WIRELESS SYNCHRONOUS TIME SYSTEM

• US 20080316870A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quartex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quartex Incorporated
• Inventors: O'Neill, Terrence J., Pikula, Michael A., Gollnick, Robin W.
• Application Number:
  US12/199,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316870A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/47
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/00 Setting the time according to the time information carried or implied by the radio signal
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/02 the radio signal being sent by a satellite, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A wireless synchronous time system comprising a primary master event device and secondary slave devices. The primary event device receives a global positioning systems “GPS” time signal, processes the GPS time signal, receives a programmed instruction, and broadcasts or transmits the processed time signal and the programmed instruction to the secondary slave devices. The secondary slave devices receive the processed time signal and the programmed instruction, select an identified programmed instruction, display the time, and execute an event associated with the programmed instruction. The primary event device and the secondary devices further include a power interrupt module for retaining the time and the programmed instruction in case of a power loss.

Claims

1. A primary event device for a synchronous event system involving the primary event device and at least one secondary event device whose operation is at least in part dependent on information transmitted by the primary event device, the primary event device comprising:

a receiver operable to receive a GPS time signal;

a processor coupled to the receiver and operable to process the GPS time signal to produce a processed time component;

a memory coupled to the processor and operable to store a programmed instruction including a time element;

an internal clock coupled to the processor to store the processed time component and to increment relative to the processed time component thereafter to produce an internal time; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor and operable to transmit the internal time and the programmed instruction for wireless reception by the secondary event device, synchronization of the secondary event device relative to the primary event device, and event execution programming of the secondary event device by the primary event device.

2. The primary event device of claim 1, wherein the programmed instruction includes displaying a time.

3. The primary event device of claim 1, wherein the programmed instruction includes executing a pre-determined timed function.

4. The primary event device of claim 1, further comprising a power interrupt module coupled to the processor and operable to retain the internal time and the programmed instruction.

5. The primary event device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the internal time and the programmed instruction at approximately a frequency of between approximately 72 MHz and approximately 76 MHz.

6. The primary event device of claim 1, wherein the programmed instruction further comprises a data packet including a preamble, a sync bit, a packet identification byte, an hour byte, a minute byte, a second byte, a function byte, a checksum byte, and a postamble.

7. The primary event device of claim 1, further comprising a channel switch, a time zone switch, and a daylight savings bypass switch.

8. The primary event device of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the processor and operable to display a time, a day, a date, and a reception status.

9. The primary event device of claim 1, further comprising a programmer input connector coupled to the processor and operable to receive programming information.

10. A method of synchronizing an event system, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction at a primary event device, the instruction including a time element and a function element;

processing the instruction; and

wirelessly transmitting the instruction for reception by a receiver of a secondary event device and execution of the function element based at least in part on the time element.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting a power failure at the primary event device and retaining the instruction at the power failure.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the instruction is transmitted at approximately a frequency of between approximately 72 MHz and approximately 76 MHz.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein wirelessly transmitting the instruction further comprises transmitting a data packet including a preamble, a sync bit, a packet identification byte, an hour byte, a minute byte, a second byte, a function byte, a checksum byte, and a postamble.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the instruction comprises global positioning system signals.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a channel;

selecting a time zone; and

selecting a daylight savings bypass switch.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying a reception indication.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a programmer input.

18. A method of controlling a timed-system, the method comprising:

receiving a GPS time signal at a primary master device;

processing the GPS time signal to produce a first internal time;

retrieving operational data from a memory; and

wirelessly transmitting the first internal time and the operational data for wireless reception by a second device, synchronization of the second device relative to the primary event device, and event execution programming of the second device by the primary event device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the event execution programming includes programming the second device to display a time.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first internal time and the operational data are transmitted by the primary master device at approximately a frequency of between approximately 72 MHz and approximately 76 MHz.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein wirelessly transmitting the first internal time and the operational data further comprises transmitting a data packet including a preamble, a sync bit, a packet identification byte, an hour byte, a minute byte, a second byte, a function byte, a checksum byte, and a postamble.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

selecting a channel;

selecting a time zone; and

selecting a daylight savings bypass switch.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying a reception indication.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a programmer input.

25. A method of wirelessly synchronizing a timed-system, the method comprising:

receiving a GPS time signal at a primary master device;

setting the GPS time signal in an internal clock;

incrementing the internal clock relative to the GPS time signal;

retrieving operational data including a preprogrammed time element and a preprogrammed functional element from a memory;

retrieving an internal time from the internal clock; and

wirelessly transmitting the internal time and the operational data for wireless reception at a second device including a receiver, synchronization of the second device relative to the primary master device, display of synchronized time at the second device, and function execution programming of the second device by the primary master device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising detecting a power failure and retaining the internal time and the operational data at the power failure.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the GPS time signal and the operational data are transmitted by the primary master device at approximately a frequency of between approximately 72 MHz and approximately 76 MHz.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein wirelessly transmitting the internal time and the operational data by the primary master device further comprises transmitting a data packet including a preamble, a sync bit, a packet identification byte, an hour byte, a minute byte, a second byte, a function byte, a checksum byte, and a postamble.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

selecting a channel;

selecting a time zone; and

selecting a daylight savings bypass switch.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising displaying a reception indication.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving a programmer input.

32. A first device for a synchronous event system involving the first device and at least one second device whose operation is at least in part dependent on information transmitted by the first device, the first device comprising:

a receiver operable to receive a time signal;

a processor coupled to the receiver and operable to process the time signal to produce a processed time component;

a memory coupled to the processor and operable to store a programmed instruction including a time element;

an internal clock coupled to the processor to store the processed time component and to increment relative to the processed time component thereafter to produce an internal time; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor and operable to transmit the internal time and the programmed instruction for wireless reception by the second device, synchronization of the second device relative to the first device, and event execution programming of the second device by the first device.

33. The first device of claim 32, further comprising a power interrupt module coupled to the processor and operable to retain the internal time and the programmed instruction.

34. The first device of claim 32, wherein the transmitter transmits the internal time and the programmed instruction at approximately a frequency of between approximately 72 MHz and approximately 76 MHz.

35. The first device of claim 32, wherein the programmed instruction further comprises a data packet including a preamble, a sync bit, a packet identification byte, an hour byte, a minute byte, a second byte, a function byte, a checksum byte, and a postamble.

36. The first device of claim 32, further compring a channel switch, a time zone switch, and a daylight savings bypass switch.

37. The first device of claim 32, further comprising a display coupled to the processor and operable to display a time, a day, a date, and a reception status.