The primary purpose of a GPS clock system is to provide a unified standard time to devices such as computers and control units within automated systems. It achieves high-precision time synchronization by receiving external standard time signals and referencing them to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
Traditional GPS master-slave digital clock systems consist of a GPS master clock, digital slave clocks, connecting cables, and an outdoor GPS antenna. Deployment requires installing the GPS antenna outdoors and laying cables between the master clock and the various slave clocks.
Newer digital clocks (such as CDMA clocks) eliminate the need for a separate master clock and outdoor antenna; they feature integrated receiver circuitry that directly captures standard time signals from CDMA telecommunications networks. Their installation and operation are not restricted by location, as they function wherever CDMA signal coverage is available.