Research and Implementation of an IEEE 1588 PTP-Based Time Synchronization System for Chinese Experimental Ocean Observatory Network

With time synchronization becoming an important feature of cabled ocean observatory networks, an innovative approach using the IEEE 1588 standard featuring the precision timing protocol (PTP) is proposed. Both boundary clock (BC) and transparent clock (TC) based on PTP are analyzed, and the framework of a synchronization system mainly consisting of a shore station section, a junction box layer, and a science instrument layer is presented. The proposed time synchronization system was applied and tested on a laboratory setup of the Experimental Underwater Observatory Network System of China. Results indicate that the time accuracy of the proposed system satisfies the needs of the observatory networks either in BC mode or TC mode, and the time accuracy is better in TC mode, especially when the network structure becomes more complex.