Patent ID: 7822072

Claim:
A computer implemented method of estimating the maximum error in the clock offset and dispersion between first and second clocks in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining at the computer a first set of data values representing a forward delay between the first and second clocks; obtaining at the computer a second set of data values representing a negative backward delay between the first and second clocks; generating lower convex hull data values on the computer comprising values of a lower convex hull for said first set of data values; generating upper convex hull data values on the computer comprising values of an upper convex hull for said second set of data values; generating parallel line data values on the computer comprising values of first and second parallel lines between the upper and lower convex hulls; and using the parallel line data values on the computer to estimate the worst-case error for the offset, skew rate and dispersion of said first and second clocks; and wherein the using step includes the step of generating spinning line data values on the computer comprising values of spinning the first and second lines between the two convex hulls starting from a first end of said hulls.