System for providing accurately time stamped vehicle operational

Abstract

A system for providing accurately time stamped vehicle operational messages following a real-time clock reset includes a vehicle control computer having a processor, a memory and a real-time clock powered by a constant power source. The processor is operable to store a current value of the real-time clock in memory at engine shut down and to determine whether a clock reset event occurred since the previous engine operational cycle by testing a clock error flag in memory. If such a clock reset event occurred, the processor is operable to reset the real-time clock at the clock value stored at engine shut down and store this value in an error buffer of the memory. Upon establishment of communications with a time correction device having a master real-time clock, the processor is operable to determine whether the error buffer contains any clock values therein. If so, the processor is operable to correct the time stamps of all vehicle operational messages having time stamp values later than or equal to the clock value stored in the error buffer in accordance with the difference between the master clock value and the present value of the real-time clock, and to reset the real-time clock value to the master clock value.