Hardware-driven clock with object-oriented interface
First Claim
1. An apparatus for a computer system to generate an absolute time signal with a varying resolution, comprising:
- (a) circuitry for periodically generating a tick update signal; and
(b) an apparatus for the representation of an absolute time signal with a varying resolution, comprising;
(1) storage apparatus for storing a zero point number representing the zero point time; and
(2) a time count apparatus for storing an absolute time signal represented as an absolute floating point number based on a predetermined number of tick update signals; and
(c) an update apparatus responsive to each tick update signal for recalculating the absolute floating point number to indicate a number of tick update signals received by the time count apparatus since the zero point time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Timing apparatus for use with a computer system works with clock hardware which periodically generates a tick update signal. The timing apparatus uses a floating point number to maintain a total tick count for representing absolute time so that both a large range and a high resolution can be accommodated. However, since floating point operations can not always be used at hardware, or interrupt, levels and there are some cases where a hardware-dependent time representation will produce performance gains, a hardware dependent clock system is also provided. The clock system is provided with a flexible interface by using object-oriented programming techniques and providing three clock objects that provide for three different clock representations. Each of the objects provides its own methods for converting between the time representation that it uses and the time representations used by the other objects.
29 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for a computer system to generate an absolute time signal with a varying resolution, comprising:
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(a) circuitry for periodically generating a tick update signal; and (b) an apparatus for the representation of an absolute time signal with a varying resolution, comprising; (1) storage apparatus for storing a zero point number representing the zero point time; and (2) a time count apparatus for storing an absolute time signal represented as an absolute floating point number based on a predetermined number of tick update signals; and (c) an update apparatus responsive to each tick update signal for recalculating the absolute floating point number to indicate a number of tick update signals received by the time count apparatus since the zero point time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for an object-oriented computer system to generate an absolute time signal with a varying resolution, comprising:
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(a) circuitry for periodically generating a tick update signal; (b) storage apparatus; (c) a first real time clock object representing an absolute time signal with a varying resolution, comprising; (1) data including a zero point number stored in the storage apparatus which zero point number represents a zero point time; and (2) an absolute floating point number stored in the storage apparatus representing the absolute time signal based on a predetermined number of tick update signals; and (d) a first method responsive to each tick update signal for recalculating the absolute floating point number to indicate a number of tick update signals received by the time count apparatus since the zero point time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for generating an absolute time signal with a varying resolution in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) periodically generating a tick update signal; (b) storing a zero point number which represents a zero point time; (c) storing an absolute floating point number as the absolute time signal which absolute time signal has a varying resolution based on a predetermined number of tick update signals; and (d) recalculating the absolute floating point number in response to each tick update signal so that the absolute floating point number represents the number of tick update signals generated since the zero point time. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification