Low-latency atomic broadcast in the presence of contention

The Atomic Broadcast algorithm described in this paper can deliver messages in two communication steps, even if multiple processes broadcast at the same time. It tags all broadcast messages with the local real time, and delivers all messages in the order of these timestamps. Both positive and negative statements are used: “m broadcast at time 51” vs. “no messages broadcast between times 31 and 51”. To prevent crashed processes from blocking the system, the -elected leader broadcasts negative statements on behalf of the processes it suspects () to have crashed. A new cheap Generic Broadcast algorithm is used to ensure consistency between conflicting statements. It requires only a majority of correct processes (n > 2f) and, in failure-free runs, delivers all non-conflicting messages in two steps. The main algorithm satisfies several new lower bounds, which are proved in this paper.     

Timestamping messages and events in a distributed system using synchronous communication

Determining order relationship between events of a distributed computation is a fundamental problem in distributed systems which has applications in many areas including debugging, visualization, checkpointing and recovery. Fidge/Mattern’s vector-clock mechanism captures the order relationship using a vector of size N in a system consisting of N processes. As a result, it incurs message and space overhead of N integers. Many distributed applications use synchronous messages for communication. It is therefore natural to ask whether it is possible to reduce the timestamping overhead for such applications. In this paper, we present a new approach for timestamping messages and events of a synchronously ordered computation, that is, when processes communicate using synchronous messages. Our approach depends on decomposing edges in the communication topology into mutually disjoint edge groups such that each edge group either forms a star or a triangle. We show that, to accurately capture the order relationship between synchronous messages, it is sufficient to use one component per edge group in the vector instead of one component per process. Timestamps for events are only slightly bigger than timestamps for messages. Many common communication topologies such as ring, grid and hypercube can be decomposed into edge groups, resulting in almost 50% improvement in both space and communication overheads. We prove that the problem of computing an optimal edge decomposition of a communication topology is NP-complete in general. We also present a heuristic algorithm for computing an edge decomposition whose size is within a factor of two of the optimal. We prove that, in the worst case, it is not possible to timestamp messages of a synchronously ordered computation using a vector containing fewer than components when N ≥ 2. Finally, we show that messages in a synchronously ordered computation can always be timestamped in an offline manner using a vector of size at most . An earlier version of this paper appeared in 2002 Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Distributed Computing Systems (ICDCS). The author V. K. Garg was supported in part by the NSF Grants ECS-9907213, CCR-9988225, an Engineering Foundation Fellowship. This work was done while the author C. Skawratananond was a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin.     

Does the ‘forbidden zone’ for sleep onset influence morning shift sleep duration?

Shiftwork researchers have concentrated on the problems on the night shift, and have tended to neglect the truncation of sleep that can occur before morning, or ‘early’, shifts. We examined the sleep timing and duration between morning shifts of shiftworkers on a variety of shift systems. The extent of morning shift sleep truncation depended very largely on the time at which individuals had to leave home. Further, there was some suggestive evidence that the failure of individuals to compensate by going to sleep earlier was not simply due to social pressures to stay up. Rather it would appear to have depended, at least in part, on the biological clock determined ‘forbidden zone’ for sleep that occurs shortly before habitual sleep onset.     

NIM-Sr2 锶原子光晶格钟物理系统研究

锶原子光晶格钟在基础物理研究和时间频率精密测量领域中占有重要的地位。 中国计量科学研究院在第 1 套锶原子 光晶格钟 NIM-Sr1 的基础上,开展了进一步提升光钟性能的研究,研制出了第 2 套锶原子光晶格钟 NIM-Sr2。 NIM-Sr2 的物理系 统在量子参考体系制备、钟激光探寻及系统频移评估等方面进行了重新设计。 在原子炉和磁光阱之间新增真空差分结构,使原 子炉的运行对磁光阱区域真空压力的影响降低到 1×10 -8 Pa;将塞曼减速器中的通电线圈替换为永磁铁,优化了水冷反亥姆霍 兹线圈的缠绕方式,并向外延伸塞曼减速器通光窗口,把磁光阱区域环境温度的不均匀性降低到了 0. 166 K。 系统频移评估表 明,这些物理系统的改进显著减小了 NIM-Sr2 的系统频移不确定度,达到了 7. 2×10 -18 。     

Optical Frequency Metrology of an Iodine-Stabilized He-Ne Laser Using the Frequency Comb of a Quantum-Interference-Stabilized Mode-Locked Laser

We perform optical frequency metrology of an iodine-stabilized He-Ne laser using a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser frequency comb that is stabilized using quantum interference of photocurrents in a semiconductor. Using this technique, we demonstrate carrier-envelope offset frequency fluctuations of less than 5 mHz using a 1 s gate time. With the resulting stable frequency comb, we measure the optical frequency of the iodine transition [¹²⁷I₂ R(127) 11-5 i component] to be 473 612 214 712.96 ± 0.66 kHz, well within the uncertainty of the CIPM recommended value. The stability of the quantum interference technique is high enough such that it does not limit the measurements.     

Effect of broadcast and precise ephemerides on estimates of the frequency stability of GPS Navstar clocks

Frequency stability analysis of on-orbit Navstar clocks is performed by the Naval Research Laboratory using both the broadcast and the precise post-processed ephemerides. The phase offset between the Navstar clock and the reference clock is computed from pseudorange measurements obtained by dual-frequency GPS receivers at the five GPS monitor sites and at the U.S. Naval Observatory precise-time site. The broadcast ephemerides are generated at the GPS master control station by a Kalman filter using data collected from the five GPS monitor stations. The precise post-processed ephemerides are generated by the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) using data collected from the GPS monitor sites and from five additional DMA monitor sites. In this paper the frequency stability is estimated for two Navstar caesium clocks–a Block I caesium clock (Navstar 9) and a Block II caesium clock (Navstar 23)–using both the broadcast and the precise ephemerides. A significant improvement in the estimate of the frequency stability of the Block II clocks has been achieved using the precise ephemeris.     

时序冲突及时序检查

本文介绍一个多相同步时序数字电路的时序模型及时序冲突的检验算法。该方法能检查出时序冲突类型，冲突的具体位置及时钟系统设置的合理性。该算法已在Ｓｕｍ－４／ＳＰＡＲＣ上实现，能快速准确检查出非覆盖多相时钟同时时序电路存在的时序冲突，冲突覆盖率高。     

Using constraints and their value for optimization of large ODE systems

We provide analytical tools to facilitate a rigorous assessment of the quality and value of the fit of a complex model to data. We use this to provide approaches to model fitting, parameter estimation, the design of optimization functions and experimental optimization. This is in the context where multiple constraints are used to select or optimize a large model defined by differential equations. We illustrate the approach using models of circadian clocks and the NF-κB signalling system.     

可搬运光钟研究进展及展望

将可搬运光钟划分为高精度可搬运光钟、便携式可搬运光钟以及均衡性可搬运光钟三类,分别介绍了三类可搬运光钟的工作原理及国内外研究进展,并从稳定度、不确定度、系统集成度等角度分析了它们的性能优势和发展局限性。在此基础上,展望了可搬运光钟在机动守时授时、测地学、空间探测、微型定位等场景中的应用前景,并提出应通过降低核心激光部件的环境敏感性、提高激光部件与真空系统的稳健性等方式提升高精度可搬运光钟系统的机动性能;应结合真空技术、人工智能等手段提高便携式可搬运光钟的长期稳定性;应通过实验方案的迭代进一步提升均衡性可搬运光钟的精度。     

Precise time synchronization of two Milstar communications satellites without ground intervention

Satellite navigation and communication systems often require precise synchronization among spacecraft clocks. In the traditional method for achieving synchronization, a ground station makes time-offset measurements to the various spacecraft clocks, and then updates the time and frequency of each satellite as needed. Though straightforward in its implementation, disadvantages to the traditional approach include the large workload placed on the ground station, the need for multiple ground stations to view satellites in different geosynchronous positions, and unaccounted-for delays in atmospheric propagation. In early 1996 Milstar became the first satellite system to employ crosslinks for precise satellite time synchronization. At that time, the crystal oscillator clock onboard FLT-1, the first Milstar satellite, had its time and frequency tied (i.e., slaved) to the rubidium (Rb) atomic clock carried onboard FLT-2, the second Milstar satellite. The FLT-2 Rb atomic clock was controlled by the ground, while the slaving of FLT-1 to FLT-2 was accomplished without ground intervention: all timing information required by the slaving algorithm was obtained through the FLT-1 to FLT-2 satellite crosslink. In this paper we will first show the timekeeping capabilities of the two satellite clocks when operating independently, which indicate that both clocks are performing well. Then, we will present ground station measurements of FLT-1 and FLT-2 timekeeping that demonstrate satellite synchronization to better than 150 nsec without ground intervention. As satellites are added to the Milstar constellation, crosslink slaving will minimize ground station timekeeping activities, thereby lowering system operating costs. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.