ts2phc.8

.TH TS2PHC 8 "March 2024" "linuxptp"
.SH NAME
ts2phc - Synchronizes one or more PTP Hardware Clocks using external time stamps.

.SH SYNOPSIS
.B ts2phc
[
.B \-hmqv
] [
.BI \-c " device|name"
] [
.BI \-f " config"
] [
.BI \-l " print-level"
] [
.BI \-s " device|name"
] [
.I long-options
]
.I .\|.\|.

.SH DESCRIPTION
.B ts2phc
synchronizes PTP Hardware Clocks (PHC) to external time stamp signals.
A single source may be used to distribute time to one or more PHC devices.

.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.BI \-a
Adjust the direction of synchronization automatically. The program determines
which PHC should the reference clock for time distribution and which should
be the destinations by querying the port states from the running instance of
.B ptp4l.
Note that using this option, the PPS signal distribution hierarchy still
remains fixed as per the configuration file. This implies that using this
option, a PPS source of the PHC kind may become a target clock, and a PPS sink
may become a reference clock. Other, non-PHC types of PPS sources (generic,
NMEA) cannot become target clocks. Clocks which are not part of
.B ptp4l's
list of ports are not synchronized. This option is useful when the
.B boundary_clock_jbod
option of ptp4l is also enabled.
.TP
.BI \-c " device|name"
Specifies a PHC to be synchronized.
The clock may be identified by its character device (like /dev/ptp0)
or its associated network interface (like eth0).
This option may be given multiple times.
.TP
.BI \-f " config"
Read configuration from the specified file.
No configuration file is read by default.
.TP
.BI \-h
Displays the command line help summary.
.TP
.BI \-l " print-level"
Sets the maximum syslog level of messages which should be printed or
sent to the system logger. The default is 6 (LOG_INFO).
.TP
.B \-m
Prints log messages to the standard output.
.TP
.B \-q
Prevents sending log messages to the system logger.
.TP
.BI \-s " device|name"
Specifies the source of the Time of Day (ToD) data.
Use the key word "generic" for an external 1-PPS without ToD information.
When using a PHC as the time source, the clock may be identified by its character
device (like /dev/ptp0) or its associated network interface (like
eth0).
Use the key word "nmea" for an external 1-PPS from a GPS providing ToD
information via the RMC NMEA sentence.
.TP
.B \-v
Prints the software version and exits.

.SH LONG OPTIONS

Each and every configuration file option (see below) may also appear
as a "long" style command line argument.  For example, the use_syslog
option may be set using either of these two forms.

.RS
\f(CW\-\-use_syslog 1   \-\-use_syslog=1\fP
.RE

Option values given on the command line override values in the global
section of the configuration file.

.SH CONFIGURATION FILE

The configuration file is divided into sections. Each section starts with a
line containing its name enclosed in brackets and it follows with settings.
Each setting is placed on a separate line, it contains the name of the
option and the value separated by whitespace characters. Empty lines and lines
starting with # are ignored.

There are two different section types.

.TP
.B 1.
The global section (indicated as
.BR [global] )
sets the program options and the default time sink options. Other
sections are clock specific sections, and they override the default
options.
.TP
.B 2.
Time sink sections give the name of the configured PHC (e.g.
.BR [eth0] ).
Time sinks specified in the configuration file need not be specified
with the
.B \-c
command line option.

.SH GLOBAL OPTIONS

.TP
.B active_key_id
Used in conjunction with \fBspp\fR and \fBsa_file\fR directives to
specify which key from the \fBspp\fR defined Security Association
should be used for outbound icv calculations. All Security Assocations
are read from the file specified by \fBsa_file\fR. Requires \fBspp\fR
and \fBsa_file\fR directives. Must be in the range of 1 to 2^32-1,
inclusive. The default is 0 (disabled).

.TP
.B clock_servo
The servo which is used to synchronize the local clock. Valid values
are "pi" for a PI controller, "linreg" for an adaptive controller
using linear regression, "ntpshm" and "refclock_sock" for the NTP SHM and
chrony SOCK reference clocks respectively to allow another process to
synchronize the local clock, and "nullf" for a servo that always dials
frequency offset zero (for use in SyncE nodes).
The default is "pi".

.TP
.B first_step_threshold
The maximum offset, specified in seconds, that the servo will correct by
changing the clock frequency (phase when using nullf servo) instead of stepping
the clock. This is only applied on the first update. When set to 0.0, the servo
will not step the clock on start.
The default is 0.00002 (20 microseconds).

.TP
.B free_running
When set to 1, no PHC will be adjusted.
This option can be useful in test scenarios, for example to determine
how well synchronized a group of local clocks are to each other.
The default is 0 (adjust the clocks).

