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Resolution of issue "Non slewing time adjustments #203" V2 #354

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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<msg:GetMdibResponse
SequenceId="urn:uuid:09578906-7efd-43a7-8344-8bf37b674524"
xmlns:ext="http://standards.ieee.org/downloads/11073/11073-10207-2017/extension"
xmlns:pm="http://standards.ieee.org/downloads/11073/11073-10207-2017/participant"
xmlns:msg="http://standards.ieee.org/downloads/11073/11073-10207-2017/message"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:sdpi="urn:oid:1.3.6.1.4.1.19376.1.6.2.10.1.1.1">
<msg:Mdib SequenceId="urn:uuid:09578906-7efd-43a7-8344-8bf37b674524">
<pm:MdDescription>
<pm:Mds Handle="mds0">
<pm:Clock Handle="clk"/>
<pm:Vmd Handle="vmd">
<pm:Channel Handle="ch">
<pm:Metric Handle="m1" MetricAvailability="Intr" MetricCategory="Msrmt">
<pm:Type Code="67108871"/>
<pm:Unit Code="262656" />
</pm:Metric>
<pm:Metric Handle="m2" MetricAvailability="Intr" MetricCategory="Msrmt">
<pm:Type Code="67108871"/>
<pm:Unit Code="262656" />
</pm:Metric>
</pm:Channel>
</pm:Vmd>
</pm:Mds>
</pm:MdDescription>
<pm:MdState>
<pm:State LastSet="1733270400" DateAndTime="1733268600" DescriptorHandle="clk" StateVersion="15" RemoteSync="1" xsi:type="pm:ClockState">
<ext:Extension>
<sdpi:Epochs Version="5">
<!-- non-slewing adjustment at 11 am -->
<sdpi:Epoch Version="4" Timestamp="1733270400" Offset="-PT3H" />
<!-- non-slewing adjustment at 7 am -->
<sdpi:Epoch Version="3" Timestamp="1733248800" Offset="PT4H" />
</sdpi:Epochs>
</ext:Extension>
</pm:State>

<pm:State DescriptorHandle="m1" xsi:type="pm:NumericMetricState" StateVersion="123">
<!-- determination time = 3 am, epoch 3 clock -->
<pm:MetricValue Value="0" DeterminationTime="1733238000" StartTime="1733237090" StopTime="1733237097">
<ext:Extension>
<sdpi:MetricEpoch Clock="clk" DeterminationTime="3" StartTime="3" StopTime="3" />
</ext:Extension>
<pm:MetricQuality Validity="Vld" Qi="1.00"/>
</pm:MetricValue>
</pm:State>

<pm:State DescriptorHandle="m2" xsi:type="pm:NumericMetricState" StateVersion="321">
<!-- determination time = 12 am, epoch 4 clock -->
<pm:MetricValue Value="0" DeterminationTime="1733266800" >
<pm:MetricQuality Validity="Vld" Qi="1.00"/>
</pm:MetricValue>
</pm:State>

</pm:MdState>
</msg:Mdib>
</msg:GetMdibResponse>
2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions asciidoc/volume1/tf1-ch-b-ref-standards-conformance.adoc
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Expand Up @@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ No content from those three standards - including their requirements - is norma

* [[[ref_rfc_3986, RFC 3986]]] T. Berners-Lee et al., RFC 3986, Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax, January 2005, available at https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3986

* [[[ref_rfc_5905, RFC 5905]]] D. Mills et al., RFC 5905, Network Time Protocol Version 4: Protocol And Algorithms Specification, June 2010, available at https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5905

* [[[ref_oasis_dpws_2009,OASIS DPWS:2009]]] OASIS Standard, Devices Profile for Web Services Version 1.1, OASIS Standard, 1 July 2009, available at http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-dd/dpws/wsdd-dpws-1.1-spec.html

