Time stamping of data in an offline node
AssigneeSchneider Electric Industries SAS
InventorSandeep Kumar Mishra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for validating timestamps issued by a first node in a communications network, when the first node goes offline. A platform detects disconnection of the first node and triggers a selected second node of the communications network to acquire counter information. When the first node reconnects to the communications network, counter information is retrieved from the second node and timestamped data is received from the first node. The local timestamp information and the counter information are compared to validate or not the local timestamp information. If the local timestamp information is validated, the data can be added to a distributed database such as a Blockchain.
Claims19
A method for validating data in a communications network, comprising:
- upon detection that a first node is disconnected from the communications network, selecting at least one second node of the communications network;
- sending a request to the selected at least one second node of the communications network, said request triggering acquisition by the at least one second node of counter information comprising a timestamp provided by a respective counter of each of the at least one second node;
- upon detection that the first node re-connects to the communications network, retrieving, from the at least one second node, the counter information, and receiving, from the first node, local timestamp information and data associated with the local timestamp information, the local timestamp information comprising a timestamp local to the first node;
- and
- validating the local timestamp information based on a comparison between the local timestamp information and the counter information, wherein the local timestamp information is validated when the comparison determines that the local timestamp information matches the counter information.
A platform comprising:
- a first interface for communicating with at least one node in a local network;
- a second interface for communicating with at least one other platform via a communications network;
- a processor configured for:
- detecting that a first node of the local network is disconnected from the platform;
- upon detection that the first node is disconnected from the platform, selecting at least one second node in the local network or via the communications network;
- sending, via one of the first and second interfaces, a request to the at least one second node, said request triggering acquisition by the at least one second node of counter information comprising a timestamp provided by a respective counter of each of the at least one second node;
- upon detection that the first node re-connects to the platform, retrieving the counter information from the at least one second node;
- wherein, after detection that the first node re-connects to the platform, the first interface is configured for receiving, from the first node, local timestamp information and data associated with the local timestamp information, the local timestamp information comprising a timestamp local to the first node;
- wherein the processor is configured for validating the local timestamp information based on a comparison between the local timestamp information and the counter information, wherein the local timestamp information is validated when the comparison determines that the local timestamp information matches the counter information.
A method for validating data in a communications network, comprising:
- upon detection that a first node is disconnected from the communications network, selecting at least one second node of the communications network;
- sending a request to the selected at least one second node of the communications network, said request triggering acquisition of counter information comprising a disconnection duration of the first node;
- upon detection that the first node re-connects to the communications network, retrieving, from the at least one second node, the counter information, and receiving, from the first node, local timestamp information and data associated with the local timestamp information, the local timestamp information comprising a disconnection duration of the first node;
- and
- validating the local timestamp information based on a comparison between the local timestamp information and the counter information, wherein the local timestamp information is validated when the comparison determines that the disconnection duration of the first node as retrieved from the at least one second node equals the disconnection duration of the first node as received from the at least one second node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.