A common sense of time among all the elements of a distributed measurement and control system allows the use of new techniques for the solution of problems with complex synchronization requirements or arising from the interaction of many sensors and actuators. Such a common sense of time may be accomplished using IEEE Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems (IEEE 1588-2002) to synchronize real-time clocks incorporated within each component of the system. IEEE 1588, published in November 2002, is a technology new to the engineering community expanding the performance capabilities of Ethernet networks so that they become relevant for measurement and control; this monograph embodies the first unified treatment of the associated technology, standards and applications. Readers unfamiliar with IEEE 1588 will gain understanding of the context of the technology it represents and, from three chapters of case studies, its role in a...