* [[[ref_oasis_soap_over_udp_v1_1, OASIS SOAP-over-UDP Version 1.1]]] OASIS Standard, SOAP-over-UDP Version 1.1, July 2009, available at http://docs.oasis-open.org/ws-dd/soapoverudp/1.1/os/wsdd-soapoverudp-1.1-spec-os.docx.
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168 changes: 168 additions & 0 deletions asciidoc/volume1/use-cases/tf1-ch-c-use-case-stad.adoc
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Expand Up @@ -52,6 +52,17 @@ NOTE: The 50ms target accuracy is suitable for highly demanding use cases like r
====
****

.R1521
[sdpi_requirement#r1521,sdpi_req_level=should]
****
The <<term_manufacturer>> of a <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>> should configure its <<acronym_ts_service>> client to give priority to system clock adjustments that are slewing (over stepping adjustments).
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Are you using step adjustments / step changes / non-slewing time adjustments interchangeably? If yes: Should be replaced by one term to reduce confusion. Either way, we direly need definitions of terms used in the area of time adjustment.

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That one got missed. I've tried to stick with "non-slewing" and "slewing" adjustments because that's the term mostly commonly used with NTP and it is less confusing than "step" change.

Also, R1521 bothers me a lot. I think its intent can be better expressed (no offense intended to original author :) ) with the drivers for and references to RFC5905 and changed it too:

.R1521
[sdpi_requirement#r1521,sdpi_req_level=should]
****
The <<term_manufacturer>> of a <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>> should configure
its <<acronym_ts_service>> client to prioritize smooth, monotonic, changes to the system clock. 

.Notes
[%collapsible]
====
NOTE: <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>>s using, for example, <<ref_rfc_5905, NTP>> 
to syncronize their device clock with the <<acronym_ts_service>> could satisfy this requirement by 
following the cold and warm startup algoriths and clock discipline algorithms with tuning parameters 
described in <<ref_rfc_5905>>.

NOTE: <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>>s using other synchronization standards
should similarly strongly favour slewing (adjusting clock frequency) over non-slewing (large changes forward 
or backward in time) adjustments, and supress non-slewing adjustments for a period during initialization. 

====
****

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Also I started a glossary. I didn't know where to put it yet, so for now at the top of the non-slewing use case. Some editorial normalization of terms is still needed to be consistent everywhere β€” once we have the main points, I guess

Also below for reference:

time-reference frame
A device-specific context for measuring and assigning timestamps to events defined by its rate of passage of time (which may vary over time) and alignment to some external temporal standard (e.g., provided by a <<acronym_ts_service>>). Changes to the time-reference frame, such as non-slewing adjustments, can create distinct epochs with different temporal properties.

epoch
A disctinct period of time characterized by a consistent temporal properties; a single time-reference frame.

timestamp
A point in time obtained from a system clock; while a timestamp is obtained within the context of a time-reference frame, timestamps do not have an intrinsic reference to time-reference frame.

timestamp version
A unique identifier, within the scope of a MDIB sequence, of a time-reference frame epoc.

slewing time adjustment
Adjustments made to a system clock's frequency. Generally so that the time reported by a system clock matches that of a <<acronym_ts_service>> at some point in the future, within the statistical uncertaintity of the synchronization algorithm.

non-slewing time adjustment, abrupt time adjustment
An abrubt change to a system clock's time-reference frame to match the time reported by a system clock with that from a <<acronym_ts_service>>, within the statistical uncertaintity of the synchronization algorithm, as quickly as possible.

smooth time adjustments
A gradual adjustment to the temporal properites of a time-refernece frame, characterised by a continuous and monotonically increasing progression of timestamps without abrupt jumps or disruptions to the passage of time. Generally so that the time reported by a system clock matches that of a <<acronym_ts_service>> at some point in the future, within the statistical uncertaintity of the synchronization algorithm.

clock-discipline algorithm
The algorithm employed by a <<acronym_ts_service>> client to minimize the error between a reference time source. It main include smooth (e.g., slewing) and, in some cases, abrupt (e.g., non-slewing) corrections.


.Notes
[%collapsible]
====
NOTE: If possible, the priority of slewing adjustments starts applying once the <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>> has acquired synchronization to the <<acronym_ts_service>> after a system (re)start.
====
****


===== Scenario: <<acronym_stad>> {var_use_case_id}.2 - Device is connected to the MD LAN network and a user wants to change the device's time
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -214,6 +225,163 @@ NOTE: This requirement supplements RR1162 in <<ref_ieee_11073_10700_2022>>: _The
====
****

[#vol1_clause_appendix_c_use_case_stad_non_slew]
===== Scenario: <<acronym_stad>> {var_use_case_id}.6 - A device, operational in the MD LAN network, determines a non-slewing time adjustment is required

*Given* The device is operational on the <<acronym_md_lan>> network,

*When* The device's clock-discipline algorithm determines a non-slewing time adjustment is required,

*Then* The device will create a log entry that includes at least a time-stamp for the adjustment in both the time-reference frame before and after the non-slewing adjustment was made,

*And* The <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> will notify <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_consumer>>s, using its system function contributions (<<acronym_sfc>>), of the change to the provider's time-reference frame,

*Or* The <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> will initiate a new MDIB sequence.

NOTE: a device's time-reference frame may jump forward or backward in time in a single, large, step (from the perspective of an external observer) following a non-slewing time adjustment.

NOTE: two distinct epochs are created by a non-slewing time adjustment, each with a distinct time-reference frame. Both the rate of the passage of time and the determination time assigned to a single event may differ significantly between epochs (from the perspective of an external observer).

NOTE: non-slewing time adjustments may occur, for example, when a device rejoins a network, an absent <<acronym_ts_service>> returns to operation or be caused by hardware failure or operator error (e.g., making non-slewing adjustments to the <<acronym_ts_service>> time-reference frame while it is being used by one or more <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>>s).

NOTE: non-slewing time adjustments may result in a constant or variable offset between epochs. For constant offsets, the difference (to an unbiased observer) between any two timestamps obtained in different epochs is constant. For variable offsets, the difference (to an unbiased observer) between any two timestamps obtained in different epochs depends on when, within each epoch, the timestamp was obtained.

====== Safety, Effectiveness & Security Considerations and Requirements

// This provides information for auditing.
.R1560
[sdpi_requirement#r1560,sdpi_req_level=shall]
****
The <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>> shall include the determination time of the log entry in both the time-reference frame before, and after, each non-slewing clock adjustment.
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"the log entry" should be described as the log entries produced by TR1340 of the 10700 (there is no requirement to only have a single log entry showing the time adjustment)

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Clarified link:

.R1560
[sdpi_requirement#r1560,sdpi_req_level=shall]
****
The <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>> shall log each non-slewing adjustment 
of the local clock with an entry that includes the determination time of the log entry in both 
the time-reference frame before, and after, each non-slewing clock adjustment. 

.Notes
[%collapsible]
====

NOTE: This requirement supplements TR1340 in <<ref_ieee_11073_10700_2022>>&mdash;_An 
SDC BASE PARTICIPANT SHOULD log each non-slewing adjustment of the local clock._&mdash; 
requiring specific information in the log to support post incident analysis

====
****


.Notes
[%collapsible]
====

NOTE: This requirement supplements TR1340 in <<ref_ieee_11073_10700_2022>>: _An SDC BASE PARTICIPANT SHOULD log each non-slewing adjustment of the local clock._

====
****

// This is for providers to inform consumers of the non-slewing adjustment.
// It is necessary to have a version here for providers that don't use NTP clock-discipline to smoothly adjust clocks and just set the clock (hopefully not going back in time).
// Using `ClockState/@LastSet` like this avoids having to extend everything that needs a timestamp to support versioning (because any timestamp in the MDIB before the LastSet
// is questionable following a transition to a new epoch). Epoch versioning is then an extension that lets the consumer determine how questionable a timestamp is.
// If we have a `Epochs/@Current` and update `ClockState/@LastSet` I don't think we need to also include a "Questionable" flag or change `ClockState/@ActiviationState` as proposed
// during the workshop. Using `ClockState/@LastSet` seems better than just changing the @Activation state because the consumer could determine which timestamps are questionable.
.R1522
[sdpi_requirement#r1522,sdpi_req_level=shall]
****
When the <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> detects a step adjustment of a system clock, used in making its System Function Contribution (<<acronym_sfc>>), the <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> shall either:

* initiate a new MDIB sequence by assigning a new MDIB sequence identifier, or
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This list does not cover the option of not setting a new sequence id, but just provding a failed clock.

