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Binary Time Series Format

btsfTM is a revolutionary1 advanced data format that utilizes state-of-the-art 0 and 1 technology to communicate time series data in a compact and efficient manner.

All numbers are little-endian.

Record format, all 32 bit integers:

  • N: uint32 number of data points
  • L: uint32 length of the name in bytes
  • X1: proprietary extension space
  • X#: H-8 extra bytes padding out to the size of the record header specified in the file header.
  • S: L bytes of a string representing the name of the record, in UTF-8
  • P: N data points
    • T: int32 time in unix epoch
    • D: float32 data point

File format:

Designated extension: .btsf

  • A header containing:
    • V uint32 version number (currently 2)
    • F uint32 the number of bytes in the file header (currently 4*4)
    • H uint32 the number of bytes in a record header (currently 3*4)
    • R uint32 the number of records in the file
  • R concatenated records

Pro tips for using the format

When reading, store an integer corresponding to H and add that to the byte offset of a record to get the index of the name. Skip over an additional L bytes to get to the data. Skip over N*8+L+H bytes to get to the next record in the file.

When reading the header, read in the numbers and then start at index F in the file for reading records.

Usage of proprietary extension field

The X1 field of each record is reserved for proprietary extensions. Which extension(s) are being used must be communicated out of band, alongside the file.

Current extensions

Proposal Number Title Description
BTSF-X0116.RV btsfTM Extension for the Communication of Statistical Correlations For users of this extension, the X1 field will contain a float32 value specifying the statistical correlation between the record and a predetermined data set

Governance

The btsfTM standard is governed by the btsfTM steering committee, the membership of which is selected by contributors on a regular2 basis.

Current steering committee members

  • Tristan Hume
  • Marc Mailhot

1: Revolution not guaranteed 2: For some definion of regular