Time-Traveling Power Supply: Unravelling the Mystery of the 2080 Timestamp

In the world of electronics, even minor glitches can translate to major operational challenges. This was precisely the conundrum faced by one of our clients when they approached Aero9 Australasia with a puzzling timestamp fault that was far from routine.

The Challenge

Our client's system logs were consistently skewing. Timestamps were appearing decades into the future, displaying years like 2083. This was especially perplexing since the system was set to synchronize with Network Time Protocol (NTP) — a reliable mechanism for clock synchronization across computers. The stakes were high, as reliable time-stamping is crucial for aviation systems.

The Aero9 Approach

Tasked with this technological puzzle was one of our keen technical officers. With an in-depth understanding of the UNIX epoch time — the beginning point for system time in UNIX-based systems — our officer set out to meticulously test the networked power supply.

What we discovered was unexpected. The power supply was indeed receiving accurate time updates from the NTP server. However, a software glitch led the system to sum its current time with the epoch time, catapulting the timestamps into the distant future.

Armed with these findings, we meticulously crafted a report and presented it to our client’s engineering team. Our recommendation was crystal clear: the manufacturer needed to create a software patch to resolve this anomaly.

The Resolution

In a commendable turnaround time of just three months, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) rolled out an effective patch for the power supplies. Our client promptly applied this solution, and the futuristic time stamps became a thing of the past.

A Look Ahead

At Aero9 Australasia, we don't merely repair – we delve deep, investigate, and bring to the forefront innovative solutions. This case illustrates our commitment to understanding the intricacies of electronic challenges and finding effective solutions. If your systems face unexplained glitches or you're keen to discover how our expertise can add value to your operations, reach out to us today.