Configurable clock service for time-aware IoT applications

The distribution of a common time reference is a well known problem in traditional measurement systems. The Internet of Things (IoT) scenario is characterized by an higher dynamism. A given device can be reconfigured for serving different applications, that may have different requirements in terms of synchronization accuracy. Therefore, it is not possible to define in advance the optimal solution. A challenging objective consists in realizing self-conscious devices, able to evaluate the accuracy of their time reference, choose among different synchronization protocols/systems, when available, and correctly set up protocol parameters to meet application requirements. A solution is discussed in this paper that outlines the concept of virtual clock as a local service by which an accurate time reference is provided to the requiring applications.