With the BlueSky GNSS Firewall 2200 and SkyWire technology, dispersed timing systems can be compared with each other and with time systems installed in metrology laboratories with nanosecond accuracy. Measuring clock synchronization and traceability at this level was previously only possible for metrology laboratories and scientific institutions. Thanks to Microchip's solution, critical timing networks for air traffic control, transportation, utilities, and financial services can synchronize their clocks with nanosecond accuracy to protect their infrastructure, regardless of the clocks' location.
“To ensure that timing systems meet stringent accuracy requirements, it is important to measure and verify them independently against UTC using national laboratories and to track them according to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures,” said Randy Brudzinski, corporate vice president of Microchip’s Time and Frequency Systems business unit. “With our new solution based on SkyWire technology, we make UTC readily accessible so that a large number of clocks can be measured and verified independently and over long distances.”.
The concept originated as an extension of a pre-existing NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) service called TMAS (Time Measurement and Analysis Service), which is used by organizations that need to maintain an accurate local time reference.
The BlueSky GNSS Firewall 2200, powered by SkyWire technology, is a commercial product that allows critical infrastructure operators to connect to NIST's TMAS Data Service, designed for the deployment of a large number of clocks.
“Our goal at NIST is to have the most accurate time to support our nation’s infrastructure,” said Andrew Novick, a NIST engineer. “Our TMAS Data Service, along with commercial hardware, provides a scalable solution for anyone who needs traceable and accurate timing.”.
Other countries can now also benefit from this solution by leveraging Microchip's SkyWire technology, included in its TimePictra® software suite, which offers similar features and functionality to that provided by the NIST TMAS Data Service. Metrology laboratories, government agencies, and businesses worldwide can install the TimePictra software suite and the BlueSky GNSS Firewall 2200 with SkyWire technology to create their own complete solution for traceably measuring, synchronizing, and verifying time.
The TimePictra® software package provides customers with the necessary support to deploy a large number of BlueSky GNSS Firewalls.
