Abstract: The future trend of the distributed automation system is adopting the IEC 61850 standard to realize seamless communication in the substation and between the substation and every node of the distributed system. The IEC 61850 protocol has very high requirement for sample value synchronization accuracy. The IEEE 1588 protocol was introduced and analyzed. A separate timing index generator was established, and “sideclock”function for exchanger was realized. A new accurate time synchronization scheme was proposed which is in accordance with the IEEE 1588 protocol and can be used in distributed system protection communication, and the software and hardware structure modes were given. The realization of the IEEE 1588 protocol was accomplished by using microcontroller, and the requirement of sample value synchronization of distributed protection communication system based on IEC 61850 protocol should be satisfied.

Key words: IEEE 1588 protocol, distributed system, synchronization of sample values