[ Glossary ]

2-Wire Digital Communication is a means of correction to wired clocks within a system that allows for both data and power to be sent on the same pair of wires.

Automatic Protocol Detection is when the analog clocks in the system are capable of recognizing a sync-wire protocol upon receiving its first correction, and setting itself automatically.

Brightness Adjustment is an energy-saving feature available for digital clocks that allows multiple brightness settings of the time display.

Cat 5/6 Cable is one wire made up of 8 smaller wires, each of them being routed to their designated opening in the end of a connector, that typically sends signals used for network Ethernet connections.

A Control Box is a control panel for elapsed timer clocks that allows for the easy use of its start, stop, count up, and countdown features.

A Converter Box acts as a power supply and an amplifier of a data signal so it can both power and synchronize wired clocks on a 2-Wire Digital Communication system, as often as every second.

Correction Time refers to how quickly a clock begins to correct itself after a system power outage or time change.

Daisy Chain refers to a method of wiring where the data wire is ran from one clock to the next as they are added to a system, leaving each device dependent upon the working connection of the preceding clock.

Diagnostics refers to specific statuses of a clock such as battery life (wireless only), signal strength (wireless only), mechanical error, protocol detection, etc.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) allows for the automatic configuration of IP clocks by eliminating the need for a manual intervention by a network administrator.

Economy Mode is a Sapling energy standard is designed to prevent a wireless clock from synchronizing as often as it would in normal mode, thus draining less energy and extending battery life.

Elapsed Time are timing capabilities that can be found in digital clocks and can be programmed to count up or down at a specified time.

FCC License is a license a user must purchase and renew periodically for wireless devices that do not run on the designated, free frequency range specified by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Sapling’s wireless system does NOT require one.

Frequency-Hopping is when a wireless device broadcasts its signal on a range of frequencies randomly and frequently to prevent signal interference when other wireless devices are present in the area.

A GPS Receiver is a receiver of extremely precise time data distributed from Global Positioning System satellites that infer time based on the location of the receiver.

An IP Address is an individual numeric internet address for a device that is connected to a network

Interfacing is when a different clock system(s) connects to the existing system to keep all of the times in sync with one another. Can also mean when an auxiliary system connects to the clock system to keep the times in sync.

A Local Power Supply is when a device is capable of using a power source that is within range of its location and eliminates the need for additional wiring during installation.

Master Clock is a system controller that acts as a main hub for all other wireless and/or wired clocks grouped within a system to correlate their time with and often offer additional capabilities.

Normal Mode typically refers to a Sapling energy standard in which a wireless clock synchronizes more often.

A PoE Injector is used when network infrastructure only has a data drop and a single device needs an injection of power in order to run via Ethernet connection.

PoE Switch is a centralized hub that distributes data and power to multiple IP devices through individual Ethernet connections.

Power-over-Ethernet also known as PoE; refers to the powering and synchronization of a device by an Ethernet connection over a network infrastructure.

A Push Switch is a button found on devices that allows for local programming and configuration of the various settings it may have.

A repeater takes a wireless signal and redistributes the signal to wireless clocks in a broader signal range to ensure that they are able to synchronize regardless of their distance.

Retrofitting is when a clock system is installed so that it uses or works around pre-existing infrastructure to function properly and without disruption to other installed systems.

RS485 Communication is a communication protocol that distributes a digital signal to the clocks to keep them on time. Each slave clock is powered locally while a pair of wires for communication is daisy-chained from clock to clock.

A router assigns and delivers IP addresses to individual devices in a network.

Server Redundancy is when an IP clock can store multiple NTP and SNTP server addresses to guarantee back-up synchronization in the event that one server is down and fails to communicate.

(S)NTP Server is a time server that distributes Network Time Protocol for the synchronization of accurate time to computerized devices, such as IP clocks.

A Static IP Address is a number given to a device as its permanent internet address reference but that a DHCP may temporarily change to avoid conflicts from having two devices with the same static address in one session of internet use.

Sync-Wire Communication is a most popular means of correction of wired clocks within the U.S. involving pulses sent to individual slave clocks for correction every 12 hours

A Transceiver is a device that both receives transmitted data and sends it back out for further transmission, hence extending the range of the signal to what could ultimately be an infinite distance.

Transformers take a 220V (or 110V) power supply and steps it down to a 110V (or 24V) power supply in order to safely power devices, such as wired clocks.

A Transmitter is a device that broadcasts a wireless data signal out to other devices within range in order to synchronize those devices.