Patent
1997-08-11
1999-08-03
Heckler, Thomas M.
G06F 1130
Patent
active
059336250
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unique time generating device incorporated in a computer which permits communication between a plurality of computers based on a common time concept, and also to an authenticating device using the unique time generating device to allow the computers to authenticate each other without errors.
2. Description of the Related Art
An atomic clock (cesium clock) is known at present as the most accurate time measuring device, which is accurate to one part in 10.sup.8 sec. Specifically, such an atomic clock defines, as one second, the duration of the natural resonance frequency of the cesium atom (9,192,631,770), and International Atomic Time is determined by the Bureau International de l'Heure (on the premises of the Paris Astronomical Observatory) by averaging the measured values of atomic clocks located throughout the world. The value of the second is thus managed today in accordance with the internationally determined atomic time, whereas the length of the day is managed in accordance with Universal Time. According to Universal Time, the hours of the day are numbered from 0 to 24, using as 0:00 p.m. (noon) a time point when the sun crosses the Prime Meridian of longitude passing through the old Greenwich Observatory, England (southing time) and using as 0:00 a.m. (midnight) a time point 12 hours before and after the southing time. The local standard time in each individual country of the world is set on the basis of a predetermined longitude passing through the country, and it is determined how many hours the local standard time is ahead or behind Universal time (Greenwich Mean Time). Specifically, Japan standard time is set, using as 0:00 p.m. a time point or southing time when the sun crosses Akashi Observatory (the 135th degree of east longitude). Further, in a large majority of the countries of the world, the Gregorian calendar is still used, in accordance with which each common year is set to have 365 days while every fourth year is set as a leap year having a total of 366 days. The Gregorian calendar was introduced on the basis of the fact that one revolution period of the earth relative to the sun (one solar year) is 365.2422 days, and it defines one year using its approximate value of 365.2425 days as one solar year.
However, the setting of the year and day based on the astronomical periods (such as the periods of the earth's revolution around the sun and rotation on its own axis) is not satisfactory, because the length of the day is somewhat changing due to the fact that the speed of the earth's rotation on its axis is not always constant by being influenced by fluctuations of the earth's axis and seasonal variations. In addition, because the speed of the earth's rotation on its axis has a tendency to slow down little by little, a slight difference arises between International Atomic Time constantly measured by the atomic clocks and Universal Time measured on the basis of the movements of heavenly bodies. This difference between the two times is currently compensated for by adding or removing one second (leap second) to or from the last minute on June 30 or December 31 in the year when it has exceeded 0.9 second.
The time management on the earth today is conducted using the date and hour day and time concept based on such Universal time, International Atomic Time and Gregorian calendar, and various equipment existing on the earth, such as computer-containing control equipment involving accurate timing control, contains a timer circuit (such as a quartz oscillator circuit), to which the current time (Universal Time) is input so as to perform timewise drive control of the equipment on the basis of time indicated by the timer circuit. That is, in general commercially available computers and memory-contained timekeepers, calendar data for 100 years to come (corresponding to the life of the equipment) are prestored so that a current time is sequentially displayed through timer operation of a quartz oscillator circuit a
REFERENCES:
patent: 5444780 (1995-08-01), Hartman, Jr.
patent: 5564038 (1996-10-01), Grantz et al.
patent: 5795161 (1998-08-01), Vogel
Heckler Thomas M.
Sugiyama Akira
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