Time Synchronization for High Latency Acoustic Networks

— Distributed time synchronization is an important part of a sensor network where sensing and actuation must be coordinated across multiple nodes. Several time synchronization protocol that maximize accuracy and energy conservation have been developed, including FTSP, TPSN, and RBS. All of these assume nearly instantaneous wireless communication between sensor nodes; each of them work well in today’s RF-based sensor networks. We are just beginning to explore underwater sensor networks where communication is primarily via acoustic telemetry. With acoustic communication, where the propagation speed is nearly five orders of magnitude slower than RF, assumptions about rapid communication are incorrect and new approaches to time synchronization are required. We present Time Synchronization for High Latency (TSHL), designed assuming such high latency propagation. We show through analysis and simulation that it achieves precise time synchronization with minimal energy cost. Although at v...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: INFOCOM
• Authors: Affan A. Syed, John S. Heidemann
• Keywords: Communications, INFOCOM 2006, Sensor Networks, Time Synchronization, Time Synchronization Protocol