GPS Common Time Reference Architecture

Ronald Beard and Joseph White

Abstract:	The use of the Global Positioning System as the primary and most accurate means of disseminating time and frequency information has created an inherent vulnerability within military systems not directly related to positioning systems. A growing and diverse mix of military positioning, communications, sensors and data processing systems are using precise time and frequency from GPS. The precise accuracies required for their interoperability are likewise becoming more stringent. Consequently, a new system architecture for providing a Common Time Reference to the operating forces and their related subsystems is being developed. This architecture will provide a robust alternative to the former implementations of GPS as a time and frequency subsystem and mitigate the vulnerabilities of those systems to possible GPS countermeasures. The Common Time Reference approach and its relationship to present GPS time and frequency usage will be described to show the fundamental differences and strengths of the new architecture. A robust architecture comprising distributed time standards and precise time and frequency standards which reduces the sensitivities to GPS anomalies and lack of continuous contact is a primary objective of this approach. Utilization of existing resources and interconnection of these interoperable systems at the fundamental level of time and frequency generation will provide a more inherent capability of these systems to function together. The resultant implementation of this architecture with generic systems will be discussed. Finally, technical directions for development and impact on interoperability will be discussed.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 13th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2000) September 19 - 22, 2000 Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	895 - 904
Cite this article:	Beard, Ronald, White, Joseph, "GPS Common Time Reference Architecture," Proceedings of the 13th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2000), Salt Lake City, UT, September 2000, pp. 895-904.
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