Article View: sci.logic
Article #185Synchonizing watches
From: Doug Stevens
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1992 23:44
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1992 23:44
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1628 bytes
------ I hope that I have the correct newsgroup. I'm looking for a solution to the following puzzle, or proof that it cannot be solved: A and B are two people at two ends of a very slow telephone connection. They are both completely cut off from the world except for their connection with each other. In particular, they have no idea what time it is in the real world. There is a delay AB in the transmission of what is being said by A to B, and a delay BA in the transmission of what is being said by B to A. The delay AB does not equal the delay BA. The delays, for the purpose of this problem, are on the order of minutes in each direction. Both A and B have watches. Before they begin to talk, the watches are not set to the correct time, nor are they set to the same time. The problem is to devise a procedure such that A and B can, via their telephone connection only, accurately synchronize their watches (to within a few seconds). The watches do not have to reflect time in the real world, but must match each other. Both A and B will know the procedure before the call begins, and each will know whether he is A or B. Thanks for any help.
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!wupost!uwm.edu!ogicse!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tvnews!dougs From: dougs@tvnews.tv.tek.com (Doug Stevens) Newsgroups: sci.logic Subject: Synchonizing watches Message-ID: <1992Sep1.234452.26917@tvnews.tv.tek.com> Date: 1 Sep 92 23:44:52 GMT Article-I.D.: tvnews.1992Sep1.234452.26917 Sender: dougs@tvnews.tv.tek.com (Doug Stevens) Distribution: usa Organization: Tektronix TV Measurement Systems, Beaverton, OR Lines: 23