A Fifth-Generation-Based Synchronized Measurement Method for Urban Distribution Networks

This work proposes a 5G-based synchronized measurement method for urban distribution networks. First, downlink frequency synchronization is achieved by cross-correlating the Primary and Secondary Synchronization Signals (PSSs/SSSs) within gNB-broadcast Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs), enabling accurate alignment with the 5G system clock. Then, uplink phase synchronization is refined using Timing Advance (TA) feedback to compensate for propagation delays. Based on the recovered 5G Pulse Per Second (PPS) signal, a dynamic compensation algorithm is applied to discipline the SAR ADC sampling process. This algorithm tracks crystal oscillator drift, accumulates sub-cycle deviations, and corrects integer timer counts only when the error exceeds <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>±</mo><mn>0.5</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. Simulations under a 228 MHz oscillator and 1200 samples per cycle demonstrate that the accumulated phase error remains below 0.00008°, satisfying IEEE C37.118 precision requirements. Compared with traditional GPS-based synchronization methods, the proposed solution offers greater deployment flexibility and can operate reliably in GPS-denied environments such as indoors and urban canyons.