The MAX24188 is a flexible, low-cost IEEE 1588 clock designed to be the central 1588 time base in a multiport system. In such systems (typically boundary clocks or transparent clocks) timestampers at the ports must all have a common time and frequency reference. The MAX24188 serves as that common reference. As the system exchanges 1588 packets with an external 1588 master and calculates its time offset vs. the master, the MAX24188 can be adjusted by system software to zero out the time offset and thereby achieve time and frequency synchronization with the master. As the MAX24188 is adjusted, its output frequency and time alignment signals are correspondingly adjusted. All timestampers (and other time-aware components) that receive those signals then follow the adjustment to maintain synchronization with the MAX24188. In this way all 1588 elements in the system maintain a common sense of time and frequency.

The MAX24188 can be a standalone central timing function for 1588 systems. It can also be used in conjunction with one of Maxim’s clock synchronization ICs in multimode systems designed to be clocked by 1588, 1588 plus frequency (such as synchronous Ethernet), or frequency only.