xref: /freebsd/contrib/ntp/libparse/README (revision 09a53ad8f1318c5daae6cfb19d97f4f6459f0013)
1PARSE reference clock driver:
2
3This directory contains the files making up the parser for
4the parse refclock driver. For reasonably sane clocks this refclock
5drivers allows a refclock implementation by just providing a
6conversion routine and the appropriate NTP parameters. Refclock
7support can run as low a 3k code with the parse refclock driver.
8
9The modules in here are designed to live in two worlds. In userlevel
10as part of the xntp daemon and in kernel land as part of a STREAMS module
11or, if someone gets to it, as part of a line discipline. Currently only
12SunOS4.x/SunOS5.x STREAMS are supported (volunteers for other vendors like HP?).
13This structure means, that refclock_parse can work with or without kernel
14support. Kernelsupport increases accuracy tremendingly. The current restriction
15of the parse driver is that it only supports SYSV type ttys and that kernel
16support is only available for Suns right now.
17
18Three kernel modules are part of this directory. These work only on
19SunOS (SunOS4 and SunOS5).
20
21	SunOS4 (aka Solaris 1.x):
22		parsestreams.loadable_module.o	- standard parse module for SunOS 4
23
24		Both modules can be loaded via modload <modulename>.
25
26	SunOS5 (aka Solaris 2.x):
27		parse		- auto loadable streams module
28
29		To install just drop "parse" into /kernel/strmod and
30		start the daemon (SunOS5 will do the rest).
31
32The structure of the parse reference clock driver is as follows:
33
34	ntpd	- contains NTP implementation and calls a reference clock
35		  127.127.8.x which is implemented by
36	 	  refclock_parse.c
37		  - which contains several refclock decriptions. These are
38		    selected by the x part of the refclock address.
39		    The lower two bits specify the device to use. Thus the
40		    value (x % 4) determines the device to open
41		    (/dev/refclock-0 - /dev/refclock-3).
42
43		    The kind of clock is selected by the mode parameter. This parameter
44		    selects the clock type which deterimines how I/O is done,
45		    the tty parameters and the NTP parameters.
46
47		    refclock_parse operates on an abstract reference clock
48		    that delivers time stamps and stati. Offsets and sychron-
49		    isation information is derived from this data and passed
50		    on to refclock_receive of xntp which uses that data for
51		    syncronisation.
52
53		    The abstract reference clock is generated by the parse*
54		    routines. They parse the incoming data stream from the
55		    clock and convert it to the appropriate time stamps.
56		    The data is also mapped int the abstract clock states
57		    	POWERUP - clock has no valid phase and time code
58				  information
59
60			NOSYNC	- Time code is not confirmed, phase is probably
61				  ok.
62			SYNC	- Time code and phase are correct.
63
64		    A clock is trusted for a certain time (type parameter) when
65		    it leaves the SYNC state. This is derived from the
66		    observation that quite a few clocks can still generate good
67		    time code information when losing contact to their
68		    synchronisation source. When the clock does not reagain
69		    synchronisation in that trust period it will be deemed
70		    unsynchronised until it regains synchronisation. The same
71		    will happen if xntp sees the clock unsynchronised at
72		    startup.
73
74		    The upper bit of x specifies that all samples delivered
75		    from the clock should be used to discipline the NTP
76		    loopfilter. For clock with accurate once a second time
77		    information this means big improvements for time keeping.
78		    A prerequisite for passing on the time stamps to
79		    the loopfilter is, that the clock is in synchronised state.
80
81	   parse.c  These are the general routines to parse the incoming data
82		    stream. Usually these routines should not require
83		    modification.
84
85	   clk_*.c  These files hole the conversion code for the time stamps
86		    and the description how the time code can be parsed and
87		    where the time stamps are to be taken.
88		    If you want to add a new clock type this is the file
89		    you need to write in addition to mention it in
90		    parse_conf.c and setting up the NTP and TTY parameters
91		    in refclock_parse.c.
92
93Further information can be found in parse/README.parse and the various source
94files.
95
96Frank Kardel
97