TIME write protocol

The producer of the TIME write protocol provides absolute time information, which can be used as global network clock. Time write protocol consumers that operate a local clock can use the TIME object to adjust their own time base to that of the time write protocol producer. The details of this mechanism are implementation-specific.

Time jitters have to be considered, as delays in the transmission can occur in case the network is not idle or arbitration is lost due to higher-prior COBs.

The time information that is transferred is coded as data type TIME_OF_DAY and provides the milliseconds after midnight and the number of days since January 1, 1984.