Symmetricom 1100 User Manual

Page of 224
Chapter 1 Overview of the TimeProvider
Reference Input Signals
36
 TimeProvider User’s Guide
097-58001-02 Revision G – April 2008
provision the REFMODE parameter to FORCED to select an input as the system 
reference regardless of the priority levels of other outputs. If this input is lost or is 
disqualified, then the REFMODE automatically changes to AUTO and the next 
available reference based on priority and QLEVEL becomes the system reference. If 
no other input references are available, the TimeProvider enter the Holdover mode.
The QLEVEL (
, on page 112) and the PRIORITY 
(
, on page 113) parameters work together with SSMs 
to determine the switching strategy for the inputs when the unit is in the SSU mode. 
If the active/primary input becomes unavailable, the switching strategy determines 
which input to use: the TimeProvider uses the input with the next highest QLEVEL. 
If all inputs have the same QLEVEL, then the TimeProvider uses the input with the 
highest PRIORITY.
To provision the TimeProvider as non-revertive, you must provision the user-assigned 
Priority Level on all inputs to the same value. To provision the TimeProvider as 
revertive, you provision any one of the inputs to a different Priority Level.
If the original primary input becomes available again, the REFMODE, QLEVEL and 
PRIORITY parameters determine whether the TimeProvider switches back to that 
input. If REFMODE is set to AUTO, then the reference switches according to the 
QLEVEL and PRIORITY settings. If the QLEVEL and/or PRIORITY parameter of 
the original input is higher than the current input, the TimeProvider reverts back to 
the original input. If the QLEVEL parameter is the same for all inputs, then the 
TimeProvider does not revert back to the original input.
SSMs and Quality Level
Synchronization Status Messages (SSMs) can be included in the bit stream of the 
incoming signal to indicate its quality level. You must provision the input to read the 
SSM, and you must provision the bit position of the incoming SSM.
If the incoming signal does not include SSMs, or if you disable them, then you can 
provision the Quality Level to an appropriate value. The QLEVEL value is used in 
the same manner as the incoming SSM to determine which input is used when the 
active input is disqualified. SSMs are described in more detail in 
SSU Mode
 illustrates which input is the active system reference under several 
different input conditions when the TimeProvider is in the SSU mode.