Abstract: A method is described for detecting the time messages in the faulty signal of a time-signal transmitter comprising the steps below. Probabilities are assigned to the received information/bits as they are received and whose sign specifies the value of the bit and whose numerical value indicates the certainty of reception. Except for the bits designating the minute information, the probabilities of successive time messages are totaled with time correctness in a one-dimensional memory field. From the totaled probabilities, a reduced time message is reconstructed that initially contains no information on the minutes. If the reconstructed time message does not change over two successive time intervals, and if preset minimum values for the number of probabilities are exceeded for all bits, then the reduced time message is recognized as being correct. The minutes are determined separately and added to the time message recognized as being correct.

Abstract: A device and method provide for an accurate output from a unit, such as an oscillator and/or clock providing an output indicative of frequency and/or time. The device includes a processing section having a microprocessor that develops a model characterizing the performance of the device, including establishing predicted accuracy variations, and the model is then used to correct the unit output. An external reference is used to provide a reference input for updating the model, including updating of predicted variations of the unit, by comparison of the reference input with the unit output. The ability of the model to accurately predict the performance of the unit improves as additional updates are carried out, and this allows the interval between the updates to be lengthened and/or the overall accuracy of the device to be improved. The accuracy of the output is thus adaptively optimized in the presence of systematic and random variations.