A Time Synchronization Hop-Count-Control Algorithm Based on Synchronization Error Convergence Probability Estimation

Abstract

High-precision time synchronization is regarded as the foundation for ensuring the stable operation of microgrids and for the coordinated sensing, communication, and computing among network devices. In multi-hop wireless sensor networks, it is observed that both the accumulation of synchronization errors and the associated communication overhead are increased with the number of hops; however, in single-hop mode, it is found that the rate of error convergence is insufficient to satisfy the requirements for rapid synchronization. To address these challenges, a hop-control time synchronization algorithm based on the estimation of synchronization error convergence probability is proposed. In the proposed method, the convergence probability of the synchronization error at each node and its rate of change are estimated online, so that the synchronization hop count can be dynamically adjusted: during the synchronization establishment phase, a larger hop count is employed to accelerate error convergence; during the synchronization maintenance phase, the minimal hop count is utilized to maintain long-term high-precision synchronization, thereby ensuring synchronization accuracy and significantly reducing communication overhead. MATLAB simulation results are reported to have demonstrated that the proposed algorithm exhibits marked advantages in convergence speed, synchronization accuracy, and energy consumption as compared to fixed-hop-count and pure single-hop schemes, thereby providing an effective solution for efficient time synchronization in multi-hop wireless sensor networks.