SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING TIME DATA DISPLAYABLE REMOTELY FROM A SINGLE-WORD UTC TIME STAMP

1 . A method for obtaining time data displayable remotely from a single-word coordinated universal time (UTC) time stamp, comprising:

retrieving, by a processor, a single-word UTC time stamp;

retrieving, by the processor, a multi-word configuration key associated with the single-word UTC time stamp, wherein the data in the configuration key comprises a time zone offset value, a seasonal time offset value, a standard time mnemonic, and a seasonal time mnemonic; and

combining, by the processor, the time zone offset value, seasonal time offset value, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic from the multi-word configuration key with time data specified in the single-word UTC time stamp to obtain time data comprising time, time zone offset, seasonal time offset, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtained time data comprising time, time zone offset, seasonal time offset, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic time data is displayable remotely as a fully qualified time display.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the single-word time stamp comprises at least one bit that specifies a format of the single-word time stamp, at least one bit that indicates whether or not a seasonal offset is in effect, and bits that specify a time in a UTC time base.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor operates in an operating system environment in which the default time stamp format is different than the format of the single-word time stamp.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration key is associated with multiple single-word time stamps.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating a multi-word time stamp having a different format than the single-word time stamp based, at least in part, on processing of the retrieved single-word time stamp and the configuration key.

7 . A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing system, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

retrieving a single-word UTC time stamp;

retrieving a multi-word configuration key associated with the single-word UTC time stamp, wherein the data in the configuration key comprises a time zone offset value, a seasonal time offset value, a standard time mnemonic, and a seasonal time mnemonic; and

combining the time zone offset value, seasonal time offset value, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic from the multi-word configuration key with time data specified in the single-word UTC time stamp to obtain time data comprising time, time zone offset, seasonal time offset, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic.

8 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the obtained time data comprising time, time zone offset, seasonal time offset, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic time data is displayable remotely as a fully qualified time display.

9 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the single-word time stamp comprises at least one bit that specifies a format of the single-word time stamp, at least one bit that indicates whether or not a seasonal offset is in effect, and bits that specify a time in a UTC time base.

10 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the processor operates in an operating system environment in which the default time stamp format is different than the format of the single-word time stamp.

11 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the configuration key is associated with multiple single-word time stamps.

12 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor of the computing system, cause the processor to perform the step of creating a multi-word time stamp having a different format than the single-word time stamp based, at least in part, on processing of the retrieved single-word time stamp and the configuration key.

13 . An apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the steps of:

retrieving a single-word UTC time stamp;

retrieving a multi-word configuration key associated with the single-word UTC time stamp, wherein the data in the configuration key comprises a time zone offset value, a seasonal time offset value, a standard time mnemonic, and a seasonal time mnemonic; and

combining the time zone offset value, seasonal time offset value, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic from the multi-word configuration key with time data specified in the single-word UTC time stamp to obtain time data comprising time, time zone offset, seasonal time offset, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the obtained time data comprising time, time zone offset, seasonal time offset, standard time mnemonic, and seasonal time mnemonic time data is displayable remotely as a fully qualified time display.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the single-word time stamp comprises at least one bit that specifies a format of the single-word time stamp, at least one bit that indicates whether or not a seasonal offset is in effect, and bits that specify a time in a UTC time base.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor operates in an operating system environment in which the default time stamp format is different than the format of the single-word time stamp.

17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the configuration key is associated with multiple single-word time stamps.

18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the step of creating a multi-word time stamp having a different format than the single-word time stamp based, at least in part, on processing of the retrieved single-word time stamp and the configuration key.