Timestamped Time-Series Data Display During DST Transitions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current process control and manufacturing information database client applications fail to accurately display time-series data across differing time zones and handle Daylight Savings Time (DST) transitions, leading to disruptions and ambiguities in data presentation.
Innovation Solution
A client application that coordinates time zone and DST designations for timestamped time-series data, allowing users to select a time zone context for displaying data, ensuring continuous and unambiguous representation of data points, even during DST transitions, by converting timestamps to a standardized UTC time zone and adjusting time labels accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If time-series data is displayed using local time zones without DST adjustment, then the display reflects local time conventions, but disruptions and overlaps occur during DST transitions causing data continuity errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) as an intermediary time reference system between local time zones and the displayed data. By converting all timestamps to UTC and then displaying them with appropriate DST-adjusted labels, the system mediates between the raw data timestamps and the user's local time expectations, eliminating gaps and overlaps during DST transitions while maintaining data continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the time zone parameter based on the data time range being displayed. When a user selects a time range that spans a DST transition, the system automatically detects the transition and adjusts the time zone designation accordingly, converting timestamps to UTC and applying the correct DST offset to display labels, thereby maintaining continuous and accurate data representation.
2Reliability
If timestamps are converted to UTC to maintain data continuity, then data accuracy during DST transitions is improved, but the display becomes less intuitive for users familiar with local time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by maintaining different time representations for different purposes: UTC timestamps are used internally to ensure data continuity and accuracy, while DST-adjusted local time labels are used for display to maintain user familiarity and intuition. This allows each part of the system to use the most appropriate time representation for its function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses UTC as an intermediary conversion layer that translates between raw timestamps and DST-adjusted display times. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to preserve the original timestamp accuracy while presenting user-friendly time labels that account for DST transitions, bridging the gap between technical accuracy and user comprehension.
3Measurement precision
If the system automatically detects and adjusts for DST transitions, then data display accuracy during transitions is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically detecting DST transitions and adjusting time zone designations without requiring manual user input. The client application autonomously queries the time zone database, identifies transitions within the selected time range, and applies appropriate DST adjustments to timestamp labels, reducing the need for complex manual configuration while maintaining high timestamp accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-loading time zone information and DST transition data into a local database before it is needed for display. This allows the system to quickly detect and respond to DST transitions during runtime without performing complex real-time calculations, thereby maintaining timestamp accuracy while minimizing the computational complexity during actual data display operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A process control and manufacturing information database client application is disclosed displaying received time-series data in an unambiguous manner when a displayed range of time-series data includes a DST transition for a designated time zone for displaying the data. A data acquisition interface obtains timestamped time-series data values for an observed parameter from the process control and manufacturing information database. The data values are requested/received/stored by the client application, for example, according to the UTC time standard. The client application renders the timestamped time-series data values as a series of points on a time-line graph. The time-line graph includes alphanumeric time labels specified in accordance with a designated time zone. The display function renders the time-line graph without disruptions over a time span containing a Daylight Savings Time (DST) transition for the designated time zone.