Clock synchronization procedures are mandatory in most physical experiments where event fragments are readout by spatially dislocated sensors and must be glued together to reconstruct key parameters (e.g. energy, interaction vertex etc.) of the process under investigation. These distributed data readout topologies rely on an accurate time information available at the frontend, where raw data are acquired and tagged with a precise timestamp prior to data buffering and central data collecting. This makes the network complexity and latency, between frontend and backend electronics, negligible within upper bounds imposed by the frontend data buffer capability. The proposed research work describes an FPGA implementation of IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) that exploits the CERN Timing, Trigger and Control (TTC) system as a multicast messaging physical and data link layer. The hardware implementation extends the clock synchronization to the nanoseconds range, overcoming the typical accuracy limitations inferred by computers Ethernet based Local Area Network (LAN). Establishing a reliable communication between master and timing receiver nodes is essential in a message-based synchronization system. In the backend electronics, the serial data streams synchronization with the global clock domain is guaranteed by an hardware-based finite state machine that scans the bit period using a variable delay chain and finds the optimal sampling point. The validity of the proposed timing system has been proved in point-to-point data links as well as in star topology configurations over standard CAT-5e cables. The results achieved together with weaknesses and possible improvements are hereby detailed.

Pedretti, D., Bellato, M., Isocrate, R., Bergnoli, A., Brugnera, R., Corti, D., et al. (2018). Nanoseconds Timing System Based on IEEE 1588 FPGA Implementation. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NUCLEAR SCIENCE [10.1109/TNS.2019.2906045].

Nanoseconds Timing System Based on IEEE 1588 FPGA Implementation

E. Bernieri
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
S. Bussino
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
A. Fabbri;S. M. Mari
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
C. Martellini
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
P. Montini
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
G. Salamanna
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
G. Settanta
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
2018-01-01

Abstract

Clock synchronization procedures are mandatory in most physical experiments where event fragments are readout by spatially dislocated sensors and must be glued together to reconstruct key parameters (e.g. energy, interaction vertex etc.) of the process under investigation. These distributed data readout topologies rely on an accurate time information available at the frontend, where raw data are acquired and tagged with a precise timestamp prior to data buffering and central data collecting. This makes the network complexity and latency, between frontend and backend electronics, negligible within upper bounds imposed by the frontend data buffer capability. The proposed research work describes an FPGA implementation of IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) that exploits the CERN Timing, Trigger and Control (TTC) system as a multicast messaging physical and data link layer. The hardware implementation extends the clock synchronization to the nanoseconds range, overcoming the typical accuracy limitations inferred by computers Ethernet based Local Area Network (LAN). Establishing a reliable communication between master and timing receiver nodes is essential in a message-based synchronization system. In the backend electronics, the serial data streams synchronization with the global clock domain is guaranteed by an hardware-based finite state machine that scans the bit period using a variable delay chain and finds the optimal sampling point. The validity of the proposed timing system has been proved in point-to-point data links as well as in star topology configurations over standard CAT-5e cables. The results achieved together with weaknesses and possible improvements are hereby detailed.
2018
Pedretti, D., Bellato, M., Isocrate, R., Bergnoli, A., Brugnera, R., Corti, D., et al. (2018). Nanoseconds Timing System Based on IEEE 1588 FPGA Implementation. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NUCLEAR SCIENCE [10.1109/TNS.2019.2906045].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11590/347382
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