Sensor Data Timestamping with Counter-Based Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the number of devices to be synchronized increases, existing systems face challenges in managing time accurately while incurring higher costs and increased load and effort in time synchronization, particularly in data collection systems.
Innovation Solution
An information collecting system comprising a first device with a counter, a second device for data collection, and a third device with a time-measuring unit, where the first device adds a count value to the data set and the third device associates this with a time output from the time-measuring unit, enabling accurate time management without the need for multiple time-measuring units and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If time synchronization protocol is used to synchronize time between multiple devices, then time management accuracy is improved, but system cost and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the time measurement function from individual sensing devices and concentrates it in a single management device. The management device obtains time information from its own time-measuring unit and associates this time with count values from counters in other devices, eliminating the need for each device to have its own time-measuring unit and reducing synchronization complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The management device serves multiple functions: it acts as a central time source, collects data from multiple sensing devices, performs time association between time information and count values, and manages the overall time synchronization for the entire system, replacing the need for distributed time-measuring units.
2Measurement precision
If multiple time-measuring units are deployed in each device, then time management accuracy is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple time-measuring units into a single time-measuring unit located in the management device. Instead of each sensing device having its own time-measuring unit, the management device uses its single time-measuring unit to provide time information for the entire system, significantly reducing the total number of time-measuring units required.
Solution Approach 2:
The management device acts as an intermediary between the time-measuring unit and the counters in sensing devices. It obtains time information from its time-measuring unit and associates this time with count values from other devices, enabling centralized time management without requiring time-measuring units in each device.
3Productivity
If data is collected at regular intervals from sensing devices, then data collection efficiency is improved, but time management complexity increases with more devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from counters in the first device to the management device to maintain accurate time management. The counters provide count values that are associated with time information from the time-measuring unit, creating a feedback mechanism that enables the management device to accurately track and manage time across multiple sensing devices collecting data at regular intervals.
Data Source
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AI summary
An information collecting system (1) includes a first device (100) including a counter (110), a second device (200) that collects data from one or more sensing devices (250) in response to a command from the first device, and a third device (300) including a time-measuring unit (310) that manages time. The first device adds, to the data collected by the second device, a first count value (184) output from the counter at a timing when the second device collects the data, to generate a first data set (180). The third device adds, to the first data set, a correspondence relationship between a time (382) output from the time-measuring unit and a second count value (186) output from the counter of the first device.