System and Method for Synchronization of a Plurality of Devices in a Wireless Sensor Arrangement
First Claim
1. An event timing system comprising:
- a start device which establishes a start time, runs a cycle timer, and broadcasts a start message with a cycle start time;
at least one stop device each having a local stop timer initialized to a cycle start time in a start message;
one or more device-identified stop messages, each having a stop time parameter equal to a current value of a local stop timer and being broadcast by each stop device responsive to activation of a stop trigger; and
a control device which produces a recording of one or more stop time parameters responsive to one or more stop messages.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Two or more wirelessly networked devices for control or data acquisition functions for real-time application are provided with a error corrected synchronization and data collection process. A single start device transmits a start message, followed by each stop device acknowledging that start message. If one or more stop devices fails to acknowledge the initial start message, one or more start messages are transmitted including an elapsed time since the initial start message. Each stop device receives the initial start message and any subsequent start messages, using the elapsed time in the start message to synchronize a local timer. Upon stop event detection, each stop device records its local timer value and subsequently transmits that value to a collection device or console.
32 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. An event timing system comprising:
-
a start device which establishes a start time, runs a cycle timer, and broadcasts a start message with a cycle start time; at least one stop device each having a local stop timer initialized to a cycle start time in a start message; one or more device-identified stop messages, each having a stop time parameter equal to a current value of a local stop timer and being broadcast by each stop device responsive to activation of a stop trigger; and a control device which produces a recording of one or more stop time parameters responsive to one or more stop messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An automated method comprising:
-
by a start device, establishing a start time, running a cycle timer, and broadcasting a start message with a cycle start time; by one or more stop devices, each running a local stop timer initialized to a cycle start time in a start message; by each stop device responsive to activation of a stop trigger, broadcasting a device-identified stop message with a stop time parameter equal to a current value of a local stop timer; and by the control device, recording the stop time parameter. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. An article of manufacture comprising:
-
one or more computer readable media suitable for storage of computer executable software; and computer executable software encoded in said computer readable medium or media for performing the steps of; by a start device, establishing a start time, running a cycle timer, and broadcasting a start message with a cycle start time; by one or more stop devices, running a local stop timer initialized to a cycle start time in a start message, and broadcasting a device-identified acknowledgment message; by a stop device responsive to activation of a stop trigger, broadcasting a device-identified stop message with a stop time parameter equal to a current value of a local stop timer; and by the control device, recording the stop time parameter. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification