U.S. patent application number 11/707516 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-28 for daylight saving time support for mobile devices.
Invention is credited to Veikko Punkka.
Application Number | 20070147175 11/707516 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35513745 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070147175 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Punkka; Veikko |
June 28, 2007 |
Daylight saving time support for mobile devices
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for updating a time marking
according to new location, wherein a country related information is
detected, a need for time update is determined, and if needed, time
rules corresponding to said country related information is
retrieved and the time is updated according to said rules. The
invention relates also to a system, to a device, to a update
converter and to computer program product.
Inventors: |
Punkka; Veikko; (Tampere,
FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WARE FRESSOLA VAN DER SLUYS &ADOLPHSON, LLP
BRADFORD GREEN, BUILDING 5
755 MAIN STREET, P O BOX 224
MONROE
CT
06468
US
|
Family ID: |
35513745 |
Appl. No.: |
11/707516 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10884625 |
Jul 1, 2004 |
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11707516 |
Feb 16, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
368/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G04G 9/0076 20130101;
G04G 21/04 20130101; H04M 1/72457 20210101; G06Q 10/1093 20130101;
G04R 20/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
368/021 |
International
Class: |
G04B 19/22 20060101
G04B019/22 |
Claims
1. A device comprising time measuring means an update converter for
updating the time, the update converter being configured to detect
a country related information and to determine a need for a time
update, whereby the update converter is further configured to
acquire time rules corresponding to said country, and further to
update the time according to said time rules, if needed.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the update converter is
operatively communicating with a network, via which the country
related information is acquired.
3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a database
for storing country related time rules.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises
input means for allowing the user to enter the country related
information.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the country related
information comprises at least information about one of the
following, a code for the country, a time zone for the country.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the update converter is
configured to update the time of at least one event arranged into
said device according to device's movement from one location to
another.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the event is at least
one of the following: a calendar mark, a task, an alarm, a
clock.
8. An update converter for a time update comprising first means for
detecting a country related time information, second means
determining a need for time update, third means for acquiring the
time rules corresponding to said country, whereby the update
converter is configured to update the time according to the time
rules if needed.
9. The update converter according to claim 8, wherein the country
related information comprises at least information about one of the
following, a code for the country, a time zone for the country.
10. The update converter according to claim 8, being configured to
update the time of at least one event arranged into a movable
device.
11. The update converter according to claim 8, wherein the event is
at least one of the following: a calendar marking, a task, an
alarm, a clock.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of copending application
Ser. No. 10/884,625 filed on Jul. 1, 2004 and claims domestic
priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to time management and
particularly to such time management, wherein time zones and time
rules are taken into account, especially, when an electronic device
roams from one location to another.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Universal Time (abbreviated UT) or Greenwich Mean Time
(abbreviated GMT) is generally used when describing time globally.
These terms are often used to refer to time kept on the Greenwich
meridian (longitude zero). According to Greenwich meridian
agreement, the earth is divided into 24 time segments, time zones,
each of which takes 1/24 of the day. In the most common civil
usage, UT refers to a time scale called "Universal Time
Coordinated" (abbreviated UTC).
[0004] In connection to civil time, the Daylight Saving Time, DST,
(or Summer Time as it is called in many countries) is introduced.
DST is a way of getting more from summer days by advancing the
clocks typically one hour during the summer. According to this, the
sunset and sunrise are later than during normal time (i.e. winter
time, standard time of the country in question). DST helps to save
energy (less artificial light is needed during the evening) and to
make the country more effective in addition to the pleasing effect
of lighter evenings. The utilization of DST comprises adjusting the
clocks typically one hour ahead when DST begins (during spring),
and adjusting them back to standard time every autumn.
[0005] Approximately 70 countries utilize DST at least in a portion
of the country. Japan is the only major industrialized country that
has not adopted daylight saving. European nations have taken
advantage of the time change for a long time and currently
"summertime period" is standardized in the EU. EU's Daylight Saving
Time runs from the last Sunday of March through the last Sunday in
October.
[0006] For an example Moscow's standard time (UTC+3) is about a
half-hour ahead of local mean time (UTC+2:30), which local mean
time is the actual time in a given location based upon the Sun's
position at the Midheaven (noon) of the place. This is about the
same situation as in Detroit, where the standard time (UTC-5) is
also about half-hour ahead of the local mean time (UTC-5:30). With
their latitudes and with the relationship of their standard time to
the local mean time the DST really helps to save daylight. In the
Southern Hemisphere, where summer comes in December, DST is
typically observed from October to March.
