Device in a modularized system for effecting time-stamping of events/reference events
View Patent ↗A device for a modularized system with decentralized and function-executing modules comprising a module with associated clock that is arranged to effect time-stamping of events associated with the system and of reference events selected from among these. The module comprises a memory device for storing the module's time stamps relating to the events noted by the module and to the reference events selected from among these. The module also comprises a microprocessor that generates messages related to the module's stored time stamps. In addition, the module is arranged to transmit the respective generated messages to a time conversion unit via one or more communications links, and the time conversion unit is arranged, after any intermediate storage, to relate the module's respective noted reference event and effected time-stamping to additional reference events and time-stamping introduced into the unit or already in the unit.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of modules, individual ones of which comprise:
at least one associated clock configured to generate at least one time stamp of at least one event, wherein the at least one event is observed at one or more individual modules within the plurality of modules, and
at least one processor device configured to generate at least one message containing the at least one time stamp;
at least one time conversion unit separate from the plurality of modules and configured to not observe the at least one event and use the at least one message from a first module to relate the at least one event with the at least one message from a second module to create a comparative time;
wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to convert a time associated with the first individual module to a time associated with the second individual module using the comparative time.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the individual ones of the plurality of modules are configured to detect at least one system event during a time period, wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to convert a local time domain of an individual one of the plurality of modules to a time domain associated with a different individual one of the plurality of modules, using the comparative time.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one time conversion unit includes a logical conversion matrix comprising stored time stamps of a plurality of the events observed at one or more individual modules within the plurality of modules.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the time conversion unit is configured to communicate with a monitoring unit, wherein the time conversion unit is further configured to provide information relating to a time domain associated with the at least one message to the monitoring unit.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to generate messages having time information relating to a local time base associated with an individual module within the plurality of modules.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the individual ones of the plurality of modules further comprise an event detector configured to detect events and to generate at least one signal to effect storage of the time associated to the at least one associated clock wherein the at least one associated clock is configured to generate a local time according to a local time base.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one time conversion unit further comprises a clock wherein the clock is configured to time stamp the at least one event according to a time base.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of modules, individual ones of which comprise:
at least one associated clock configured to generate at least one time stamp of at least one event, wherein the at least one event is observed at one or more individual modules within the plurality of modules, and
at least one processor device configured to generate at least one message containing the at least one time stamp;
at least one time conversion unit configured to use the at least one message from a first module to relate the at least one event with the at least one message from a second module to create a comparative time;
wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to convert a time associated with the first individual module to a time associated with the second individual module using the comparative time;
wherein the at least one event is a start of frame packet sent by the time conversion unit.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the individual ones of the plurality of modules are configured to detect at least one system event during a time period, wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to convert a local time domain of an individual one of the plurality of modules to a time domain associated with a different individual one of the plurality of modules, using the comparative time.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the time conversion unit is configured to communicate with a monitoring unit, wherein the time conversion unit is further configured to provide information relating to a time domain associated with the at least one message to the monitoring unit.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the individual ones of the plurality of modules further comprise an event detector configured to detect events and to generate at least one signal to effect storage of the time associated to the at least one associated clock wherein the at least one associated clock is configured to generate a local time according to a local time base different from other ones of the plurality of modules.
12. A method comprising:
receiving at a time conversion device a plurality of messages associated with at least one reference event in a modularized system wherein individual ones of the messages comprise a time stamped by a clock at a module in a modularized system using a first protocol, wherein the time stamped is associated with the at least one reference event; and
correlating at the time conversion device a time stamped in a first message with a time stamped in a second message from a second modularized system using a second protocol different from the first protocol to derive a comparative time;
converting at the time conversion device a time associated with at least one of the messages to a time associated with at least one other message associated with the modularized system using the comparative time.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
detecting at the time conversion device at least one event during a time period;
converting a local time associated with the at least one event to a time domain associated with a module using the comparative time at the time conversion device.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the correlating further comprises accessing a logical conversion matrix comprising stored time stamps of a plurality of the reference events of the modularized system.
15. The method of claim 12 further comprising using a module in the modularized system to generate information relating to a time domain associated with the message.
16. The method of claim 12 further comprising using a module in the modularized system to transmit messages having derived time information relating to a local time base associated with the module.
17. The method of claim 12 further comprising detecting events at a module in a modularized system and generating at least one signal at the module to effect storage of a time associated with the detected event according to a local time base.
18. The method of claim 12 further comprising using the time conversion device to capture a time stamped according to a time base determined from a clock associated with the time conversion device, wherein the time stamped is associated with the at least one reference event.
19. A method comprising:
receiving at a time conversion device a plurality of messages associated with at least one reference event in a modularized system wherein individual ones of the messages comprise a time stamped by a clock at a module in a modularized system, wherein the time stamped is associated with the at least one reference event; and
correlating at the time conversion device a time stamped in a first message with a time stamped in a second message to derive a comparative time;
converting at the time conversion device a time associated with at least one of the messages to a time associated with at least one other message associated with the modularized system using the comparative time;
wherein the at least one reference event is a receiving of a start of frame packet associated with a message.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
detecting at the time conversion device at least one event during a time period;
converting a local time associated with the at least one event to a time domain associated with a module using the comparative time at the time conversion device.
21. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of modules, individual ones of which comprise:
at least one associated clock configured to generate at least one time stamp of at least one event, wherein the at least one event is observed at one or more individual modules within the plurality of modules, and
at least one processor device configured to generate at least one message containing the at least one time stamp;
at least one time conversion unit configured to use the at least one message from a first module to relate the at least one event with the at least one message from a second module to create a comparative time;
wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to convert a time associated with the first individual module to a time associated with the second individual module using the comparative time;
wherein at least one of the plurality of modules further comprises:
a first data connection configured to communicate using a first communication protocol;
a second data connection configured to communicate using a second communication protocol;
wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to receive the at least one message from individual ones of the plurality of modules via the second data connection.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of modules is configured to communicate with the plurality of modules via the first data connection, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of modules is configured to relay the at least one message to the at least one time conversion unit.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the individual ones of the plurality of modules are configured to detect at least one system event during a time period, wherein the at least one time conversion unit is configured to convert a local time domain of an individual one of the plurality of modules to a time domain associated with a different individual one of the plurality of modules, using the comparative time.
24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the time conversion unit is configured to communicate with a monitoring unit, wherein the time conversion unit is further configured to provide information relating to a time domain associated with the at least one message to the monitoring unit.
25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the individual ones of the plurality of modules further comprise an event detector configured to detect events and to generate at least one signal to effect storage of the time associated to the at least one associated clock wherein the at least one associated clock is configured to generate a local time according to a local time base different from other ones of the plurality of modules.
26. A method comprising:
receiving at a time conversion device a plurality of messages associated with at least one reference event in a modularized system wherein individual ones of the messages comprise a time stamped by a clock at a module in a modularized system, wherein the time stamped is associated with the at least one reference event; and
correlating at the time conversion device a time stamped in a first message with a time stamped in a second message to derive a comparative time;
converting at the time conversion device a time associated with at least one of the messages to a time associated with at least one other message associated with the modularized system using the comparative time;
wherein the receiving occurs via a first protocol over a first data connection between the time conversion device and at least one bridge module in the modularized system, and wherein the at least one bridge module further comprises a second data connection configured to communicate via a second data protocol.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:
detecting at the time conversion device at least one event during a time period;
converting a local time associated with the at least one event to a time domain associated with a module using the comparative time at the time conversion device.