Boundary Object for Cross-Domain Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In IT-based systems, time differences between administrative domains often arise due to varying time sources, precision, administrative reasons, or faults, making it challenging to achieve synchronization and coordinate manufacturing processes effectively.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising detection units, control units, and a storage system that synchronizes time information across administrative domains using timers and time synchronization protocols, allowing for the detection and resolution of time offsets, even in heterogeneous architectures where synchronization is not feasible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If time synchronization protocols are used to synchronize time sources across administrative domains, then time consistency is improved, but administrative responsibility and system complexity worsen due to the need for centralized control and intervention in domain autonomy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a boundary object that acts as an intermediary between administrative domains. This boundary object stores time information from multiple domains without requiring centralized synchronization control, thereby maintaining time consistency while preserving domain autonomy and reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the time synchronization function into distributed components within each administrative domain, with boundary objects locally storing and managing time information. This eliminates the need for a centralized time synchronization protocol while maintaining time consistency across domains.
2Measurement precision
If centralized time synchronization is implemented across administrative domains, then time offset resolution is improved, but domain autonomy and system reliability worsen due to single point of failure and administrative intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent distributes the time information storage function across multiple boundary objects in different administrative domains rather than using a centralized time server. This segmentation eliminates single points of failure and preserves domain autonomy while enabling time offset resolution through local boundary object comparisons.
3Measurement precision
If time information is stored and compared across administrative domains, then time difference detection is improved, but data security and administrative control worsen due to cross-domain data access
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary object serves as a secure intermediary that stores time information from multiple administrative domains. It enables time difference detection by providing access to stored time data while maintaining data security through controlled access mechanisms and preserving administrative boundaries without requiring direct cross-domain data access.
Data Source
AI summary
A device is provided for detecting time information of different administrative domains. The device includes a plurality of detection units, wherein each detection unit is assigned to one of the administrative domains and is configured to receive time information from a timer of the assigned administrative domains for synchronising with the assigned administrative domains, a storage device having a plurality of storage areas, and a plurality of control units, wherein each control unit is assigned exclusively to one of the detection units and the control units are configured to detect, synchronised with one another, a respective most recent item of the received time information of the respective assigned detection unit and to store the synchronously detected time information of the plurality of detection units together as synchronised data in one of the storage regions.