[0007] Equatorial and tropical countries (lower latitudes) do not
observe DST since the daylight hours are similar during every
season. This is why there is no advantage of moving clocks forward
during the summer. China has had a single time zone since May 1,
1980 observing summer DST from 1986 through 1991, but currently
they do not.
[0008] Most countries that observe daylight saving time are listed
in the table below. Almost all of them save one hour in the summer
and change their clocks some time between midnight and 3 am.
Countries with "*" may have some specialities, which should be
checked from national law. TABLE-US-00001 Continent Country
Beginning and ending days Africa Egypt Start: Last Friday in April
End: Last Thursday in September Namibia Start: First Sunday in
September End: First Sunday in April Asia Most states of the Start:
Last Sunday in March former USSR. End: Last Sunday in October Iraq
Start: April 1 End: October 1 Israel (Estimate, Israel decides the
dates every year) Start: First Friday in April End: First Friday in
September Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan Start: Last Sunday in March End: Last
Sunday in October Mongolia Stopped in 2002 Palestine (Estimate)
Start: First Friday on or after 15 April End: First Friday on or
after 15 October Syria Start: April 1 End: October 1 Iran Start:
the first day of Farvardin End: the first day of Mehr Australia
South-Australia, Start: Last Sunday in October Victoria, Australian
End: Last Sunday in March Capital Territory, New South Wales, Lord
Howe Island (saves half an hour) Australia-Tasmania Start: First
Sunday in October End: Last Sunday in March Fiji Stopped in 2000
New Zealand, Start: First Sunday in October Chatham* End: Third
Sunday in March Tonga Start: First Sunday in November End: Last
Sunday in January Europe European Union*, Start: Last Sunday in
March at 1 UK* am UTC End: Last Sunday in October at 1 am UTC
Russia Start: Last Sunday in March at 2 am local time End: Last
Sunday in October at 2 am local time North US*, Canada, Mexico
Start: First Sunday in April America St. Johns, Bahamas, End: Last
Sunday in October Turks and Caicos Cuba Start: April 1 End: Last
Sunday in October Greenland Same as EU South Brazil Start: First
Sunday in November America (rules vary from year End: Third Sunday
in February to year) equatorial Brazil does not observe DST. Chile*
Start: Second Saturday of October at midnight End: Second Saturday
of March at midnight Falklands Start: First Sunday on or after 8
September End: First Sunday on or after 6 April Paraguay Start:
First Sunday in September End: First Sunday in April Antarctica
Antarctica (varies)
[0009] It can be clearly seen from the table above that there are
many oddities in countries. For example some parts of the US and
Canada do not observe DST, such as the state of Arizona (US) and
the province of Saskatchewan (Canada). The observance can also be
erratic. For example Chile delayed its changeover date for the
Pope's visit in 1987 and a presidential inauguration in 1990.
[0010] In Japan, DST was introduced after World War II by the US
occupation but was dispensed with in 1952 following opposition from
farmers. Despite efforts by the Ministry of International Trade and
Industry to have daylight saving introduced to cut Japan's energy
consumption, opposition from farmers and the Ministry of Education
maintains the situation.
[0011] Time zones will become important to people e.g. when
travelling. Travelers need to know the time of the destination,
according to which they are required to change the time from the
country of departure (home country). Often the new time is informed
to the traveler, whereby he/she can change the time of his/her
watch. Similarly, when contacting another person abroad, the time
of the country in question should be known for not disturbing the
person e.g. during the night.
[0012] The time of electronic systems can be handled by means of a
network. Personal computers or other fixed network devices need
more information about the daylight saving time than about the time
zone. However the use of portable electronic devices is constantly
increasing as well as use of them in different countries. According
to the characteristics of the devices, the devices can move from
one location to another, which locations can also situate in
different time zones. Currently movable devices utilize a mobile
network, and by means of NITZ messages (Network Identity and Time
Zone) received from the network, their time can be updated
automatically. The NITZ informs the mobile device about a country
code and the time zone, according to which the time in the mobile
device can be updated.
[0013] The system time e.g. in Symbian based devices or Unix based
devices runs in UTC. Due to this, the time is not changed by the
change of the location or the start or the end of DST. The time
presented to the user in the mobile terminal (referred as "home
time") takes into account the time zone and the possible DST. The
events and marks in the mobile terminal are shown to the user in
that time. In order to show the current home time correctly, the
terminal's local information includes the universal time offset of
the time zone and the information about the state of DST. When the
user deals with future dates and times, the system does not know
the state of the DST, and hence cannot deduce the correct UTC time
for the home time given by the user. Also, when the user receives
an event described in home time, the event is also stored as home
time. Because the system cannot deduce the correct UTC time for the
event, the event won't be in UTC time. The user may define which
operations are implemented when the device moves from one time zone
to another. The user may set on the automatic update of time and
time zone (acquired by NITZ) whereby the time zone of the device is
updated. The user may also update the time zone manually or the
user may adjust the time of the device without adjusting the time
zone. However, in all those cases the system will show the future
events in the old home time, not in the new home time, and any
alarms tied to these events will be launched at the wrong time.
[0014] A solution for solving the problem relating to time
management of mobile phones is proposed by Sharp Laboratories of
America. Their publication US 2002/98857 A1 suggests a method
wherein the clock of the mobile terminal synchronizes itself with a
base station in any location, whereby the base station transmits a
control signal including a UTC signal, a system identification
signal, a network identification signal, a current local time
signal and a DST flag. A selection mechanism is arranged into the
clock by means of which the user can select a home time zone and to
select a displayed time on the clock display from the group of
displayed times consisting of current local time and home time
zone. In addition the clock comprises a displayed time calculating
mechanism that determines the time displayed on the clock display
as a function of the current local time and home time zone.
[0015] The main defect in the related art is the one described
earlier, a lack of a suitable method and a system according to
which the updated time would reach the stored events, and update
them as well. This kind of solution would be highly profitable,
especially for those users who travel frequently and are tied to
calendar and time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The proposed solution according to this invention is aimed
to overcome the defects of related art.
[0017] That is why in the method according to the invention for
updating a time marking according to new location, a country
related information is detected, a need for a time update is
determined, and if needed, time rules corresponding to said country
related information is retrieved and the time is updated according
to said time rules.
[0018] In the method the country related information is received
from a network or input by a user. The country related information
comprises at least information about one of the following, a code
for the country, a time zone for the country. The time can be
updated for at least one event in a device, because of a movement
of the device from one location to another. The time can also or
instead be updated for at least one event in a device according to
location(s) of at least one another device. The event can be a
calendar event, a task, an alarm, a clock. The method can be
applied in a movable device.
[0019] A device according to the invention comprises time measuring
means, an update converter for updating the time, the update
converter being configured to detect a country related information
and to determine a need for a time update, whereby the update
converter is further configured to acquire time rules corresponding
to said country, and further to update the time according to said
time rules, if needed.
[0020] A system for a time update according to the invention
comprises a network for providing country related time information,
a movable device communicating with said network, time measuring
means being arranged into said movable device, an update converter
for updating the time in the movable device, a database for storing
country specific time rules, whereby the update converter is
configured to detect country related information and to determine a
need for the time update, whereby the update converter is further
configured to acquire the time rules corresponding to said country
and according to the time rules to update the time in the movable
device, if needed.
[0021] The country related information may comprise a code for the
country, a time zone for the country. The system is configured to
update the time of at least one event arranged into the movable
device according to device's movement from one network to another.
The system can also or instead be configured to update at least one
event in a device according to location(s) of at least one another
device. The event can be a calendar marking, a task, an alarm, a
clock.
[0022] Further, an update converter for a time update comprises
first means for detecting country related time information and
second means for determining a need for a time update, third means
for acquiring time rules corresponding to said country, whereby the
update converter is configured to update the time according to the
time rules, if needed.
[0023] A computer program product according to the invention
comprises computer readable instructions for detecting a country
related information and instructions for determining a need for a
time update, whereby the computer program product comprises
instructions for acquiring time rules corresponding to said
country, and instructions for updating a time according to said
time rules, if needed.
[0024] The solution according to the invention enables the user to
move between time zones and the daylight saving time can be
updated. The events that are entered by the user, received or
stored in the user's device will be shown correctly in current
local time. Similarly the alarms in connection to said events will
operate at the correct time, i.e. the time of the location where
the user is. The invention has considerable advantages compared to
the related art and further advantages can be read from the
description that follows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The invention is described in more detailed manner by means
of following drawings, wherein
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates in a simplified manner the steps of one
embodiment of the method according to the invention;
[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of one use case; and
[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a device according to the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The invention is described in a more detailed manner first
by means of an implementation and after by means of few use
examples. The device that utilizes the solution is in the
description a Nokia 9500 Communicator. It will be, however,
appreciated that the device can be some other device, which is
movable and which has means for network connection and which
comprises a clock or is somehow connected to one. Other examples
are a mobile phone, a PDA device, a laptop etc.
[0030] The main idea according to the invention is to deduce the
start and end dates of daylight saving time (DST) from the home
city. The time of the home city is the time of the city the user
usually is located in. The "current time", which may change
according to moving of the user, is acquired from a network for the
country in question. The current time is updateable when the user
moves to a city with different DST calculation rules. The method is
described further by means of FIG. 1, but before that, an example
of the device according to the invention is described and
illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0031] The device 300 comprises a time measuring means, e.g. clock
360 and display 340 for displaying visual information e.g. the
time. Further the device 300 comprises a database 371 (arranged
into the memory 370) that stores the cities and corresponding time
zones and DST calculating rules. The memory 370 may store other
data, programs etc. as well. The database is updated according to
the relationships of cities to time zones and to start and end
dates of DST. The database can be preconfigured with the
country/city list, which can be updated by a user, but naturally
the whole list can be inserted by the user according to his/her
interests. The user can use e.g. a keypad 350 for entering data to
the database. By means of the keypad 350 the user can enter data or
control the device 300.
[0032] The device 300 comprises also a control unit 330 for
controlling functions in the device 300. The control unit 330 may
comprise one or more processors (CPU, DSP). The device 300
comprises an update converter 331 that is configured to implement
the updating or resetting the time and may for instance be arranged
into the control unit 330 as shown.
[0033] The time zone and the status of DST of the current city can
be acquired from an update message that describes the time
information of the city. This kind of update message can be a NITZ
message that informs about the current network and the current time
zone. The home city is updated, when an update message with a
different time zone is received. The update message can be received
via a network by means of a communication means 320 having a
transmitter 321 and a receiver 322. There can be also other
communicating means 380 having a transmitter 381 and a receiver 382
arranged into the device 300. The first communicating means 320 can
be adapted for telecommunication and the other communicating means
380 can be a one kind of short-range communicating means, such as
Bluetooth.TM. system, WLAN system (Wireless Local Area Network) or
other system which is suited for local use and for communicating
with another device.
[0034] The device 300 can also comprise other means, such as audio
means, including an earphone and a microphone and optionally a
codec for coding (and decoding, if needed) the audio information.
Further the device 300 can operate also with location/positioning
systems, e.g. a GPS.
[0035] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an instance of when
the update converter receives (100) an update message from the
network, which update message is e.g. a NITZ message, with current
time information. The update converter can also detect a country
related information, e.g. by user input. When noticing a new time
information message the converter is configured to decide (110),
which operations it is supposed to do. The update converter can be
programmed to neglect the update message and do nothing (120) if
the current time zone remains or if the user does not want the
updating. The update converter can also alert (130) the user and
give the user a possibility to update the time and update the
current city from a list of cities within the current country with
the current time zone (both can be deduced from the message) or
ignore the update. The update converter can also operate
automatically (140) to update the time and, if the time zone
changes or the DST status changes unexpectedly, also to update the
home city (and hence time zone of the device). The update of home
city can be requested, when the update message with the same time
zone but an unexpected change in DST is received. The DST
calculation rules of all the cities in a country can be updated
when the country changes its DST calculation rules.
[0036] If the user has chosen the automatic update for the home
city from the update message and other location data is available
that uniquely determines (150) the city within the set of known
cities with the correct country and time zone, the home city can be
updated to that city. The location can be determined by the area
code or known positioning systems, e.g. GPS. If there is no unique
city, the update converter may create a temporary city (160) based
on the known location information, choose the last visited city
that matches the location information or choose a default city that
matches the location information and update that to be the current
home city. The user can change the home city manually if he/she so
wishes. After having determined the current country or city the
corresponding time rules are fetched from the database (170). The
time rules may be time zone and daylight saving time calculation
rules for the country/city in question.
[0037] When new location information with new time definitions is
acquired, the converter is configured to determine times for the
events being stored in the device (180). There is no need to
specify the events, because an event can be any event which can be
measured by time. As an example, the events can be e.g. a calendar
event, a task, an alarm, but it is understood that the event can be
another type of event relating to time.
[0038] The operation is also illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein a
mobile terminal (MT) at current time (CT1) moves over (X1) at least
one time zone border (TZB), wherein the new current time (CT2) is,
according to the situation in FIG. 2, three hours ahead the
previous (CT1). In the new time zone the mobile terminal (MT)
receives (X2) an update message (UM) from network (N). The mobile
terminal (MT) determines the new time for the events being stored
in the terminal.
[0039] The previous description is clarified with following
examples. Four different use cases are assumed, wherein 1) user A
is located in London, but moves to New York; 2) user A locates in
London, but moves to New York and returns to London again; 3) user
A locates in London, user B locates in New York, user C locates in
Tokyo and the users are having a telephone conference together.
