Method and apparatus of managing time for a processing system
First Claim
1. A method of managing time for a controller located in a processing system on a machine, the processing system including a plurality of controllers, each controller having a local clock, and a communication network connecting each of the controllers, including the steps of:
- establishing an operating characteristic of the machine;
determining whether to update a local time in response to said operating characteristic; and
updating said local time using the local clock in response to said update determination.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention includes a method and apparatus of managing time for a processing system located on a machine. The processing system includes a plurality of controllers and a communication network connecting each of the controllers. Each of the controllers has a local clock. The method includes the steps of establishing an operating characteristic of the machine, determining whether to update a local time in response to said operating characteristic, and updating said local time based upon the local clock in response to said update determination.
47 Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A method of managing time for a controller located in a processing system on a machine, the processing system including a plurality of controllers, each controller having a local clock, and a communication network connecting each of the controllers, including the steps of:
-
establishing an operating characteristic of the machine;
determining whether to update a local time in response to said operating characteristic; and
updating said local time using the local clock in response to said update determination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
receiving an official time;
determining a difference between said official time and said local time; and
,determining whether to synchronize said local time with said official time in response to said time difference.
-
-
3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of establishing said operating characteristic further comprises the step of receiving the operating characteristic, said operating characteristic being indicative of a machine being operated.
-
4. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of establishing said operating characteristic further comprises the step of receiving the operating characteristic, said operating characteristic being indicative of a engine being operated.
-
5. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of determining whether to synchronize said local time further comprises the step of determining to synchronize said local time with said official time in response to said time difference being greater than a first threshold.
-
6. A method, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising the step of establishing a master controller of the processing system.
-
7. A method, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the step of receiving said official time further comprises the step of receiving said official time from said master controller.
-
8. A method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the step of establishing said operating characteristic further comprises the step of receiving an operating characteristic signal from said master controller.
-
9. A method, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the step of establishing said master controller further comprises the step of participating in an arbitration process among the controllers.
-
10. A method, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the step of receiving an arbitration signal.
-
11. A method, as set forth in claim 10, generating a priority signal in response to receiving said arbitration signal, said priority signal being indicative of at least one controller characteristic.
-
12. A method, as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:
-
receiving at least one priority signal;
determining whether to become the master controller in response to said received at least one priority signal.
-
-
13. A method, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising the step of initiating said arbitration process in response to receiving power.
-
14. A method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of initiating said arbitration further comprises the step of initiating said arbitration process in response to failing to receive one of said official time and said operating characteristic.
-
15. An apparatus configured to manage time on a processing system located on a machine, comprising:
-
a plurality of controllers on the machine;
a local clock located on each controller and configured to establish a local time;
a communication network connected to said controllers; and
wherein each of said plurality of controllers is configured to establish an operating characteristic of the machine, determine whether to update said local time, using said local clock, in response to said operating characteristic, and updating said local time in response to said update determination. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of managing time for a processing system located on a machine, the processing system including a plurality of controllers, each controller having a local clock, and a communication network connecting each of the controllers, including the steps of:
-
establishing an operating characteristic of the machine;
determining whether to update a local time on each of the controllers in response to said operating characteristic; and
updating said local time, using the local clock, in response to said update determination. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
establishing an official time;
determining a difference between said official time and said local time; and
,determining whether to synchronize said local time with said official time in response to said time difference.
-
-
27. A method, as set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of establishing a master controller, the other controllers being non-master controllers.
-
28. A method, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the step of establishing said operating characteristic further comprises the step of delivering an operating characteristic to each of the non-master controllers, said operating characteristic being indicative of the machine being operated.
-
29. A method, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the step of establishing said operating characteristic further comprises the step of delivering an operating characteristic signal to each of the non-master controllers, said operating characteristic being indicative of the engine being operated.
-
30. A method, as set forth in claim 27, wherein the step of determining whether to synchronize said local time further comprises the step of synchronizing said local time with said official time in response to said time difference being greater than a first threshold.
-
31. A method, as set forth in claim 30, wherein the step of receiving said official time further comprises the step of receiving said official time from said master controller.
-
32. A method, as set forth in claim 31, wherein the step of establishing said operating characteristic further comprises the step of receiving an operating characteristic signal from said master controller.
-
33. A method, as set forth in claim 32, wherein the step of establishing said master controller further comprises the step of arbitrating among the controllers.
-
34. A method, as set forth in claim 33, wherein the step of arbitrating further comprises the steps of:
-
at least one of the controllers initiating said arbitration; and
said at least one controller generating an arbitration signal in response to said intitiation.
-
-
35. A method, as set forth in claim 34, further comprising the step of generating a priority signal in response to receiving said arbitration signal, said priority signal being indicative of at least one controller characteristic.
-
36. A method, as set forth in claim 35, further comprising the steps of:
-
receiving said priority signals;
determining whether to become the master controller in response to said received priority signals.
-
-
37. A method, as set forth in claim 36, wherein the step of initiating said arbitration further comprises the step of initiating said arbitration process in response to receiving power.
-
38. A method, as set forth in claim 37, wherein the step of initiating said arbitration further comprises the step of initiating said arbitration process in response to failing to receive one of said official time and said operating characteristic.
Specification