Application of Clock Error Prediction for Digital Communications

Survivability of digital defense communications can be enhanced by a free-running clock mode of operation for use when the normal timing modes are not available. Usefulness of a free-running mode of timing depends on stability and accuracy. The cost of using cesium clocks throughout the network could be very large, but much less expensive quartz-crystal and rubidium clocks could be used for many applications if errors during a free-running period (following a calibration period) can be predicted and removed with sufficient accuracy for a long enough period of time. This paper discusses one relatively simple recursive method for making such predictions.