GPS Real-Time Clock utilizes GPS satellite signals to determine exact time and date, providing the precision of an atomic clock for a fraction of the cost. It incorporates a combination of a GPS receiver and a high-quality, stable oscillator. GPS is used to discipline (calibrate) the oscillator to remove small biases in the frequency. The GPS Clock can synchronize both system timing and transceiver frequency, and is virtually fail-safe. It generates timing signals whenever there is power, and never needs to be re-calibrated.
IMP’s GPS Real-Time Clock provides following outputs, with 50 nanoseconds accuracy to UTC (Universal Time Coordinated):
- 1 pps (pulse per second)
- 1 ppm (pulse per minute)
- 1 pph (pulse per hour)
- Exact time and date values in ASCII format (suitable for distribution through RS232 and RS485 interfaces)
The signals generated on RS485 interfaces are galvanic isolated and allow for accuracy and perfect synchronization across several facilities that are a couple of kilometers apart.
GPS based timing already plays an important role in wireless networks and global data communications. Benefiters of GPS- based time synchronization are:
- Cellular companies and paging networks – to time the transfer of data and signals between cellular repeaters and paging towers
- Banks – to time-stamp transactions
- Electrical utilities – to troubleshoot power outages
Another wide area suitable for applications of GPS-based Clocks is computers, servers and Internet applications:
- Certified time stamping for financial and e-commerce transactions
- Enterprise networks
- Enhancement of network security and administration
- Billing for Internet service providers
- Network router and switch synchronization, etc.