System and method for automatically setting a remote timepiece with the correct time

• US 6,223,050 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1997
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Management Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Evans V. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC M
• Application Number:
  US08/987,683
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/456, 455/457, 455/38.4, 455/422, 455/566, 455/433, 455/38.1, 455/550, 368/46, 368/47, 368/55, 340/825.44, 340/995
• US Class Current: 455/425
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/14 the radio signal being a telecommunication standard signal, e.g. GSM
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0644 External master-clock
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

Setting a remote timepiece with the correct time using a time stamp transmitted over a data channel of a wireless telecommunications system. A data message is created which includes an address for the remote timepiece and a time stamp. The time stamp may include time and date information. The data message is transmitted over a data channel of the wireless telecommunications system. Based upon the address, the data message is received by the remote timepiece. The remote timepiece extracts the time stamp from the data message and uses the time stamp to set the remote timepiece in accordance with the time stamp.

Claims

1. In a cellular mobile radiotelephone (“

CMR”

) system, including a mobile switching center (“

MSC”

) for transmitting messages to a remote timepiece located within an area of the CMR system served by the MSC, a method for setting the remote timepiece comprising the steps of;

(a) creating a data message having an address for the remote timepiece and a time stamp, the data message formatted for transmission by the MSC over a data channel of the CMR system;

(b) transmitting the data message to the remote timepiece using the data channel of the CMR system; and

(c) receiving the data message by the remote timepiece based on the address, whereby the remote timepiece extracts the time stamp from the data message and uses the time stamp for setting the remote timepiece in accordance with the time stamp;

(d) measuring activity on the data channel; and

(e) if the activity on the data channel is within an acceptable range, then repeating steps (a)-(c) using an updated time stamp in place of the time stamp in creating an updated data message, the updated time stamp reflecting time elapsed since the data message was created in step (a).

2. In a wireless telecommunications system capable of transmitting both voice and data, including a wireless switch for transmitting messages to a remote timepiece located within an area of the wireless telecommunications system served by the wireless switch, the wireless switch including a clock, a method for transmitting a time stamp to the remote timepiece, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating the time stamp using an output of the clock, the time stamp including an hour, a minute, and a second;

(b) creating a data message using the time stamp, the data message addressed to the remote timepiece;

(c) transmitting the data message to the remote timepiece over a data channel of the wireless telecommunications system;

(d) determining a level of system usage for the wireless telecommunications system; and

(e) if the level of system usage is within an acceptable level, then repeating steps (a)-(c).

3. A method for automatically setting a remote timepiece based upon a time stamp transmitted over a data channel of a cellular mobile radiotelephone system, comprising the steps of:

(a) scanning the data channel for a data message addressed to the remote timepiece, wherein the data message includes the time stamp which corresponds to a first time zone and a second time stamp which corresponds to a second time zone, and wherein the remote timepiece includes a time zone selector to select the first time zone or the second time zone;

(b) once the data message is detected, then receiving the data message; and

(c) setting the remote timepiece to a time corresponding to the time stamp by;

if the first time zone is selected, then setting the remote timepiece using the time stamp; and

if the second time zone is selected, then setting the remote timepiece using the second time stamp.