.TP
.B leapfile
The path to the current leap seconds definition file. In a Debian
system this file is provided by the tzdata package and can be found at
/usr/share/zoneinfo/leap-seconds.list. If a leapfile is configured it
will be reloaded if modified. The default is an empty string, which
causes the program to use a hard coded table that reflects the known
leap seconds on the date of the software's release.

.TP
.B logging_level
The maximum logging level of messages which should be printed.
The default is 6 (LOG_INFO).

.TP
.B max_frequency
The maximum allowed frequency adjustment of the clock in parts per
billion.  This is an additional limit to the maximum allowed by the
hardware. When set to 0, the hardware limit will be used.
The default is 900000000 (90%).

.TP
.B message_tag
The tag which is added to all messages printed to the standard output
or system log.  If the tag contains the string "{level}", it will be replaced
with the log level of the message as a number.  The default is an empty string
(which cannot be set in the configuration file as the option requires an
argument).

.TP
.B ntpshm_segment
The number of the SHM segment used by ntpshm servo.
The default is 0.

.TP
.B pi_integral_const
The integral constant of the PI controller. When set to 0.0, the
integral constant will be set by the following formula from the current
sync interval.
The default is 0.0.

ki = min(ki_scale * sync^ki_exponent, ki_norm_max / sync)

.TP
.B pi_integral_exponent
The ki_exponent constant in the formula used to set the integral constant of
the PI controller from the sync interval.
The default is 0.4.

.TP
.B pi_integral_norm_max
The ki_norm_max constant in the formula used to set the integral constant of
the PI controller from the sync interval.
The default is 0.3.

.TP
.B pi_integral_scale
The ki_scale constant in the formula used to set the integral constant of
the PI controller from the sync interval.
The default is 0.3.

.TP
.B pi_proportional_const
The proportional constant of the PI controller. When set to 0.0, the
proportional constant will be set by the following formula from the current
sync interval.
The default is 0.0.

kp = min(kp_scale * sync^kp_exponent, kp_norm_max / sync)

.TP
.B pi_proportional_exponent
The kp_exponent constant in the formula used to set the proportional constant of
the PI controller from the sync interval.
The default is \-0.3.

.TP
.B pi_proportional_norm_max
The kp_norm_max constant in the formula used to set the proportional constant of
the PI controller from the sync interval.
The default is 0.7

.TP
.B pi_proportional_scale
The kp_scale constant in the formula used to set the proportional constant of
the PI controller from the sync interval.
The default is 0.7.

.B sa_file
Specifies the location of the file containing Security Associations used
for immediate security processing of the Authentication TLV in support of
the optional security mechanism defined in ieee1588-2019 ch 14.16. See
\fBSECURITY ASSOCIATION OPTIONS\fR for more info on file contents.
The default is an empty string. (disabled).

.TP
.B servo_num_offset_values
The number of offset values considered in order to transition from the
SERVO_LOCKED to the SERVO_LOCKED_STABLE state.
The transition occurs once the last 'servo_num_offset_values' offsets
are all below the 'servo_offset_threshold' value.
The default value is 10.

.TP
.B servo_offset_threshold
The offset threshold used in order to transition from the SERVO_LOCKED
to the SERVO_LOCKED_STABLE state.  The transition occurs once the
last 'servo_num_offset_values' offsets are all below the threshold value.
The default value of offset_threshold is 0 (disabled).

.TP
.B step_threshold
The maximum offset, specified in seconds, that the servo will correct
by changing the clock frequency instead of stepping the clock. When
set to 0.0, the servo will never step the clock except on start.
The default is 0.0.

.TP
.B spp
Specifies the security parameters pointer for the desired security association
to be used for authentication tlv support. If specified, the port owning the
spp will attempt to attach (outbound) and check (inbound) authentication tlvs
for all messages in accordance to the corresponding security association
sourced via the \fBsa_file\fR directive. Not compatible with one step ports.
Must be in the range of -1 to 255, inclusive. The default is -1 (disabled).

.TP
.B ts2phc.external_pps
Enables an external reference with the \fB-a\fP option. If set to 1, ts2phc
will assume the source of the PPS signal is a different clock from the PHCs
used by ptp4l (configured with the \fBboundary_clock_jbod\fP option). The use
case is a holdover using an externally controlled stabilized clock, which is
expected to be synchronized to the PHC that is synchronized by ptp4l, and
running free when ptp4l is not synchronizing any of the PHCs. Note that it is a
different holdover than the one enabled by the \fBts2phc.holdover\fP option
below. The default is 0 (disabled).
.TP
.B ts2phc.holdover
The holdover interval, specified in seconds. When the ToD information stops
working (e.g. GNSS receiver lost its fix), ts2phc is allowed for the specified
interval to continue synchronizing the target clock as long as the servo is in
the SERVO_LOCKED_STABLE state. The servo state needs be enabled by the
\fBservo_offset_threshold\fP option. The holdover is not supported with the
\fB-a\fP option and when \fBts2phc.extts_polarity\fP is set to \fIboth\fP.
The default is 0 (disabled).

.TP
.B ts2phc.nmea_delay
Specifies the minimum expected delay of NMEA RMC messages in nanoseconds.
If the maximum delay is longer than 1 second, or 'ts2phc.pulsewidth'
if 'ts2phc.extts_polarity' is set to "both", this option needs to be set
accordingly to allow the timestamps from NMEA messages to be correctly
assigned to pulses from the PPS signal and wrong PPS edges to be rejected if
the edge rejection is enabled.
The default is 0 nanoseconds.

.TP
.B ts2phc.nmea_remote_host, ts2phc.nmea_remote_port
Specifies the remote host providing ToD information when using the
"nmea" PPS signal source.  Note that if these two options are both
specified, then the given remote connection will be used in preference
to the configured serial port.
These options default to the empty string, that is, not specified.

.TP
.B ts2phc.nmea_serialport, ts2phc.nmea_baudrate
Specifies the serial port and baudrate in bps for character device
providing ToD information when using the "nmea" PPS signal source. Note
that if the options, ts2phc.nmea_remote_host and
ts2phc.nmea_remote_port, are both specified, then the given remote
connection will be used in preference to the configured serial port.
The default serial port is "/dev/ttyS0".
The default baudrate is 9600 bps.

.TP
.B ts2phc.perout_phase
Configures the offset between the beginning of the second and the PPS
source's rising edge. Available only for the PHC kind of PPS source. The supported
range is 0 to 999999999 nanoseconds. The default is 0 nanoseconds, but
leaving this option unspecified will not transmit the phase to the kernel,
instead PPS will be requested to start at an absolute time equal to the
nearest 2nd full second since the start of the program. This should yield
the same effect, but may not work with drivers that do not support
starting periodic output at an absolute time.

.TP
.B ts2phc.pulsewidth
The pulse width of the external PPS signal in nanoseconds.
When 'ts2phc.extts_polarity' is "both", the given pulse width is used
to detect and discard the time stamp of the unwanted edge. In case the PPS
source is of the PHC kind, an attempt is made to request the kernel to actually
emit using this pulse width. If this fails, it is assumed that the specified
pulse width is correct, and the value is used in the edge rejection algorithm.
The supported range is 1000000 to 990000000 nanoseconds.
The default is 500000000 nanoseconds.

.TP
.B ts2phc.tod_source
Specifies the source of Time of Day (ToD) data.
Use the key word "generic" for an external 1-PPS without ToD information.
When using a PHC as the time source, the clock may be identified by its character
device (like /dev/ptp0) or its associated network interface (like
eth0).
Use the key word "nmea" for an external 1-PPS from a GPS providing ToD
information via the RMC NMEA sentence.
The default is "generic"

.TP
.B use_syslog
Print messages to the system log if enabled.  The default is 1 (enabled).

.TP
.B verbose
Print messages to the standard output if enabled.  The default is 0 (disabled).

.SH TIME SINK OPTIONS

.TP
.B ts2phc.channel
The external time stamping or periodic output channel to be used.
Some PHC devices feature programmable pins and one or more time
stamping channels.  This option allows selecting a particular channel
to be used.  When using a PHC device as the PPS source, this option
selects the periodic output channel.
The default is channel 0.
.TP
.B ts2phc.extts_correction
The value, in nanoseconds, to be added to each PPS time stamp.
The default is 0 (no correction).
.TP
.B ts2phc.extts_polarity
The polarity of the external PPS signal, either "rising" or "falling".
Some PHC devices always time stamp both edges.  Setting this option to
"both" will allow the ts2phc program to work with such devices by
detecting and ignoring the unwanted edge.  In this case be sure to
set 'ts2phc.pulsewidth' to the correct value.
The default is "rising".
.TP
.B ts2phc.master
Setting this option to 1 configures the given PHC device as the source
of the PPS signal.
The default is 0 for the time sink role.
.TP
.B ts2phc.pin_index
The pin index to be used.
Some PHC devices feature programmable pins, and this option allows
configuration of a particular pin for the external time stamping or
periodic output function.
The default is pin index 0.

.SH WARNING

Be cautious when sharing the same configuration file between ptp4l,
phc2sys, and ts2phc.  Keep in mind that values specified in the
configuration file take precedence over the default values.  If an
option which is common to the other programs is set in the
configuration file, then the value will be applied to all the programs
using the file, and this might not be what is expected.

It is recommended to use separate configuration files for ptp4l,
phc2sys, and ts2phc in order to avoid any unexpected behavior.

.SH SEE ALSO
.BR phc2sys (8)
.BR ptp4l (8)