Automatically setting a clock of a network-connected apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network-connected appliances require manual updates for time changes, such as daylight saving time, which can be burdensome and inefficient, especially when there are millions of devices to manage.
Innovation Solution
A network-connected apparatus that receives time information over a packet-switched computer network, including current standard time, time-zone offset, and timestamps for a predetermined timeframe, calculates the local time, and automatically adjusts the clock accordingly, reducing the need for external triggers and minimizing network traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual updates are required for time changes in network-connected appliances, then users can maintain accurate clock settings, but the process becomes burdensome and inefficient for managing millions of devices
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance autonomously determines whether daylight saving time adjustment is needed by receiving standard time and timestamps from the network, calculating the time difference, and automatically adjusting its clock without requiring user intervention. This self-service mechanism eliminates the burden of manual updates while maintaining accurate timekeeping across millions of devices.
2Reliability
If the service platform sends time update notifications to all appliances, then clock accuracy can be maintained, but network traffic and platform burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The platform performs preliminary action by sending only the essential daylight saving time transition timestamps to appliances in advance. The appliances then use these timestamps to autonomously determine when adjustments are needed, eliminating the need for continuous platform-initiated updates and reducing network traffic while maintaining clock accuracy.
3Extent of automation
If appliances receive comprehensive time information from the network, then automatic time adjustment is enabled, but the complexity of time calculation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The time information is segmented into distinct components: standard time from which local time is calculated, and timestamps that define the daylight saving time period boundaries. This segmentation allows the appliance to process each component independently - calculating local time from standard time using a fixed offset, and comparing current time against timestamp boundaries to determine when adjustment is needed, thereby reducing calculation complexity while enabling automatic adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is provided that includes a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least perform a number of operations. The apparatus is caused to receive time information over a packet-switched computer network, with the time information including a current standard time, time-zone offset and timestamps that define a predetermined timeframe. The apparatus is caused to calculate a current local time from the current standard time and time-zone offset, and including an adjustment of the current local time in instances in which the timestamps indicate that the current standard time is within the predetermined timeframe. And the apparatus is caused to cause a clock to be set to the current local time.