Abstract :
Maximum time-interval error (MTIE) is historically one of the main time-domain quantities considered for the specification of clock stability requirements in telecommunications standards. In this paper, MTIE is first introduced according to its formal definition. Then, the main issue of its experimental measurement is pointed out: the heavy computational effort in most cases of practical interest. Therefore, two suitable methods to face up to this issue are herein discussed, summarizing the state of the art of MTIE measurement techniques in telecommunications. A new effective technique is proposed, with the aim to provide an easy but accurate way to test the compliance of telecommunications clocks with MTIE standard masks. Several results, measuring clocks deployed in telecommunications networks, are provided
Keywords :
clocks; computational complexity; computerised instrumentation; digital communication; error analysis; parameter estimation; stability; synchronisation; telecommunication computing; telecommunication standards; time measurement; MTIE; SDH; clock stability; compliance; computational effort; estimator computation; maximum time interval error; network synchronisation; telecommunications clock; telecommunications standards; Clocks; Frequency synchronization; Stability; Standards organizations; Synchronous digital hierarchy; Telecommunication computing; Telecommunication standards; Telecommunication switching; Testing; Time measurement;