[0040] 1) From London to New York
[0041] User A lives in London and has home time, which is a local
time of London, set to his movable device. He has set calendar
events in the local time, although he is aware of going to New York
for a meeting. The meeting is marked to the calendar to start on
Monday at 12 p.m. However the marking does not take into account
where the meeting is held. When user A flies to New York, switches
on the movable device, he will get the update message informing
about the new time, a local time of New York. User A has chosen the
option of automatic update, because he finds that option more
usable because of lot of travelling. As a result of the update the
marking is maintained on its place (on Monday 12 p.m.) regardless
of the time difference and not kept in English local time that
would be 5 p.m. On Monday, at 11 a.m. New York time, user A is
reminded by an alarm, which was programmed to alarm an hour before
the meeting. Although the user had set the meetings in his home
country, the change in time zones maintains the marked time
according to the visited time zone, therefore the alarm is launched
at the "wrong time" compared to London (4 p.m. London time), where
the mark was made. The alarming time corresponds to the correct
time in the city the user is located in and where the meeting is to
be held.
[0042] It is possible to program the device to automatically detect
the place of stay according to the place code marked into calendar.
For example user A could have marked "12 p.m. Meeting NYC", whereby
the update converter would automatically keep the time in New York
time. Similarly the marking can be displayed in the calendar at
hour 12, but with the place code.
[0043] User A can be given a possibility for e.g. a scheduled
SMS-messaging or other automatic function (e.g. email
synchronization). For example, if user A wants to send New Year's
Eve wishes from New York City to London, he can determine the SMS
message, with an option "Send earliest 00:00 LON", whereby the time
is determined by London time, and due to it, is sent at 7 p.m. in
New York time. If user A would have sent the SMS according to his
current time (time in New York) the message would have reached the
recipient 5 hours too late. The automatic conversion is made by the
country code, e.g. LON, by the update converter.
[0044] 2) From London to New York and Again to London
[0045] While user A stays in New York his secretary, who resides in
London, can send a SMS and add an appointment to user A's calendar
that will be held in London on Friday at 3 p.m. The marking is made
according to secretary's current time and the appointment is shown
to the secretary in 3 p.m. It should be noticed here, that when
user A synchronized calendar data with corporate server the
appointment is in the same time regardless of his location. When
user A returns to London, the update converter transforms the time
in such a manner that it maintains the time at 3 p.m. in London
time.
[0046] Basically the operations for returning time are carried out
similarly to the time updating. The update message is received and
the updating operations are implemented by the converter.
[0047] 3) Phone Meeting Between London, New York, Tokyo
[0048] In some cases, e.g. in a phone conference between London,
New York and Tokyo, the time should be maintained as it is. User C
from Tokyo sets up the meeting at 10 a.m. and informs the others to
be available at 10 a.m. Tokyo's local time. User A in London is
reserved then at 2 a.m. and user B in New York is reserved at 9
p.m. (previous day). Usually the update converter would transform
the time to the corresponding (same) time of the country in
question, but in this case the actual time of Tokyo is essential.
User A and user B have to be aware of the time difference and have
their calendar updated according the local time. The update
converter is configured to determine which operations the marking
would need. There are various ways to instruct the update converter
to determine the operations. User C can oblige the marking to
remain in Japanese time or users A, B may accept the marking and
maintain the Japanese time by leaving it to the corresponding
country time.
[0049] According to the invention users in different countries can
still organize their workdays easily according to the
invention.
[0050] The above-mentioned examples should be considered as
illustrations of the invention, and that is why, other applicable
use cases will be appreciated by the man skilled in the art. For
example future coming events, such as the starting time of a
conference, the lighting time for Olympic fire in a specific
country, etc. are such that they can be marked and are correctly
shown in the current country when the device is located there.
Beside future events, also events and tasks that are occurring in
the same day are handled by the current solution.
[0051] The events like e.g. an alarm clock in every working day,
daily reminder (e.g. hour of prayer, time for taking
medicine)/weekly (e.g. a language course)/monthly (reading of an
electricity meter)/annual (e.g. car inspection), task within
following e.g. 12 hours can be handled. Similarly, other possible
events are timed profiles, timed switch on-off, back up copying in
certain time of the day, other scheduled activities, etc. It will
also appreciated that the device can be also another device that
operates under time constraints or needs time information and that
has roaming capabilities.
[0052] It will also be clear that variations and modifications of
the examples as well as the implementation described are possible
without departing from the scope of protection of the invention as
set forth in the claims.
* * * * *