align_timestamps

Align vectors of timestamps measured by two different clocks, using the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm.

a and b are timestamps, a subset of which denote the same events measured by clocks A and B, not synchronized with each other, and may drift linearly with respect to each other. There can be spurious events or imprecise timestamping. The Needleman-Wunsch algorithm is applied on the difference of the timestamp vectors. If the difference vectors are within a specified threshold of each other, it is considered a match. Matching timestamps are fitted by a line to reveal the offset between the two clocks, and the clock drift. Timestamps from A can now be shifted to approximate timestamps in B as:
bTs = aTs + polyval(offset.p,aTs,offset.S,offset.mu);