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That's right. My thinking was setting pm:ClockState/@LastSet and updating the sdpi:Epochs/@Version was all that was necessary to communicate the problem with the sync methods allowed. However, this requires the extension. I've added it as #2:

  1. initiate a new MDIB sequence by assigning a new MDIB sequence identifier, or
  2. set pm:ClockState/@ActivationState to StndBy when any timestamp in a <<acronym_mdib>> version was not obtained from the time-reference frame of the active clock in the same version, or
  3. set pm:ClockState/@LastSet to the earliest time that is unambiguously in the current epoch and increment sdpi:Epochs/@Version.

I'm not sure option 2 is worthwhile though because it means leaving the @ActivationState as not "On" until any infrequently updated item (e.g., patient, location context etc) gets a new timestamp, which may be many hours. Still, it could be a useful option for some providers and I have no objection to it.

I'm suggesting StndBy instead of Fail here so that participants could use Fail when their clock itself was faulty. 10207:Β§B.28 describes StndBy as "The component is ready to be operated but not currently operating", which seems true of the time-stamps the clock component has created so makes sense to me. StndBy could also be used for clocks waiting to synchronize, however they also have ClockState/@RemoteSync and NotRdy to indicate initialization.

* set `pm:ClockState/@LastSet` to the earliest time that is unambiguously in the current epoch and increment `sdpi:Epochs/@Version`.

.Notes
[%collapsible]
====
NOTE: The <<term_manufacturer>> of the <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_consumer>> considers the risks arising from timestamps spanning time-reference frames from a non-slewing clock adjustment having occurred at the <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> when the <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_consumer>> receives a changed value in the <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>>'s MDIB sequence identifier or `pm:ClockState/@LastSet` and `sdpi:Epochs/@Version`.

NOTE: This clarifies the ambiguity in <<ref_ieee_11073_10207_2017>>, section B.182 when slewing is used to smoothly adjust the time-reference frame (using, for example, the <<ref_rfc_5905, NTPv4>> clock-discipline algorithm) where information from one or more <<acronym_ts_service>>s is used to maintain clock-discipline and does not "set" the clock.

NOTE: Any timestamps in the MDIB prior to `pm:ClockState/@LastSet` may not have been obtained from the current time-reference.

====
****

Timestamps obtained in an ealier epoch may be treated with greater suspicion than those obtained in the current epoch by a <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>>. `pm:ClockState/@LastSet` provides the unambiguous begining of the current epoch in the time-reference frame of the current epoch. For example, when a non-slewing adjustment moves the device's time-reference frame forward, any timestamps in the MDIB greater than start of the new epoch are unambiguously in the new epoch. In contrast, when the device's time-reference frame moves backward, only timestamps greater than the latest timestamp obtained from the epoch before the time-reference frame moved backward are unambiguously in the current epoch. That is, the timestamps obtained from the new time-reference frame may overlap timestamps obtained from the prior time-reference frame. These examples are illustrated below:

There is no overlap in timestamps when a non-slewing adjustment shifts the device clock forward in time.

image::vol1-diagram-use-case-stad-ns-forward.svg[align=center]

When a non-slewing adjustment shifts the device's time-reference frame back in time, only timestamps before the last timestamp recorded in the MDIB from epoch 0 belong unambiguously to the new time-reference frame.

image::vol1-diagram-use-case-stad-ns-back.svg[align=center]

When a device experiences multiple non-slewing adjustments in a short period of time, the earliest timestamp unambiguously in the current time-reference frame may be from an earlier epoch.

image::vol1-diagram-use-case-stad-ns-back-forth.svg[align=center]

// This is to introduce versioning epochs.
.R1561
[sdpi_requirement#r1561,sdpi_req_level=may]
****
The <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> may indicate a timestamp belongs to a specific epoch using the SDPi epoch extension.
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Is this really just a may? Once you start using epoch versions, won't you add epoch version to each timestamp after a non-slewing time adjusment?

