Measurement, Control, and Communication Using IEEE 1588

A common sense of time among the elements of a distributed measurement and control system allows the use of new techniques in solving problems with complex synchronization requirements or arising from the interaction of many sensors and actuators. Such a common sense of time may be accomplished using the standard IEEE 1588-2002 to synchronize real-time clocks integral to each component of the system.

IEEE 1588, expands the performance capabilities of Ethernet networks so that they become relevant for measurement and control; this monograph embodies the first unified treatment of the associated technology, standards and applications. Readers will gain understanding of the technological context of IEEE 1588 and its role in a variety of application settings.

To engineers this monograph provides detailed discussion of the complex features of the standard. Together with the essential material on best practice and implementation issues, these provide invaluable assistance in the design of new applications.

John Eidson received a BS and MS in 1958 and 1960 from Michigan State University and the Ph.D. in 1964 from Stanford University, all in electrical engineering. Since 1970 his research has focused on instrument system design and architecture. This work was conducted in the central research laboratories of Varian Associates (1967-72), Hewlett-Packard (1972-1999) and most recently Agilent Technologies. Since 1990 his research has focused on the problems of distributed measurement and control with particular emphasis on the use of synchronized clocks and explicit representation of system timing as the foundation for instrument system architecture. This work has resulted in numerous publications and more than twenty patents. This work is the basis for the technology embodied in IEEE 1588.