Time Synchronization via HTTP Header Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Home entertainment devices often lack the ability to set accurate time and date without access to a Network Time Protocol (NTP) server, which can be restricted by service providers, especially in over-the-top (OTT) devices connected through Wi-Fi or local networks.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that send a request over a network to an Internet address to extract time and date information from a packet header, allowing the device to set its current time and date, even when an NTP server is unavailable, by using a signal transceiver and controller to process the information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a device uses NTP server to set time and date, then time accuracy is improved, but network accessibility is restricted when NTP servers are blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using a web server as a mediator to obtain time information. Instead of directly accessing NTP servers, the device requests a web page from a web server, extracts time data from the HTML response, and uses that to set its clock. This intermediary web server approach bypasses NTP server restrictions while maintaining time synchronization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional NTP protocol-based time synchronization mechanism with a web-based HTTP request mechanism. By substituting the NTP client-server interaction with HTTP GET requests to web servers and parsing HTML responses, the system achieves time synchronization through a different technical pathway that is not blocked by NTP-specific restrictions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a device requests time information from a web server, then network accessibility is improved, but network bandwidth usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary time information from the web server response. Instead of downloading and processing the entire web page content, the system specifically extracts time data from the HTML header or metadata portion of the response. This selective extraction minimizes the amount of data that needs to be transmitted and processed, reducing network bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs partial action by requesting only minimal web page content that contains time information. The HTTP request is designed to retrieve just enough data (time stamp in HTML header) to accomplish the time synchronization task, avoiding unnecessary data transfer. This partial retrieval approach reduces bandwidth usage while maintaining functionality.
3Reliability
If a device establishes network connection for time setting, then time synchronization capability is improved, but startup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by attempting to obtain time information from the web server during the device startup process, before full system initialization is complete. By performing the time synchronization request early in the boot sequence, the device can set its clock quickly without waiting for complete system readiness, thereby reducing overall startup time while maintaining reliable time synchronization.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for setting time and date in a device (e.g., a set top box (614), or similar client device) through a network connection when a network time standard server (606, 620) (e.g., a NTP server) is unavailable (e.g., blocked or blacklisted) are provided. The system and method of the present disclosure involves sending (404) a request over a network from a device for information from an Internet address (618), receiving (406) a packet (500) from the Internet address (618) in response to the request, extracting (408) time and date information from a header (502) in the packet (500), and using the extracted time and date information to set (416) the current time and date for the device.