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Yes, I think "may" makes sense here. For example, a metric that is updated every second doesn't deserve the versioning overhead as its determination time, for example, is almost always in the current time-reference frame.

Almost always because, here, there is a 1 second window in which the MDIB can be requested but the determination time could be from an earlier time-reference frame. This ambiguity is resolved with the LastSet value.


.Notes
[NOTE]
[%collapsible]
====
Binding timestamps in the <<acronym_mdib>> to a specific epoch may be useful for states that are not updated frequently.

====
****

.R1562
[sdpi_requirement#r1562,sdpi_req_level=shall]
****
The <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_consumer>> shall consider the risks arising from relying on timestamps obtained from different epochs.
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.Notes
[NOTE]
[%collapsible]
====
It may not be possible to reliably determine the relationship between timestamps obtained from different time-reference frames without addition information regarding the cause of the non-slewing adjustment. For example, if a non-slewing adjustment arises because the device clock was running faster (or slower) than the reference clock then the arithmetic difference between two events spanning the adjustment (even when combined with the step adjustment duration) may not match the elapsed time experienced by an unbiased observer.

====
****


// This is for the sledge hammer approach. I can't figure out what a universal rule could be or how to communicate epoch changes
// across MdibVersionGroup/@SequenceId since it seems that any information inside the MDS implicitly is scoped to the
// sequence id.
.R1566
[sdpi_requirement#r1566,sdpi_req_level=shall]
****
The <<term_manufacturer>> of a <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> that changes the MDIB sequence identifier when it can no longer make smooth adjustments to its time-reference frame shall consider the risks arising from gaps in continuous data.
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I suppose smooth adjustments are meant to be slewing adjustments? Is it less, is it more than that?

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Please disregard previous reply; I got it wrong.

Slewing, as I recall, is just how quickly something can change. I remember it from op-amps where slew-rate was how quickly the output voltage would follow a step change to the input voltage. Here, it is one approach (and maybe the best one, and at least one employed in RFC5905) to make smooth adjustments. In other words, we change the tick rate of the device clock. In a perfect world, the clock ticks at 1 s/s. If we're behind we might tick our clock at 1.001s/s; if we're ahead we could tick at 0.999s/s.

But Biceps doesn't require NTP; there's a whole suite of other approaches that could be used with coded values defined in 10101. So "smooth adjustments" is the general term for "slewing adjustments". And I'm trying to use general terms in the requirements but more concrete terms elsewhere to aid understanding (including my own).


.Notes
[NOTE]
[%collapsible]
====
Non-slewing time-adjustments may indicate a serious error that impacts data that has already been:

* displayed on a chart to the user,
* exported to other systems.

====
****

// This may be unneccessary since it applies to all participants from 10700:Β§5.2.2,RR1162. It does make it clear
// that epoch versions aren't required though.
.R1568
[sdpi_requirement#r1568,sdpi_req_level=shall]
****
The <<term_manufacturer>> of a <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_provider>> that chooses to omit epoch versions from any timestamp shall consider the risks arising from erroneous timestamps.
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I think using epoch versions does not exempt a manufacturer from aussuming erroneous timestamps. So no matter if a provider does or does not uses epoch versions, it needs to assess the risks resulting from erroneous timestamps and install appropriate risk measures

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Agreed. I thought the risks might be different with and without versioned timestamps. For example, I note that epoch versions may not be required for timestamps on items that update frequently. Perhaps this is obvious though and doesn't merit another requirement.

I don't feel strongly about it; shall I remove this one since it is already covered by RR1162 in 10700:
"The MANUFACTURER of an SDC BASE CONSUMER SHALL consider the RISKs resulting from erroneous timestamps." ?


