Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention pertains to diagnostic systems for timekeeping systems, and more particularly to diagnostic systems for master/slave clock systems, commonly used in schools, hospitals, offices and industrial applications.
Many timekeeping systems arc comprised of a master clock driving or communicating with one or more “slave” or secondary clocks that arc periodically updated to be time synchronous to the master. Older systems did not have the benefit of microprocessor technology, as do units produced today. In modern systems, both the master and secondary clocks frequently contain microprocessors, and it is advantageous to utilize this intelligence. Secondary clocks in these systems may have either the traditional analog face or a digital display, or both.
It is known in the prior art to employ diagnostic systems to detect errors or problems in some office machines. For example, many office machines today such as copiers employ diagnostic systems to detect local errors such as a “paper jam” condition, a “paper low” condition, etc. Some prior art clock systems have also shown simple means in the master clock that is limited to forcing secondary clock hands to a known position. However, no automatic or semi-automatic diagnostic electronics for performing a plurality of diagnostic self-tests at the secondary clock is known to be included in secondary clocks as described by the prior art.
Currently during system installation and debug for timekeeping systems, there are no tools available that address the need for on-location diagnostics. Problems can occur not only with protocol selection at the secondary clocks, but also with transmitted data integrity, faulty secondary clock electronics and mechanisms, incompatible software revisions, clock hand position/digital display calibration, and other matters.
To overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, disclosed is a semi-automatic system and method for the design and operation of secondary clocks in a master/slave clock system, which addresses a multitude of diagnostic, and problem detection issues, including “no fault found.”
More particularly, in one embodiment, the invention comprises:
a slave clock configured to be coupled to a master clock; and
means within the slave clock for initiating and performing semi-automatic diagnostic tests on current status and operability of components of the slave clock upon activation of a control device, and to display results of the diagnostic tests via a display device at the slave clock.
In a preferred embodiment, the control device of the present invention is an operator-activated device, such as a switch, that may be located either at the slave clock or at the master clock.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises:
a slave clock configured to be coupled to a master clock;
means within each slave clock for activating a diagnostics mode and for initiating and performing semi-automatic diagnostic tests on current status and operability of components of the slave clock upon activation of a control device, and to display results of the diagnostic tests via a display device at the slave clock; and
means for optionally deactivating the diagnostics mode and for returning the slave clock to a normal clock mode.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises:
a slave clock configured to be coupled to a master clock, and for receiving data from the master clock using a communication protocol; and
means within the slave clock (or determining and displaying at the slave clock the communication protocol currently in use by the slave clock.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises:
a slave clock configured to be coupled to a master clock, and for receiving data from the master clock using a communication protocol; and
means within the slave clock for determining and displaying at the slave clock the amount of time that has passed since data was received by the slave clock from the master clock.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises:
an analog slave clock including display hands driven by at least one stepper motor coupled to the hands by gears, the slave clock further configured to be coupled to a master clock; and
means within the slave clock for initiating and performing a diagnostic test to determine operability of the gears and motor upon activation of a control device, and to display results of the diagnostic test via a display device at the slave clock.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises a master/slave clock system, comprising:
a master clock coupled to at least one slave clock, the master clock located remotely from the at least one slave clock; and
means within the master clock for initiating and performing semi-automatic diagnostic tests on current status and operability of components of the at least one slave clock upon activation of a control device at the master clock by an operator, and to display results of the diagnostic tests via a display device.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises a clock adapted for use in a master/slave clock system and including means to perform semi-automatic diagnostic tests on slave clock components, comprising:
at least one slave clock configured to be coupled to a remote master clock;
a processing unit and a memory at the slave clock, the processing unit operating under software control, the processing unit configured to control slave clock functions;
whereby the processing unit is further configured to initiate and perform diagnostic tests on current status and operability of components of the slave clock upon activation of a control device, and to display results of the diagnostic tests via a display device at the slave clock.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises a slave clock adapted for use in a master/slave clock system, comprising:
at least one slave clock configured to be coupled to a master clock;
a processing unit and a memory at the slave clock, the processing unit operating under software control, the processing unit configured to control slave clock functions;
whereby the processing unit is further configured to initiate and perform a diagnostic test to determine the operability of the memory upon activation of a control device, and to display a result of the diagnostic test via a display device at the slave clock.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises a system and method in which at least three different series of diagnostic tests may be initiated by an operator at either a slave clock or a master clock, each series being selected by activating a control device a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time interval.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises a system and method for initiating and executing a plurality of diagnostic tests on components of a slave clock in a master/slave clock system, the tests including one or more of the following: determination of communication protocol type used by the slave clock, determination of ability to receive data from the master clock, determination of motor and drive gear operability, determination of current software version in use by the slave clock, determination of presence or absence of electrical power from a power supply, determination of whether a signal is being received from an optoswitch at the slave clock, determination of whether data can be properly read into and out of the memory at the slave clock, and determination of how much time has passed since the slave clock received communication from the master clock.
In one embodiment, results of the diagnostic tests are communicated to an operator by way of predetermined numbers of flashes of a visual indicator within a predetermined time interval.
In another embodiment, the invention comprises a method or performing a plurality of diagnostic tests of components of a slave clock of a master/slave clock system, comprising the steps of:
(a) determining which diagnostic tests have been selected by an operator-activated control device to be performed at the slave clock
(b) automatically performing the diagnostic tests selected by an operator to determine current status and operating condition of a plurality of components of the slave clock; and
(c) automatically communicating results of the diagnostic tests to the operator by a display device.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of certain preferred embodiments, which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention, and in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout, and in which:
Some of the significant features of a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be summarized as follows:
First, the secondary or “slave” clocks of a timekeeping system (see
Second, the secondary clocks include the diagnostic capability to initiate one or more self-tests via a pushbutton or other operator-activated device on the secondary clock body.
Third, the secondary clocks include a capability to receive commands from a remote location (e.g., a master clock) to perform self-diagnostics. This remote location can also command all secondary clocks to move back to display times (i.e., return to normal clock mode) after the diagnostic test(s) have been completed.
Fourth, the secondary clocks include the diagnostic capability to analyze motor and drive gear operation via gear box sensors. A visual or other indicator is included at or near the slave clock (gear box to indicate normal/abnormal conditions.
Fifth, the secondary clocks include the diagnostic capability to display the current software revision of the secondary clock software on the secondary clock display face.
Sixth, the secondary clocks include the capability to display certain aspects of the operational history of the secondary clocks, such as how much time has passed since the secondary clocks have received time data or other communications from the master clock.
The types of problems and conditions that are detectable by the present invention include, but are not limited to: stuck, dirty or broken gears or stepper motors; presence or absence of a signal from the optical switch (discussed below); presence or absence of a 50 Hz or 60 Hz AC signal; faulty power supply; and others. An operator is able to manually select a plurality of diagnostic tests to be run on the secondary clock by, for example, pushing a switch on the secondary clock a certain number of times within a certain time period. A system of multiple secondary clocks connected to a master clock can also be commanded at the master clock to cause all secondary clocks to enter into diagnostics mode and execute diagnostic tests, and then to return to normal clock mode at the end of the diagnostic tests.
Turning now to the drawings,
Continuing with
Moving now to
In
This application is a divisional application entitled to the benefit of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/751,575, filed Jan. 5, 2004, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2004/0167739 A1, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,230,884, which in turn is entitled to the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/438,049, filed Jan. 3, 2003. Such applications are incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10751575 | Jan 2004 | US |
Child | 11745272 | US |