

There are currently a limited number of commercially available manufacturers and models of access points that facilitate wireless time transfer between Internet of Things (IoT). With a limited selection of access points with RF time transfer capability, it is difficult to create and explore sizeable arrays (both compact and distributed) that could be used to provide spatial diversity in difficult RF time transfer wireless scenarios. To address this issue, we have created a miniature Wireless Round-Trip-Time (Wi-RTT) enabled access point called PicoRanger that leverages inexpensive Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) System-on-Chip (SoC) technology for creating a compact or distributed array of access points for exploring wireless clock distribution algorithms with IoT. PicoRanger was created to facilitate the creation of compact and distributed arrays that are easily deployable in support of exploring and experimenting with wireless clock distribution algorithms leveraging SoCs found in IoT.
This presentation will provide use cases and representative RF time transfer data collected between PicoRangers. PicoRanger was created to provide a quick way to setup and test both Wi-RTT positioning as well as time transfer algorithms using SoCs found in IoT. A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver is part of the PicoRanger experimentation setup to provide a common time reference in support of Wi-RTT based clock distribution algorithm development and testing. The PicoRanger can interact with Android software when Wi-RTT location functionality is desired in support of wireless clock distribution based on the Android Wi-Fi Round-Trip-Time API. This enables a variety of indoor positioning data collection scenarios to support algorithm positioning research and experimentation.
We plan to discuss and present common timing error sources when leveraging IoT technology for RF time transfer. Jitter of PPS signals associated with the PicoRanger will be explored as well as an approach to implement a Wi-RTT based wireless clock distribution algorithm. The PicoRanger device is so small that it can be configured in a variety of array configurations to potentially provide spatial and frequency diversity supporting RF time transfer operation in difficult multi-path transmission environments.

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