[NOTE]
[%collapsible]
====
Epoch versions may not be required for timestamps on items that update frequently.

====
****

// This may be unnecessary as the device could fault at any time. However, perhaps it is useful as a way
// to surface behaviours as part of conformity statements. And it emphasises the myriad of problems with
// time steps.
.R1569
[sdpi_requirement#r1569,sdpi_req_level=may]
****
A <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>> may enter a fault state by, for example, setting the `MdsState/@ActivationState` to `Fail` upon detecting a non-slewing time adjustment that it otherwise cannot recover from.
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I want this to be even more strict:

While a provider cannot verify coherency of timestamps in the MDIB, for every MDS that is affected, the provider shall set pm:Clock/@ActivationState = Fail.

NOTE: If for technical reasons or risk related measures a provider cannot set a new sequence id after a non-slewing time adjustment ensued, the provider sets the clock into fail mode such that consumers know they must not trust any timestamps that are read from the provider's MDIB.


That includes setting the clock to fail even if epoch versions are used. This allows for the consumers that do not understand epoch versions to act as if the clock would not be reliable anymore. From that it follows that the epoch versioning extension is required to be uniquely identifiable by a consumer as a means to recover from a failed clock.


If a provider does not want to set its clock to Fail, it may produce a new MDIB sequence at any time.

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Sorry, I'm not sure I completely follow this one and its interaction with other points. I think it depends on whether we put mustUnderstand="true" on some extension in the clock descriptor, and whether we are trying to deal with participants outside SDPi. This is where I got to:

If we put mustUnderstand="true" on in the clock's descriptor for an versioning extension:

  • consumers have to understand whatever we come up with in SDPi otherwise they must not to process messages.
  • the 3rd option in 1522 provides more nuance on which timestamps are reliable and which are not:
    • sdpi:Epochs/@Version changing signals a abrupt time adjustment,
    • pm:ClockState/@LastSet signals when that occurred (in the current time-reference frame),
    • no timestamps before @LastSet can be relied on even if the consumer understands epoch versioning and the timestamps are versioned because:
      • the reason for the abrupt timestamp can't be determined by the participants, and
      • the timing for the abrupt time adjustment can't be determined by any participant to a resolution any higher than the sync timing.
  • I don't think there's really any downside to setting pm:ClockState/@ActivationState != "On" but in the above context it isn't necessary.
  • We could reserve Fail for clock failures (e.g., hardware fault) and use Stndby for synchronization failures; maybe we don't need to separate these things though.
  • I think the strict part is in 1522 (providers must chose one of the options); 1569 is more about consumers understanding of what the fault state means; I assume providers can go into a fault state whenever they like.
  • Perhaps a pm:AbstractDescriptor/@SafetyClassification="MedA" (display only) might have a relaxed attitude to abrupt time jumps happy to just convey the information while a MedC (clinical function) provider might fault the whole device.
  • I better make 1569 refer to the provider as consumers don't have a activation state to set.
  • Is world time always a vital part of system function contribution? Perhaps a heart-lung machine would be more interested in continuing oxygenation than time-stamping exactly when a time-discontinuity occurred?

If mustUnderstand isn't true, I don't think there is anything about how a consumer should interpret ClockState/@ActivationState != "On". It might surprise them but SDPi conformance testing could validate they do something sensible. Although consumers that are on-board with SDPi should know what do with mustUnderstand=true. Are we worried about non SDPi compliant consumers? This just makes me think we should have mustUnderstand=true.

In conclusion, I'm not sure what to do next here.


[NOTE]
[%collapsible]
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* A sudden change in a participant's time-reference frame may require intervention by the OPERATOR or RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATION.
* A <<vol1_spec_sdpi_p_actor_somds_participant>> may continue delivery with a subset one or more of its nominal System Function Contribution (<<acronym_sfc>>) following a non-slewing adjustment reporting the activation state of components using `AbstractDeviceComponentState/@ActivationState`.

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